In 1653 John Pynchon (1626-1703) of Springfield, Massachusetts, purchased the land that would become Northampton from the Nonotucks for 100 fathom of wampum, ten coats, and a few trinkets. Northampton was incorporated as a town in 1656. Throughout the 1700s Northampton played key roles in New England’s political and religious history. In 1704 500 Native Americans and French descended on the town, but with forts in every neighborhood it was able to repel this force. From 1729 to 1750 the controversial Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), a primary figure in the religious revival known as the first Great Awakening, was minister of Northampton. On August 29, 1786 Daniel Shays (1747-1825), a landowner in nearby Pelham, mustered 500 of his fellow farmers and marched on the Hampshire County Courthouse in Northampton. They successfully stopped the Court of Common Pleas from convening to seize property for nonpayment of new land-based taxes that had been pushed through the Massachusetts legislature. This marked the start of Shays’ Rebellion (1786-1787). The 1800s brought industrial growth to Northampton, as its location on the Connecticut River made it an attractive site for mills. By 1837 there were three woolen mills, a paper mill, and two silk factories (producing ribbon and sewing silk, and employing mainly women). In 1883 Northampton became a city. Throughout its history Northampton has been home to some renowned people and institutions. Health reformer Sylvester Graham (1794-1851), creator of the Graham cracker, lived there in his later years. In 1910 and 1911 Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933), United States President from 1923 to 1929, served as Northampton’s mayor. Today Northampton is home to Smith College and to a campus of the Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech that serve deaf and hard of hearing children. Northampton is also known for its vital downtown and its dining and cultural opportunities.