Inventing the New England Landscape

This theme is about the ways people shaped the landscape to their use and in turn how the landscape shaped their society. From early trading posts grew small villages with houses clustered together for protection and common needs. These clusters included churches, inns, general stores and taverns. What we think of today as the distinctly New England Village was born of necessity and practicality. In a different, yet also practical way, mill villages developed on the shores of active rivers, as farms grew larger to feed expanding markets. Within present day cities and towns are some of the best examples of small town clusters, early architecture and mill river sites.

People seem to yearn most strongly for the disappearing rural landscape that surrounded the little villages. As agriculture becomes harder to sustain, many farmers are offering U-pick opportunities even as they compete with global markets.