This project started with the desire to get out of the strict academic world and have the intellectual work I was doing go towards something that wasn’t just myself. I have always been interested in place: understanding where I am, what is around me, who is around me. Williamstown is a great place to combine all of these curiosities. From exploring the area through hikes, runs, walks, observational drawing, reading, or classes, I’ve learned a lot about this special place. But, I wanted to dig deeper and also learn how to dig deep. So, I proposed this project and have been working on it for this semester, Spring 2018. 

 

The intent of this project is to combine environmental history with oral history interviews to showcase the way people living in the Northern Berkshires think about, relate to, and use the Hoosic River. The Hoosic River is 720 square miles and goes through three states (NY, VT, & MA). It’s an important and diverse ecosystem and has changed significantly over the years. People have been dependent on the river for day-to-day living, industry, and now enjoy it for recreational purposes. Over the course of this semester, I interviewed a variety of individuals and spent time with groups that interact with the river in different ways. Ranging from the manager of the waste-water treatment plant to an outreach organizing committee to fly fisherman to rafters to Williams students, people often have stories to tell about their time on the river. This project highlights some of those voices and faces. Rivers are integral to society and often the center point to cities, but it seems the Hoosic is underappreciated. While many have stories or have heard of the river, very few people know the Hoosic well. There is a stigma that the river is toxic. However, there have been many successful efforts to clean the Hoosic in recent years. This brings about one of my biggest takeaways from this study: a river transcends many oppositions, between the clean and the dirty; water and concrete; the industrial, and the natural. Many people in the region are unaware that this river exists as a wonderful place to explore. I hope this project will raise awareness of the river and showcase its importance in environmental history and everyday happiness.