September 2012
In the Great Hall: Photographs by Peter J. Crowley
September 1-30, 2012
Sundays, Sept. 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 (1:00 pm – 4:00 pm) Refuge Rambles: Connecticut Watershed Habitat Discoveries
Stop by the Great Falls Discovery Center to view the Connecticut River watershed exhibits and talk with a park interpreter about the many special habitats along the river and its tributaries. Each Sunday afternoon in September we will focus on a different type of habitat in the watershed of the largest river in New England. We will have informal conversations with photos, field guides, anecdotes, and examinations of the different qualities of water’s homes – from bogs to estuaries to floodplains and more.
Tuesdays, Sept. 4, 11, 18, 25, 2012 (10:30 am - 11:30 am) Kidleidoscope
Kidleidoscope is a kid friendly, environmental experience for very young children. Each topic includes a story, an interactive game, and craft activity to help you and your child understand the natural world around us. Recommended ages from 3-6 years and must be accompanied by an adult. Topics for this month include snakes, raptors, bats, and squirrels.
Friday, Sept. 7, 21, 28 2012, and Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012, (6:30 pm – 9:00 pm) Turners Falls RiverCulture History Program
RiverCulture hosts a series of talks on four immigrant groups that settled in Turners Falls during industrialization (German, French Canadian, Irish, and Polish/other Eastern European). Includes panel discussions, music, exhibits with story boards and photos, and recordings of oral history. Check
www.greatfallsma.org for more details.
Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012 (1:00 pm – 3:00 pm) Artist Reception: Peter J. Crowley
Join us in the Great hall in welcoming our new artist of the month. Peter J. Crowley, a photographer from Connecticut, will be displaying his photographs throughout the month of September. Join us on this Saturday for a reception with this fine art photographer! Refreshments will be served.
Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012 (2:00 pm – 3:00 pm) Watershed History: The Grand Trunk Hotel
What was so grand about the Grand Trunk Hotel in Turners Falls? Come to the Great Falls Discovery Center to find out! We’ll explore the site of the old hotel, right next to the Discovery Center, that was built in 1872 and taken down in the 1960s, and then we’ll use our imaginations, old photographs, and testimonials to piece together the story of grand old days in Turners Falls. For more information call (413) 863-3221 or visit
www.greatfallsma.org.
Friday, Sept. 14, 2012 (7:00 pm - 9:00 pm) Blame it On Tina preforms at the Great Falls Coffeehouse
Doors open at 6:30 pm, concert begins at 7:00. Refreshments will be available. Museum and Museum Store are open during intermission. Donations ($6-$12 suggested at the door) help the Friends support free nature programs at the Center. The Friends of Great Falls Discovery Center host local bands, singers, and individual musicians in the Great Hall on the second Friday of each month, except for December.
Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012 (10:30 am - 11:30 pm) Watershed Investigators: Dinosaur Dig!
Become an archeologist for the day and help the staff at the Great Falls Discovery Center
unearth some dinosaur fossils! Orientated for ages 7-10 but all are welcome!
Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012 (2:00 pm – 4:00 pm) Watershed History: The Patch
A small patch of land sits in the middle of the Connecticut River at Turners Falls – sandwiched between the power canal on one side and the largest river in New England on the other. The history of “The Patch” is the story of industrialization, immigration, fish, birds, rocks, resilience, and more. We’ll explore some of these stories during a leisurely stroll through the little neighborhood with eight streets and paths through the woods and amazing views. We will meet at the corner of Avenue A and Eleventh Street in Turners Falls, near the canal side bike path to start our journey. For more information call (413) 863-3221.
Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012 (7:00 pm - 8:30 pm) Third Thursday Evening Program: Forest Management
Forest Management: An exploration of our culture's perceptions of the relationship of people to the rest of the natural world, and the impact of those perceptions on our approach to environmental issues. Join Helen Johnson, a service forester with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation as we dive into the subject of forest management.
Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012 (12:00 pm - 2:00 pm) Watershed History: Brick By Brick the Bickyards of Montague City
Come learn about brick manufacturing in Montague City and Turners Falls and the architectural styles and designs with brick in Turners Falls. Just how did they build a planned industrial community in Turners Falls so quickly in the 1870s? With a very local, fireproof, and cheap approach – bricks from the clay of the Connecticut River. For more information call (413) 863-3221.
Friday, Sept. 28, 2012 (10:30 am - 11:30 am) Discovery Hour: “In the Woods”
This months story “In the Woods” will help us learn about things that can be found in the woods. Touchable artifacts, stories, games, and art will help us explore!
Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012 (8:00 am – 4:00 pm ) Source to Sea
The Source to Sea Cleanup is an annual one-day coordinated cleanup of the rivers, streams and banks that make up the vast Connecticut River system. On a fall Saturday, thousands of volunteers of all ages and abilities head out to places of their choice all along the four-state watershed to clean the Connecticut River and its tributaries on foot or by boat. They work hard. In 2011, about 1,500 volunteers pulled over 51 tons of trash from about 60 miles of river banks and waterways. Volunteers use human power and sometimes heavy equipment to pull out everything from recyclables, fishing equipment and food waste to tires, televisions and refrigerators. We will be meeting at the Great Falls Discovery Center on September 29th to do our part. Help spread the word and bring a friend. See
http://ctriver.org/p...a_cleanup/index.html for more information about the cleanup initiative
