Recreation (update in progress)

South St. Cement Structure, Northampton

For  almost 300 years the mills of the Mill River dominated local consciousness, along with the smell of industrial waste and refuse.  But where factories once dominated the falls on the Mill, one now finds swimmers, boaters and anglers, walkers and cyclists.

The industrial river has become a rich recreational resource.  This has been happening since the 1940 diversion of the river in downtown Northampton, the death of most of our riverside industries, and America's focus on environmental health.

We devote this section to recreational opportunities -- to river access, conservation areas, to swimming, fishing, biking, hiking, and paddling, to birding, botanizing, painting, and photographing.  We hope that all of us will be able to participate more fully in activities on the river, which will lead to a healthier, more beautiful riverscape.