June 2008

            "Mom, today's Saturday.  Remember?"

            "Sure, I'm way ahead of you.  Get your Greenfield Glimpses and we'll go.  It's Porter Corners we'll visit today, isn't it?  That beautiful hamlet was named for Asahel Porter, a very important man in Greenfield.  Porter Corners, here we come."

            "No, no.  Remember, alphabetical order.  So it's Maple Avenue next."

            "Come on.  Hop in the car.  May I make a suggestion for today's ride?  How about doing Porter Corners next?  It's closer to us than Maple Avenue, which we'll do later on.  Is that all right with you?"

            "Sure.  It doesn't make any difference to me.  Let's do Porter Corners next then.  Let's see if that's here in the book.  Look!  Here it is, Mom.  Stop a bit so we can read what it says and then go along slowly so we can read and look."

            "Fine.  Move the book just a bit so both of us can see."

            "It says that Porter Corners became Greenfield's third largest hamlet mainly because the homes were built right beside a major tributary of the Kayderosseras Creek."

            "And right here is says that the first buildings in Porter Corners were stores built by Benjamin Clinch and James Vail. That was 1787 and that's also when Asahel Porter's house was built."

            "Mom, I turned to the Architectural Section and I found Asahel Porter's house right here.  Look!  Isn't it beautiful?"

            "Now turn your head and look out the window."

            "Oh my gosh.  It's the same as the picture, almost.  It's beautiful.  It says here beside the picture that it is called "The Crossways".  It also says it is a good example of Early Federal style buildings.  Let's sit here a bit longer, Mom.  I want to look at it some more."

            "I don't blame you.  It is so beautiful.  But let's go back to your book and read about Porter Corners in the early days.  It says that soon several mills were built along the creek. They had sawmills, gristmills, paper mills and clover mills."

            "What's a clover mill, Mom?"

            "I had a bit of a problem with that myself. I didn't know what a clover mill was used for."

            "Did you find out?  Did you go to the library?"

            "I did.  A clover mill was used to clean clover seeds."

            "Clover seeds?  What for?"

            "The cleaned clover seeds were very important for farmers because the seeds were used as food for their cattle."

            "Were the seeds used for anything else?"

            "Yes, the farmer sowed these seeds on some of his fields for ground cover.  These very expensive seeds were put on good, fertile land so the soil wouldn't get washed away by rain storms.  A field of clover helped keep all kinds of animals from burrowing in the soil and the farmer's wives were happy to see their husbands sowing clover seed because a field of thick, purple clover was an exceptionally beautiful sight."

            "I guess they were very important to farmers all right."

            "They certainly were and they were especially valuable in the early days of Greenfield because almost all of our early settlers were farmers.  If these farmers could feed their families, build well-made homes, provide adequate clothing for themselves and their children, and still have some money left, they were successful.  If the farmers were successful, then the Town of Greenfield was successful.  Schools and churches could be built.  Roads could be improved.  A successful Town attracts professional people like doctors, blacksmiths, wheelwrights, teachers, lawyers and ministers for newly constructed buildings."

            "Just think.  Tiny little seeds could help do all of this."

            "Yes, tiny little seeds with a large role to play in the economy of a certain area.  It almost seems too good to be true, doesn't it?"

            "It sure does."

            "Well, we got carried away by our interest in the mills here in Town.  Let's get back to the history of this hamlet."

            "Look, Mom!  Here on this page is the Porter Corners Church.  It was built in 1816.  Wow!  Look at that very tall steeple."

            "Yes.  Did you notice the sheds behind the churches for the horses and buggies while their owners attended church services?"

            "I sure did.  The sheds are really long, aren't they?  A lot of horses ad buggies could get under them to keep dry and warm."

            "I just remembers some other things I should have said when we were talking about successful towns.  People came to Greenfield because we have very good water, fresh air, beautiful green meadows, wooded areas full of animals, birds and butterflies, and most of all, we have one of the finest state roads going right through our Town."

            "Oh boy!  Am I glad I live here."

            "And so am I.  You couldn't find a nicer place anywhere which has all of the things mentioned.  It is certainly a place to live an enjoyable, comfortable, most attractive life."

            "Mom, you forgot something."

            "What did I forget?  Tell me.  Quick!"

            "You forgot our friends.  You know, the ones who push Daddy's car when its stuck and bake great pies and...."

            "You're right.  How could I ever forget them?  We live in a Town with the kindest, most caring, always helpful people."

            "You forgot something else, Mom.  And it's very, very important, too."

            "Now what? Tell me what this very, very important thing is which I missed."

            "Well......our teacher told us yesterday that people who do things for others are the happiest people.  So......the people of Greenfield must be the happiest people in the world."