After completing Simmons dormitory over the summer, Deerfield’s administration is shifting its focus to the next big project: a new dining hall. This facility will seat the entire student body for sit-down meals, increase disability accessibility, allow for more fluid meal preparation and walk-through dinner lines, and feature enhanced acoustics. Ideally, construction would start in the summer of 2023, but there are a few obstacles along the path to a finished product.
According to Chief Financial Officer Matthew Sheehy, global supply chain issues create a delay. “There are some things that, to renovate a building, have a year-long lead time, so we have to order them a year in advance of starting the construction,” he said. “We realized that taking our time, and making sure that we can do [the construction] correctly, was most important.” To ensure that these supply chain disruptions do not hinder the quality of the building itself, Academy planners will likely be forced to postpone the project.
This is not the only difficulty. Director of Operations Jeff Galli emphasized another obstacle: “If your site is over an acre, in order to get your building permit, you need to check a box saying that you’ve talked to the Massachusetts Historical Commission.”
In addition to land size, the state also considers the historical relevance of a construction site. Permit 22 from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management requires a state-sanctioned historical and archaeological examination of construction on any land that is included or could be included on the National Register of Historic Places. Currently, Old Deerfield Village Historical District and the Deerfield Economic and Industrial Commission (DEDIC) site are listed on this register. Additionally, the Hess Center for the Arts, Ephraim Williams, Hitchcock House, John Williams, Bewkes, and numerous houses on Old Main Street are included in the Massachusetts Historical Commission database. Simply put: Deerfield’s campus lies on historical land.
The Pocumtuck Valley in which Deerfield lies was a hunting ground occupied by hundreds of Wabanaki indigenous peoples and, years later, by colonial settlers. Throughout the years, researchers have continued to find fragments of Wabanaki and colonial presence.
In 1968, Deerfield Magazine published a report of students discovering 109 Native American artifacts, including a prehistoric mortar and pestle, war hatchet, and arrowheads along the banks of the Deerfield River within a mile of campus.
In 2005, the Massachusetts Archeological Society excavated the DEDIC site, located five miles away in South Deerfield, and discovered thousands of paleolithic artifacts including fluted points, scrapers, and potshards.
According to The Archeological Conservatory, only seven years ago, the Yazwinski family—who owns the farm intersected by the Small Loop—found an artifact on their land.
In the spring and summer of 2021, Historic Deerfield excavated land surrounding Stebbins House directly across from the Deerfield Inn and uncovered many early 19th-century relics. Not only is the Academy’s campus deeply historical, but it is also surrounded by countless artifacts. Could something be hiding under the Dining Hall, waiting to be exposed by the building’s demolition?
Dean of Faculty Ivory Hills expressed that there is some uncertainty concerning potential discoveries. “It is hard to predict,” he said. “But it’s not like it’s a completely uninvestigated location.” Previous construction projects on campus may have revealed relics on the site, but none were found. However, these developments might have done more than simply turn up the soil; previous construction projects in the area have compromised potential discoveries. “Most of the area has been disturbed,” Mr. Galli remarked. “We do not anticipate finding any artifacts or cultural resources.” When the original Dining Hall, Rosenwald-Shumway, and the Koch Pool were built, the surrounding land was disrupted and any artifacts were likely destroyed.
Despite this probable damage, the Massachusetts Historical Commission requested that Deerfield conduct trial excavations on surrounding land. “We’re currently on the land that the Academy owns by the gas station on routes 5 & 10,” Mr. Galli affirmed. “There’s a company we’re working with to do test pits to see if there’s any artifacts or cultural features that might be of interest.”
In the instance that archeologists are to uncover an artifact, Deerfield would not be allowed, by state law, to keep the object. “When we [built] Simmons dorm, we created a partnership with Historic Deerfield,” said Mr. Galli. “If we found any artifacts, they would keep them and curate them. The same agreement has been kept in place.” However, the project would not be halted altogether if a relic was found. “It’s a pause, rather than a cancellation,” Dr. Hills explained. “[Massachusetts tries] to do a thoughtful excavation. It makes the process more deliberate.” Difficulties with the archeological examination, and possibly addressing a discovery, in addition to supply chain restraints, create a massive delay. Mr. Galli concluded, “I think the earliest that [construction will] start is 2024.”