Greenfield, Massachusetts: A Good Old Fashioned Home Town

Discover one of the lesser-known towns of Western Massachusetts by reading Devon Magoon’s article on Greenfield. This New England destination has a beautiful mix of historic charm and renovation. If you like to hike, bike, or dine, consider a trip to Greenfield! Devon maps out the town’s main attractions for our readers.

Visitors to Western Massachusetts generally find their way to Northampton, one of the coolest small arts towns in America, to Amherst, a college town famous for its poets, Emily Dickinson and Robert Frost, and to historic Deerfield, but just a hop, skip and a jump away is one the area’s lesser-known treasures.

The charms and community appeal of Greenfield, Massachusetts, are just beginning to be discovered as the town embarks on a wave of renovations and community development. With a growing number of new music venues, shops and restaurants, a touch of historical allure and lots of friendly and enterprising people, Greenfield is thrumming with activity.

Settled in 1686 and a longtime transportation center, the City of Greenfield affords hiking, biking, dining, shopping, relaxing, and lots of other activities that draw visitors from all over New England.

Located at the intersection of Interstate 91 and the the Mohawk Trail (Route 2), Greenfield is a frequent stop for ‘leaf peepers’ in the Fall, and will soon be linked to Boston, New York and Montreal by passenger rail service.

Wandering the streets of downtown Greenfield, be sure to drop in at the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and get updated on all the recent events in the area.

“I like to call myself the Happiness Facilitator” says Becky George, a Greenfield citizen of five years. Becky is a busy lady. She’s a manager within the Franklin Chamber of Commerce, runs activities within the Greenfield Business Association and has the scoop on all the happenings in this up and coming little city.

“Greenfield feels so genuine to me,” she says. “You don’t have the college infiltration that changes the whole makeup of the town here.” Growing up in Amherst, and spending a good deal of time living in Northampton, Becky finally found her niche in the heart of Greenfield.

Greenfield, Massachusetts: A Good Old Fashioned Home Town