The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum will present Clifton Johnson: A Search for the Heart of America: Picture Show and Lecture by William Hosley on Wednesday, July 28 at 5pm. “Author, Traveler, Historian, Editor and Illustrator, Farmer, Lover of Nature, Good and Generous Citizen” is how his gravestone describes Clifton Johnson (1865-1940), who was foremost one of the great documentary photographers of his generations, as well as a museum maker who founded the Hadley Farm Museum. This talk, the third in the Museum’s “Bridging the Past and Present” speaker series, is the story of this son of “old Hadley.”

William Hosley is a cultural resource development consultant, historian, writer, and photographer. He was formerly Director of the New Haven Museum and Connecticut Landmarks, curator and exhibition developer at Wadsworth Atheneum, and organized major exhibitions including The Great River: Art & Society of the Connecticut Valley (1985), The Japan Idea: Art and Life in Victorian America (1990), and Sam & Elizabeth: Legend and Legacy of Colt's Empire (1996). As an expert in heritage tourism, Hosley has studied, lectured and advised museums and heritage destinations around the country and has served as a content specialist for PBS, BBC and CPTV film documentaries.

All of the Bridging the Past and Present talks are free and open to the public. This series is made possible by a grant from the Bridge Street Fund, a special initiative of Mass Humanities to enable open access to local history. Later on in the summer, we will welcome scholars Anna Plummer and Ben Mutschler to speak on topics ranging from the deep friendships of local women to the world of illness in early New England. To see more details about these events and to access the Zoom links, click here or visit the museum’s website at https://www.pphmuseum.org/bridging.

The Porter-Phelps Huntington Museum’s summer 2021 programs are funded, in part, by grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state Agency; the Amherst Cultural Councils, local agencies, supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council; Mass Humanities Bridge Street Fund; Easthampton Savings Bank, Gage-Wiley & Co. and with the generous support of many local businesses and the public.

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum will remain closed for onsite public programming for its 2021 season to protect the health and safety of the community and its employees. However, the museum grounds and scenic byway trail systems remain open for your use and enjoyment. The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is located at 130 River Drive (Route 47) in Hadley, two miles north of the junction of Routes 9 and 47. The house, which remains unchanged since the family’s occupancy, tells the story of six generations of prominent Hadley residents. The family, prosperous traders turned farmers and prominent members of the local government and social scene, embodied a consistently progressive social consciousness. For further information about tours or other programs, please call the Museum at (413) 584-4699 or visit our website at http://www.pphmuseum.org.

The Porter-Phelps-Huntington House Museum