Posted February 20, 200916 yr In my last job, I had to go to Northampton every year or two for meetings with my boss and other colleagues. It's a great town of about 30,000 people, a little north of Springfield, along the Connecticut River. Home of Smith College. Site of "Running With Scissors," Augusten Burroughs's memoir. Site of "Young at Heart," about the senior citizens choir that sings rock songs. It's a great place to be a pedestrian: Cars stop for you before you even hit the curb. Streetscape south of downtown Round house Downtown alley Downtown from the rear Heading up to Main Street; city hall on the left Main Street Main, looking east Main, looking west Shops on Old South Street Hemp on Main Funky shops Pedestrians on Main Busy Main Another photographer I kept seeing Main and Pleasant -- Northampton Hotel on left More Main Yep. Main again Diner on Strong Ave. Market Street, east of the railroad overpass Looking back on Main from the overpass Hawley Street, east of overpass Main Main and Pleasant More photographers in an alley behind Main Union Station, with that first other photographer Wooden rowhouses south of downtown on Pleasant Hotel from a distance Former co-workers at a great bar: Ye Ol' Watering Hole (http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/3524) Lotsa local microbrews, plus an incredible collection of beer cans: ] Beer can museum More beer cans
February 20, 200916 yr good pictures. There’s a good book about Northampton called Home Town--sort of a profile of everyday life there--(from a few years ago) by the writer Tracy Kidder: http://www.theatlantic.com/unbound/bookauth/ba990422.htm http://www.mainstreetpainesville.org/
February 20, 200916 yr I've heard of that. I need to check it out. The cover is similar to my 7th picture.
February 20, 200916 yr Well done! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 20, 200916 yr Awesome town and great shots. There's some great stuff on the Smith Campus too.
February 20, 200916 yr Central and western MA are widely overlooked, I'd go as far to say the most overlooked. Great job! There's a cluster of college towns around here. Northampton also has a reputation as a lesbian stronghold.
February 21, 200916 yr Looks like a great city. The somewhat common streetlight standard (as seen in this pic) is called the Northampton. Several cities in Ohio have the design, including downtown Hamilton. I assume the name originates from this city. http://www.springcity.com/CastPosts/CastPostsMain.aspx?CastPostName=Northampton
Create an account or sign in to comment