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The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is a unique historical resource in Hadley, Massachusetts. Its significance goes beyond the well-preserved eighteenth century architecture of the house itself: the house was continuously occupied by a single family from its construction in 1752 until the death of Dr. James Lincoln Huntington, the museum’s founder. The house contains the family’s belongings accumulated and preserved over 300 years. The family also left a rich collection of personal letters, diaries and account books, photographs and other material. The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers are now housed at Amherst College Archives and Special Collections. The house was the heart of the large farmstead known as “Forty Acres” that included over 600 acres stretching from the banks of the Connecticut River to the top of Mount Warner, in North Hadley. Today, the house is surrounded by over 350 acres of protected farmland land, forest, and river frontage retaining its original rural setting. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is located on the National Tri-State Connecticut River Scenic Farm Byway.
Hours:The Porter-Phelps-Huntington House is open to the public from May 19 until October 15.The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation, Inc. is the guardian of a unique historical resource incorporating the Porter-Phelps-Huntington House of Hadley; surrounding gardens and agricultural property; furniture, textiles, and works of art; books, papers, photographs and related items, all pertaining to the history of one extended family over a period of more than three hundred years.
The Foundation’s mission is:
- To preserve the historic buildings, grounds, papers, and artifacts related to the Porter-Phelps-Huntington family as an educational and cultural resource.
- To strengthen the Foundation's holdings by identifying, acquiring, and preserving objects, papers, and property that relate to the history of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington family.
- To enhance public historical understanding through educational and cultural programs utilizing the Foundation's resources.
- To encourage investigation and interpretation of the history of the family and this Connecticut River Valley site, drawing upon the scholarly and professional community.
The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Family Papers document the history of one extended family over 270 years - eight complete generations. The collection is the property of the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Foundation, which operates the Porter-Phelps-Huntington House Museum in Hadley, Massachusetts. The papers were deposited on extended loan in the Amherst College Archives and Special Collections in 1980, and are now available for use at Frost Library. With the exception of some fragile original documents, the papers are directly available to researchers and scholars.
To view the online Finding Aid, click here.
There are links to the history and significance of the papers, the methods of organization, and a list of individuals with brief biographies that are included in the collection of papers.
A rich source for scholarly research on life in America from the early eighteenth century down to the present, the collection comprises over one hundred linear feet of documents - among them letters, diaries, deeds, and account books - all generated by one extended family. Together these papers provide rare and extraordinary access to the personal and civic lives of this family: the Porters, Phelpses, Huntingtons and their descendants.
Forty Acres was a working farm, its name not a true description of the land under cultivation, which consisted of six hundred acres acquired by its first owner, Moses Porter, and a significant growth in acreage under his son-in-law, Charles Phelps. Subsequent generations produced a number of clergy, lawyers, a sea captain, merchants, factory owners, army officers and doctors. There were artists, writers, publishers, an actress, and numerous housewives, of necessity, multi-skilled. The personal papers from these family members contribute valuable specific information to our understanding of the evolution of American society during the last 250 years. Letters and diaries reveal the significant impact of major events in American history, beginning with the French and Indian War up through the twentieth century. These writings provide scholars a glimpse into personal perspectives on wars, political and economic upheavals, religious revivals, social developments, family relationships, divisions of labor between men and women, as well as the day-by-day domestic life of the family, their servants and slaves.
Global Valley Projects
The American Studies Department at Amherst College is currently engaged in an ongoing effort to transcribe letters from the family Collection. Annotated transcriptions of letters written by Elizabeth Whiting Phelps Huntington to her eleven children are available on their website for public use. Please contact Amherst College Archives and Special Collections to publish or reproduce these materials.
130 River Drive
