Historic Central Mass Restaurants/Sights
 

Over Easter, we will be visiting our 21 year old cousin from Slovakia who is here for a year as an au pair in Springfield, MA. I lived in Northampton, MA many years ago and would like to take her there (no, really, I'd like to go back to visit for old times' sake and this is a good excuse!). I'd like to take her to lunch in Northampton, see some historical sites nearby, and then a nice dinner somewhere in an old-ish historical restaurant. We'll have a car so we can travel within reason. Anyone have any good ideas for lunch, dinner, and something interesting for her to see that would give her a good sense of the history of the place?

One of the most interesting restaurants in the area is in downtown Springfield. It is called by two names but is the same restaurant! The Fort and the Student Prince. The food is German-Central European, which might make her feel at home if she has been living on the usual American diet. There also used to be a Dutch restaurant in downtown Springfield. Is it still there?

Northampton is a great town for meals, but historical? hmm...

+Hotel Northampton has `Historic' Wiggens Tavern, which will serve you stodgy but authentic New England food.

+The Eastside Grill has steaks in a converted older mansion-style home. Some of the best food in town.

+Deerfield Inn is in Deerfield, some distance from Northampton, but if you are visiting Old Deerfield Village, this would be a great place to stop for dinner.

+ For lunch, anywhere on main street--japanese, italian, middle eastern, pizza, sandwiches, indian .. You could wander around Thornes Market, an old mill converted to a shopping center, then walk to lunch from there.

+ There is a restuarant in the old train station, but I've never been there...

Visit www.historic-northampton.org for more about historical places to visit.

Another thought -- if the weather is fine, go to Skinner State Park and take in the View from Summit House. It used to be a hotel, now a park information center. There is a painting of that view in the Met.

www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/central/skin.htm

Being a MA native and still having trouble thinking of historical site actually within or outskirts of Northampton, but her are a few sites I use that might have some info for you
(also try westernmasshistory.com)

gonewengland.about.com

nps.gov/state/ma

hidden-hills.com

thetrustees.org

Thank you all for your suggestions - I think we're going to do Northampton for lunch and Deerfield Village for the afternoon.

Skinner state park (suggested above) is a "don't miss" imo! spectacular views and very close by.

I lived in Northampton for awhile, and also as above, can't think of anything terribly historic:-( hmmm...