Connecticut River, Mt. Sugarloaf in the distance

From the collections of PVMA • Digital image © Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Assoc. • Image use information

About this item

The Connecticut River Valley in Massachusetts was first the homeland of Native American peoples.  To the Pocumtucks in the area now known as Deerfield, Mount Sugarloaf was the head of  Amiskw, a giant beaver, and the Pocumtuck Range (not visible in this postcard) was his body.  A creation story tells that Amiskw built his lodge and dam across the river, causing it to flood peoples’ farmlands.  When the beaver refused to cooperate with them, the people asked a super-human- Obbamakwa, “The Shaper”, to interevene.  Amiskw and Obbamakwa fought and the beaver was killed when Obbamakwa broke his neck with a club.  The Poucmtucks believe that Amiskw then turned to stone and remains to remind peope of the evilness of greed.

Related Items

Details

Item typePostcard
PhotographerHugh C. Leighton Company, Manufacturers
Date1905–1910
PlaceSouth Deerfield, Massachusetts
EraProgressive Era, World War I, 1900–1928
MaterialPaper
Process/FormatPhotography; Printing
Catalog #1997.08.01.0079
View this item in our curatorial database →
Hugh C. Leighton Company, Manufacturers, photographer. Connecticut River, Mt. Sugarloaf in the distance. Photograph. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/1997-08-01-0079/. Accessed on October 10, 2024.

Please note: Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.