Westfield native Major-General William Shepard crammed a lot of action into his 80 years of life…read more He fought in 22 battles and was one tough sonuvabitch.. He fought in King George's War and the French and Indian War, He fought in Quebec, and served in the Revolutionary War, he defended Springfield during Shay's Rebellion, he served in the War of 1812. Why was he tough sonuvabitch? During the Revolution, he was shot in the neck by a cannon ball. He gained consciousness while the doctors were digging the ball out of his neck. He asked for a drink of water, and told the doctors to bandage him up so he could return to the fight. Now that's what I call a tough guy! When his military service ended, he turned to public service and became a state representative, senator, and councilor. He was elected to congress three times, and later in life served in town politics and was his church's deacon for 24 years. Westfield honors one of its most impressive native sons with a 1919 bronze statue on a town green at the intersection of Elm, Court, and Broad Streets. Several inscription on the stone base read: MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM SHEPARD 1737-1817 REPRESENTATIVE IN THE GENERAL COURT STATE SENATOR GOVERNOR'S COUNCILLOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTOR MEMBER OF CONGRESS U.S. COMMISSIONER TO THE SIX NATIONS MODERATOR XII YEARS SELECTMAN OF WESTFIELD XXVII YEARS DEACON OF THE CHURCH CHARTER TRUSTEE OF WESTFIELD ACADEMY ............................. ERECTED BY THE DESCENDANTS OF GENERAL SHEPARD AND THE PEOPLE OF WESTFIELD 1919. ....................... CAPTAIN - FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS 1754-1763 MEMBER OF COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE AND SAFETY CONTINENTAL LINE ENGAGED IN XXII BATTLES 1775-1783 COLONEL AND BRIGADIER GENERAL MAYOR - GENERAL MASSACHUSETTS MILITIA SUBDUING SHAY'S REBELLION When he passed away. Someone wrote "No taint of meanness or dishonesty ever attached itself to him. He was distinguished for his good character and his unbending integrity."

I grew up in the Bronx on a street named Gates Place. The next street over from Gates was Knox…read morePlace. Both streets were named after Revolutionary War Generals - Horatio Gates and Henry Knox. Henry Knox was a real hero of the Revolutionary War and his exploits have been memorialized in a series of 56 bronze plaques throughout Massachusetts and New York. Knox led an expedition that attacked and defeated the British at Fort Ticonderoga in New York. The real prize of that victory was 59 cannons that Knox commandeered and transported by ox-driven wagons all the way to Boston to drive out the Brits. Many historians consider this chain of events, led by Knox, to be the turning point of the Revolutionary War. The Henry Knox Cannon Trail traces the path that Knox travelled to transport those cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston in the winter of 1775-1776. The Westfield marker is located at the intersection of Main Street (U.S. 20) and U.S. 202, in front of the Tavern Restaurant It's inscription reads: Through this Place Passed General Henry Knox In the Winter of 1775 - 1776 To Deliver To General George Washington At Cambridge The Train of Artillery From Fort Ticonderoga Used To Force the British Army To Evacuate Boston Erected by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 1927

He was the first President born in the 20th century. he was one of the nation's youngest…read morepresidents. And for Americans of a certain generation, his death on November 22, 1963 was a shattering life event. The John F. Kennedy memorial plaza was funded by the parishioners of the Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church in Holyoke and the memorial is located on front of the church. The memorial consists of a granite base and a bust of a youthful Kennedy. There are granite slabs flanking the memorial with quotes from his inaugural address and book "Profiles in Courage". Behind the memorial are granite blocks engraved with the names of recipients of the JFK award and the Grand Marshals of the St. Patrick's Day parade. The front of the base is inscribed: John Fitzgerald Kennedy 35th president of the United States May 29, 1917 Nov. 22, 1963 The back of the base has the presidential seal and the following inscription: John Fitzgerald Kennedy May 29, 1917 Nov. 22, 1963 The various inscriptions read: "And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country" inaugural address 1961 "All this will not be finished in the first hundred days, nor will it be finished in the first thousand days, but let us begin." inaugural address 1961 "A man does what he must -- in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and damages and pressures, and that is the basis of all human morality" "Profiles in Courage" 1955 "... let us go forth to lead the land we love asking his blessing and his help, but knowing that here on earth god's work must truly be our own." Inaugural Address 1961

Not the biggest or most interesting memorial park I've been to, but a nice little park non the…read moreless. I drive by often and have stopped here a couple times and I'm actually really impressed with how well kept the memorial area is. I wouldn't say this location is something worth making a special trip, but do stop in if you're in the area.

This is a very understated monument located between the street and the front entrance of Memorial…read moreHall. It consists of two sets of triple-fold granite panels. Both sets have a large center panel that is flanked by two smaller panels. Both of the large center panels bears the inscription "Northampton Remembers" followed by the names of Northampton's WW II vets. The remaining four panels bear the names of Northampton's vets that served in the Spanish American War, WW I, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Above the phrase "Northampton remembers are the logos of the service branches, reading from left to right, they are the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, U.S Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Merchant Marine. The monument halves are located on the brick patio entrance to Memorial Hall. The bricks are installed in a parquet design and are of two colors, black and the traditional brick color. There is a flagpole centered between the monument halves.

