Geologic Walking Tour Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 5, 2009
CONTACT:
Lisa Davol, Turners Falls RiverCulture, Phone: 413-230.9910
riverculture@montague-ma.gov www.turnersfallsriverculture.org
The Turners Falls RiverCulture Project Produces a Self Guided Booklet of the Great Falls Geowalk. Booklet Celebration March 21st.
Turners Falls, MA, March 3, 2009 – The popular Great Falls Geowalk, led by Turners Falls geologist Steve Winters, is now available in a colorful and engaging booklet written by Winters and designed by artist Nina Rossi also of Turners Falls. A celebration to mark the release of A Geologic Walking Tour of Turners Falls will be held at the Great Hall of the Great Falls Discovery Center, March 21, 1:30 – 3:30 PM, 2 Avenue A, Turners Falls.
For the past three years, Steve Winters has been leading the Great Falls Geowalk up and down the streets of Turners Falls, which has some of the most interesting geology of the Pioneer Valley—most of it is visible from sidewalks, footpaths, and bike paths. He stresses, “Unless you stop to look, and maybe talk about what you see, you’ll never notice the wonder beneath our feet.” His walk gives a glimpse of the geologic history that is captured, like snapshots in the rocks and stones of the village. Lisa Davol, Coordinator of the Turners Falls RiverCulture Project, says, “the geology of the village is one of its distinguishing characteristics and adds to a unique sense of place. We want to be able to share this knowledge with all who live here and come to visit.”
The geologic story of Turners Falls begins about 250 million years ago when all the continents on Earth had joined to form one large supercontinent called Pangea. Around 245 million years ago Pangea began to break apart forming the continents we know today. The village of Turners Falls lies roughly in the middle of an extensive rift valley that spanned Pangea’s heart. A
Geologic Walking Tour of Turners Falls provides short but complete descriptions of ten of Winters’ favorite geologic stops in the village, including the River Rock Overlook at the fish ladder, the glacially polished sandstones at Our Lady of Czestochowa church on K Street, and the world famous mudballs at Unity Park.
A celebration of the new publication will take place at the Great Falls Discovery Center on March 21st from 1:30 – 3:30 and will include refreshments, music by Steve Alves, a special display of the Discovery Center’s fossilized dinosaur footprints, and a short presentation by Steve Winters who will then lead an actual tour of the sites from the booklet. Copies of the 18-page booklet will be available at the event as well as at the Great Falls Discovery Center, Carnegie Library, Town Hall and other downtown venues—free for the taking, however donations would be gratefully accepted!
Geologic Walking Tour of Turners Falls was made possible through grants and contributions from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, The Town of Montague, Western Massachusetts Electric Company, Hillside Plastics, Fostering the Arts and Culture Partnership and Greenfield Savings Bank.
Steve Winters is a hydrogeologist and earth science educator. Steve teaches geology at Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester and at Holyoke Community College in Holyoke. Through Boston University's Prisoner Education Project, he teaches environmental geology and math at Framingham women's prison and astronomy at Norfolk men's prison. Steve lives in Turners Falls. He can be reached at science_matters@yahoo.com.
For more info on the Turners Falls RiverCulture Project, please call 413-230-9910. Click Here to download the Geologic Walking Tour of Turners Falls.
-----------------------------------------------END-----------------------------------------------
In celebration of the "Love Month" of February and in honor of Valentine's Day, Nina's Nook presents inspiring artwork by over a dozen artists. There will be sculpture, paintings, drawings, and ceramics that range from mild to wild on the "SSS" scale.
Local singer-songwriter duo, Chris Elliott and Lisa Austin have been performing together in a musical partnership across the northeast from Vermont to New Jersey since 2003. They tap into traditional folk with a modern outsider's sensibility. Elliott's songs reach for both scathing irony and genuine beauty, and along with Austin's blended harmonies, they are "two voices telling tales of love gone wrong and death done right". Elliott performs guitar and vocals while Austin adds energetic vocal harmony, guitar, 6-string banjo, bass, and percussion.
Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig and performed by New Renaissance Players. The story follows Jim Hawkins on his unforgettable journey that starts with his encounter with the pirate Billy Bones at the Admiral Benbow Inn, and takes him on the adventure of a lifetime. This high energy show is filled with humor, action, and spectacle. The play features some of Stevenson's most celebrated characters, including the clever and charismatic Long John Silver. Like all other NRP shows 100% of the profit will go back to the operating budget of the Shea.
For this assignment, Hallmark students study the history of art, and attempt to photographically reproduce an original work of art. To create their image, students must study lighting, color, gesture and propping to analyze their roles in the original piece. Meticulous attention must be paid to the small details; the curve of a hand, the tilt of a head, the drape of a fabric. Finding specific props and understanding their importance in the overall image leads to a journey of discovery and growth. 
RiverCulture Director, Lisa Davol, participated in a cultural exchange to Hamburg, Germany as part of the 
The Strathmore Mill Redevelopment Project will result in the restoration of a picturesque brick mill complex and adjacent grounds to its place as a cornerstone of the community and downtown economy in the historic village of Turners Falls, Massachusetts. The Town of Montague seeks an innovative partner to serve as master developer for this unique redevelopment opportunity in a location that boasts both natural beauty and the conveniences of an urban area. 
RiverCulture is the proud recipient of the 2011/2012 
