BSO

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Friday, August 24, 2007

Easthampton 2007


A look at a neighboring community. 

 



Despite its close proximity, I almost never go to the town of Easthampton. However I was there recently and took a few pictures, mostly in the downtown section. There are a lot of old houses, such as this one made of brick.





Here'a another colonial style home, only this one is made of wood.





I like how this store has a skirt and blouse on a pole.





There is an old cemetery within walking distance of downtown.





Some of the markers are so old you can't even read them, yet each anonymous stone still represents a human life. 





In the town square there is this impressive tribute to veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. I don't think there is a town in the Valley more inclined to fly flags than Easthampton, making it pretty much the opposite of Amherst in that regard. In Amherst flag waving can actually be controversial. 





On the wall of Townhall is this stone slab to the veterans of the Civil War. What's interesting is how many more died of disease than in battle. (click to enlarge) 





The ages are also listed, most died around twenty years old. War is sometimes necessary, but the price is always terrible - with money being the least of it.

Speaking of Amherst, one of the best known poems by the town's world famous poet Emily Dickinson is Some Keep the Sabbath by Going to Church. In this unique rendition it has been turned into a rap song. Surprisingly it works, but I wonder what Miss Emily would have thought?



6 comments:

Larry Kelley said...

I would imagine Miss Emily, who let the simple words extraordinarily strung together tell her story without grandstanding, would not be impressed.

Yeah, Easthampton is as patriotic as a municipality can get (right up there with Hatfield).

And Easthampton was smart enough to move to a Mayor/Council government a few years ago.

Mary E.Carey said...

Nice walking tour of Easthampton.

Anonymous said...

Tom,

One of my bosses at work (a restaurant in Enfield) is a guy named Tony Keough. For the longest time, I didn't even know Tony's last name until I asked him to write a recommendation for me.

Reading your blog, I came upon the name Francis Keough. Tony Keough is from West Springfield, so I thought it might be a relation of his.

Tonight at work, I asked him, "So Tony, are you related to Francis Keough?"

"I don't know anything about that," he said.

"What?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said.

I shrugged my shoulders and went back to work. I thought I had heard the last of it, until he said: "We don't talk about Frankie."

I think that means that I hit a nerve.

Also, I think he mentioned another Keough. Do you know who he was talking about?

BEN DUFFY

Anonymous said...

Tom,

Yeah, I had heard before that the biggest killer during that civil war era was cholera. Pretty bad times back then. The good old days eh?

Tom said...

Ben!

Frankie has a shady cousin, and that is probably who your boss is referring to.

Dr. Sax said...

I'm not a big rap/hip hop fan, but I think it's very cool that young folks would be moved enough by her poetry to take the time to translate it into language that might touch a group of people that may otherwise have no introduction to Dickinson.