Not only is this art, it's useful art! This cute statue is also a donation station to help feed the…read morehungry in Northampton. Definitely keep some cash on hand so you can donate when you inevitably walk by. If you want to donate to the hungry but don't have cash, you can buy an art ribbon book mark at Broadside Books up the street with plastic. Their proceeds also go to a food based cause.

When you stroll through the streets of Northampton there is no telling what you'll see. In our…read morecase, one of the first things that caught our eye was this adorable statue of a reclining frog. It was stretched out over a concrete vault that held a coin slot, silently soliciting donations from passers-by to feed the homeless. The coin slot is cut into a door to the vault. The side of the vault has a brochure holder with information on homeless services and how to make a donation. The vault also has two bronze plaques. The one on the front states: "Feed the Frog Feed the Hungry" "All donations made to the "Happy Frog" bank will go directly to feeding the hungry of our community because Northampton cares." A plaque on the side acknowledges the frog's sculptor: "In gratitude to Lu Stubbs, Sculptor -2008-" What a perfect combination of creativity, art, community service, and charity, Yes, Northampton does care.

So how many "Father of ____" have you heard of? Father of Rock and Roll? Father of the atomic bomb?…read moreFather of our nation? Well, how about the Father of the Dental Profession? I kid you not, because Windsor CT is the home of a memorial plaque honoring just that -Horace H. Hayden, MD and DDS - the Father of Dentistry ! The bronze plaque is mounted on a boulder across the street from the Palisado Green next to the Hezekiah Chaffee House. The plaque reads: To The Memory Of Horace H. Hayden, M.D., D.D.S. "The Father Of The Dental Profession" Born In Windsor, October, 13, 1769 Died In Baltimore, January, 26, 1844 Architect Geologist Teacher Soldier And Acting-Surgeon In The War Of 1812-1814 Associated As Founder With Chapin A. Harris, M.D., D.D.S. And Was First President And Professor Of The Principles Of Dental Science In The Baltimore College Of Dental Surgery The First Dental College In The World 1840 - 1844 Founder And First President Of The American Society Of Dental Surgeons 1840 - 1844 Erected By The Hartford Dental Society 1907 How bizarre is that??

The Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge is also known as the Gilbertville Covered Bridge because of its…read morelocation - specifically, it spans the Ware River at the village of Gilbertville, which lies within the town of Hardwick. The bridge connects the towns of Ware and Hardwick, but its immediate setting in Gilbertville gives rise to the alternate name. This dual naming reflects both geographic and historical context. Gilbertville was a 19th-century industrial village founded by the George H. Gilbert Company, and the bridge served as a vital link between the mills and surrounding communities. Built in 1886, it stands as one of only four wooden covered bridges in the state still located on their original sites. It is a single-span Town lattice truss, a design patented in 1820 by Ithiel Town. This system uses a dense web of diagonally crisscrossed planks, creating a strong yet economical structure without relying on arches. The bridge is about 137 feet long and 25 feet wide, with vertical board siding and a gabled metal roof. Notably, the siding leaves a strip open along the sides to allow natural light inside. The mills and tenements that once defined the village of Gilbertville were largely destroyed in a flood during the 1930s, but the bridge endured. In 1986, underwent major restoration in 1986-87, and was closed again in 2002 due to structural concerns including insect damage. After a $1.9 million rehabilitation, it reopened in 2010 with no weight limit. I wasn't sure if there was a place on the other side to make a U-turn, even though it has a high height limit so I opted not to drive the Sprinter through. I walked across to appreciate the bridge from inside and both sides of the span. It's a beautiful bridge. [Review 1123 of 2025 - 1268 in Massachusetts - 24676 overall]

This was the 9th covered bridge I visited in the course of 1 day. By the time I got here, all I…read morethought was that I didn't like the red on the front. I guess after 9 covered bridges you start getting petty. It's located off Route 32. Which is not a Scenic Road. And it really isn't visible from Route 32. But Waze happily gets you there. This is a bucket list bridge.

This monument stands apart from most of the veteran's memorials I have seen due to its vibrant and…read morestriking use of color. It's a simple stone monument adorned by an unfurled American flag in full glorious color. In addition to the bright reds, whites, and blues of the flag, the monument also sports a silver flagpole topped by a gold eagle. The inscription reads "In Honor of Those Who Served in the Armed Forces of the United States of America." There are gold and bronze emblems of the five branches of the armed services at the bottom of the monument. The monument sits on the front lawn of the Poquonock Elementary School at 1760 Poquonock Avenue in Windsor. As you are driving by on Route 75, it sure grabs your attention !!