Historic, but not traditional

Fossils and a funky arts scene share the spotlight in the tiny mill village of Turners Falls

September 09, 2007|Beth Daley, Globe Staff

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The Hallmark Museum of Contemporary Photography, showcasing professional photographs and the personal collection of founder George J. Rosa III, is on the first floor of the opera house. The museum, which opened last year, is expanding into the Crocker building and that new addition should be open early next year. Next door, check out the Shea Theater, the cultural nerve center of the village, where music, community theater, and dance are performed and classes taught.

If you stand long enough at the Shea, a local may start talking to you about the controversial Renaissance Community, at one time the largest commune in the eastern United States. The commune was founded in 1968 and underwent several incarnations. At one time it was a dominant presence here, owning the opera house and the Shea, which was used as a concert space and recording studio. Today, stories abound about the commune, and many people in town have some connection to it - some good, some bad, but always interesting.

While it's easy to spend time in this town, there is impressive natural beauty nearby. In the spring, when shad return to the Connecticut River, spectators gather at a fish ladder facility to watch migrating schools pass over the village dam.

If you go back over the bridge, there are nearby hiking, camping, cross-country skiing, and canoeing opportunities. FirstLight Power Resources, the current dam owner, continues a long tradition of public access to its properties. Two miles north of Route 2, Northfield Mountain has 26 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing. There is also an interpretive riverboat cruise on the 60-seat Quinnetukut II. Even closer is Barton Cove on Route 2, which offers rustic camping and canoe and kayak rentals.

On an island in Barton Cove, a hidden camera documents the life of an eagle family. It's fascinating to watch at firstlightpower.com/eagles/live/default.asp. The camera will undergo repairs in the next month but should be up and running soon after.

The one thing missing in Turners Falls is a bed-and-breakfast or inn. Locals wistfully suggest that St. Anne's - a closed Roman Catholic church which is on the market - would make a gorgeous hotel. It would, but for now, the best lodging options are about a 10-minute drive away in Greenfield.

Don't let the lack of a downtown hotel deter you though. There are few other places in New England that deliver such an enormous dose of history, beauty, and pure quirkiness.