Image from Knowlton Brothers stereograph, No. 75, Quigley's house, Leeds, 1874
What Pioneer Valley town hasn’t experienced some disaster? Whether natural or man-made, tragic events can quickly envelop a town. More than a day’s occurrence, disasters sometimes go on to define a town for centuries. Think of the Spring Hill mine disaster, the Chicago fire, the San Francisco earthquake. Here in the Pioneer Valley, the Mill River Flood received worldwide news coverage in 1874 due to the enormity of destruction and the great loss of life. While it is the preeminent event in the written histories of Williamsburg and the village of Leeds, many residents of unaffected lower Pioneer Valley towns still remain unaware of its occurrence.
Through your submissions to PVHN’s “Disasters in the Valley” webpage, we can all learn more about the calamitous events that affected and shaped the Pioneer Valley and how our various communities responded to them. What heroes were born as a result? What lives or fortunes were lost? How was history altered? What new safeguards were developed? How has the story been preserved and retold? Where can we learn more?
For more About the Disasters in the Valley project, click here.
To learn how to submit your disaster for inclusion in the project, click here.
To learn more about the Pioneer Valley History Network, click here.
To see an Index by Town/City, click here.
Disasters in the Valley 