Take a walk back in time to find the Lost Village of Roberts Meadow with historian John Clapp.

The Village of Roberts Meadow was founded in 1770 in the northwest corner of Northampton along the toll road connecting Boston and Albany. This small but colorful community included farms, two taverns, a blacksmith shop, a sawmill, and factories powered by the Roberts Meadow Brook, as well as a one-room schoolhouse and a dozen or more homes. (Here’s a map of the village: 1770-1900 Roberts Meadow Map.)

Today, only two of the original homes still exist, but some of the lost buildings are marked by old cellar holes, dug wells, and stone walls. Join us on Saturday, September 23 from 1 to 3 pm to take a walk through history with John Clapp, author of “The Lost Village of Roberts Meadow” (2016). We will view some of these historic sites and learn about the industries of the time, as well as how the land was used in the 1700s. The walk will be an easy mile along a dirt road.

John’s ancestor, Preserved Clapp, came to Northampton in 1663. John was raised and later worked on his family’s farm, which dates to 1828. John Clapp and his family permanently conserved 180 acres of this land along Marble Brook with the former Nonotuck Land Fund, preserving a piece of Roberts Meadow’s history, and providing excellent habitat for wildlife. John and his wife run the solar-powered Starlight Llama Bed & Breakfast on his ancestral farmland. You can learn more about the family’s history of the land here.

Participants will be able to purchase a copy of John’s book, “The Lost Village of Roberts’ Meadow,” and 25% of the proceeds will be donated to Kestrel Land Trust, thanks to John’s generosity.

RSVP is required, and space is limited to 25 participants.

Suggested donation: $5.

Rain date, Sunday, September 24.