The Springfield Museums present We Have a Story to Tell: Stories, Maps, and Relationship to Place, a new exhibit in the Wood Museum of Springfield History from April 8-September 3, free with museum admission.

Throughout the 1800s and early 1900s, in an effort by mainstream American society to support a single American identity based on Euro-American values, Indigenous people were intentionally called the “last” of their People, giving the impression that Indigenous communities had died out. These actions were their attempt at erasing Indigenous people, and culture, from American society. Despite these efforts, though, vibrant Indigenous communities continue to live and thrive in the Northeast Woodlands and throughout the nation.

The We Have a Story to Tell exhibit approaches historical documents from a modern Indigenous perspective to rethink our understanding of the history of the Connecticut River Valley. Seventeenth century Indigenous and European peoples held drastically different cultural understandings of our region. Through multimedia presentations, interactive experiences, and historic documents, visitors will explore these differing perspectives on the meaning of place as well as consider the continued impact of this history.