Greenfield, MA

Greenfield was established in 1753 from land that had been part of Deerfield, taking its name from the Green River. Located in western Massachusetts near the meeting of the Deerfield and Connecticut rivers, it grew from a farming community into an important center of trade and manufacturing. When Franklin County was created in 1811, Greenfield became its county seat, bringing courts, businesses, and travelers into its developing downtown.

During the nineteenth century, Greenfield became known for cutlery and precision tools. John Russell’s Green River Works produced knives that earned a national reputation, while skilled craftsmen and inventors helped establish the community as a center for manufacturing taps and dies—the tools used to cut screw threads. Waterpower and expanding railroad connections supported these industries, linking Greenfield’s factories with markets far beyond the Connecticut River Valley.

Today, Greenfield’s historic downtown, former industrial sites, and surrounding hills preserve these layers of its past. Main Street’s commercial buildings reflect its longstanding role as a regional gathering place, while the Museum of Our Industrial Heritage tells the story of the tools, inventions, and workers that helped shape the community. Greenfield remains a place where the agricultural landscape of western Massachusetts meets the ingenuity and ambition of New England’s industrial history.