Deerfield, Massachusetts, an 8000-acre land grant to the Proprietors of Dedham, was first settled by the English in 1669. The fertile valley between two rivers was prime agricultural land and the mile-long plateau an ideal location for the nucleated village which, although changed over time, can still be viewed today. Many buildings erected before 1850 survive along the main street and both the size and scale of the village have been preserved. Prior to English arrival, the area was home to the Pocumtuck nation.