HISTORIC DEERFIELD INC
PO BOX 321, DEERFIELD, MA 01342 www.historic-deerfield.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: HISTORIC DEERFIELD, INC. IS A MUSEUM OF EARLY AMERICAN HISTORY, ARCHITECTURE, AND THE DECORATIVE ARTS THAT RECOGNIZES A PARTICULAR RESPONSIBILITY FOR PRESERVING AND INTERPRETING THE BUILDINGS ENTRUSTED TO IT, THEIR UNIQUE SETTING IN THE TOWN OF DEERFIELD, AND THE COLLECTIONS IN THOSE BUILDINGS. THE GOAL OF HISTORIC DEERFIELD IS TO PROVIDE THE TRAVELING PUBLIC, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WITH A DAY-LONG EXPERIENCE IN A PLACE DEFINED BY AUTHENTICITY, HUMAN SCALE, PROFOUND HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND BEAUTY THAT DELIVERS AN UNDERSTANDING OF EARLY NEW ENGLAND LIFE WITH A MEMORABLE RECREATIONAL EVENT OF THE BEST POSSIBLE KIND.

HISTORIC DEERFIELD OPENS DOORS TO NEW PERSPECTIVES THAT INSPIRE PEOPLE TO SEEK A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THEMSELVES, THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND THE WORLD.

HISTORIC DEERFIELD IS A UNIQUE MUSEUM WHICH MAINTAINS 55 BUILDINGS (12 OF WHICH ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC) AND FOCUSES ON THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SMALL-TOWN AMERICA TO OUR NATIONAL CULTURE. HISTORIC DEERFIELD OFFERS A BROAD RANGE OF PROGRAMMING RELATED TO THE CORE AREAS OF ITS MISSION: HISTORIC PRESERVATION, MATERIAL CULTURE STUDIES, AND NATURAL HISTORY. AS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC FORCED HISTORIC DEERFIELD TO CLOSE ITS DOORS IN MID-MARCH 2020 THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. HOWEVER, PRIOR TO THE CLOSURE, HISTORIC DEERFIELD OFFERED A WIDE RANGE OF PUBLIC PROGRAMMING. FAMILY PROGRAMMING AT THE HISTORY WORKSHOP INCLUDED "AMAZING AGRICULTURE: PAST AND PRESENT," "SILKEN INSPIRATIONS: THE HANDS-ON HISTORY OF SILK," "ALL ABOUT APPLES AND APPLE CIDER," WRITTEN BY HAND: THE ART AND FUN OF WRITING WITH A QUILL PEN, AND "COZY WINTER WEDNESDAYS." HISTORIC DEERFIELD OFFERED NUMEROUS OPEN HEARTH COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS INCLUDING "A STRAWBERRY IN WINTER: MAKING FRUIT PRESERVES," "PUMPKIN TIME," "COOKING WITH APPLES AND CIDER, AND "THANKSGIVING DISHES." THE THEME FOR THE JULY SUMMER LECTURE SERIES, ENTITLED "GOING GLOBAL," EXPLORED THE GLOBAL ENCOUNTERS THAT LAUNCHED A WORLD ECONOMY, FUELED A CONSUMER REVOLUTION, AND SPURRED DREAMS OF COSMOPOLITANISM AMONG WESTERNERS CAPTIVATED BY AN IMAGINED ASIAN AESTHETIC. IT FEATURED THREE LECTURES: "MADE IN CHINA: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE OLD CANTON TRADE," "MADE IN THE AMERICAS: THE NEW WORLD DISCOVERS ASIA, AND "MARKETPLACE OF REVOLUTION: AMERICAN CONSUMERS IN A WORLD OF GOODS." THIS PAST YEAR THE MUSEUM ADDED 638 ITEMS TO ITS COLLECTION OF APPROXIMATELY 27,000 ARTIFACTS AND WELCOMED OVER 10,000 VISITORS AND OVER 500 PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS.

HISTORIC DEERFIELD'S PUBLIC HISTORIAN DEVELOPS AND OVERSEES THE ANNUAL LECTURE SERIES IN HISTORY AND COLLABORATES TO CREATE PROGRAMS FOR GENERAL AND ACADEMIC AUDIENCES. ACADEMIC PROGRAMS FOCUS ON THE INTERDISCIPLINARY USE OF HISTORY AND RELATED FIELDS WITH A COMMITMENT TO INCREASING ATTENDANCE, EXPANDING MUSEUM AUDIENCES AND FOSTERING HISTORIC DEERFIELD'S AFFILIATION WITH FIVE COLLEGES, INC., AS WELL AS OTHER COLLEGE FACULTY MEMBERS AND MUSEUM STAFF AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS. THE PUBLIC HISTORIAN TEACHES A COURSE IN MATERIAL CULTURE FOR UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS IN THE FIVE COLLEGES OFFERED THROUGH SMITH COLLEGE AND DIRECTS HISTORIC DEERFIELD'S SUMMER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. THE SUMMER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1956. THIS NINE-WEEK RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR UNDERGRADUATE RISING SENIORS AND GRADUATING SENIORS. SIX FELLOWS COMPLETED THE PROGRAM THIS FISCAL YEAR AND OVER 450 HAVE COMPLETED THE PROGRAM SINCE ITS INCEPTION. APPROXIMATELY 75% OF SUMMER FELLOWS PURSUE CAREERS IN THE MUSEUM OR MATERIAL CULTURE FIELDS. THE LIBRARY ADDED 70 ITEMS TO ITS COLLECTION OF OVER 25,000 ITEMS.

THE DEERFIELD INN WAS PURCHASED IN 1945 BY HENRY AND HELEN GEIER FLYNT, THE FOUNDERS OF WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS HISTORIC DEERFIELD, INC. THE FLYNTS ENVISIONED HISTORIC DEERFIELD AS A QUINTESSENTIAL RURAL NEW ENGLAND VILLAGE WITH AUTHENTIC HISTORIC BUILDINGS DATING BACK TO 1714. HISTORIC DEERFIELD IS A DESTINATION; ITIS MORE THAN SIMPLY TOURING A HOUSE OR ATTENDING A LECTURE. RATHER, IT IS AN EXPERIENCE THAT ENCOMPASSES WALKS ALONG OLD MAIN STREET, RECREATION, LEARNING, MEALS, AND PERHAPS AN OVERNIGHT STAY. IN ADDITION TO THE STORIES WE TELL OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED HERE, A RANGE OF OTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES EXIST AS EDUCATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND REMAINS A STRONG COMPONENT OF HISTORIC DEERFIELD'S MISSION. THE DEERFIELD INN SUPPORTS THESE MUSEUM ACTIVITIES AS IT CATERS EVENTS AND MEALS, AND HOUSES AND FEEDS SPEAKERS AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, AND IS AN IMPORTANT BACKDROP FOR DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. THIS PAST YEAR, THE INN WELCOMED OVER 3,600 GUESTS AND CHAMPNEY'S SERVED OVER 27,000 GUESTS.

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