Southwick – The Best Author – New York Times, Michael Tugias, will visit the Public Library on May 5 to talk about the history of the Quabbin reservoir and will offer tips on the best areas for day trips.
“We thought it was a great place to visit in the spring and we wanted to make our patrons known and then explored,” said Lynn Blair, the director of the city library, about the program that begins at 6 pm
A prolific writer, Tougias, has written more than 35 books, including “The Quabbin: A Guide History and Explorers”, describing as the final story and guide of the contemporary explorer in the Quabbin reservoir.
The Tougias program will have the destruction of the “lost populations” of Dana, Enfield, Greenwich and Prescott, where most of the structures were devastated, destroyed or burned with some moved elsewhere.
It will also discuss the construction of the massive quabbin reservoir, which took almost 10 years to build and fill.
Those registered at the event will also learn from Tougias about the natural history of the area and the best places for excursions, visualization of wildlife, bicycle, fishing and where to find the best waterfalls.
He will present a show of image slides showing the images before and after the lost cities, the construction of the workers the dam and the aqueduct and their large opening in 1945.
Blair said that she and the library staff were looking through the 21 presentations offered by Tougias, which was the quabbin who “caught my attention.”
She was mainly because it was not only a history, but also about the comforts that surround the reservoir such as restaurants, camping areas, orchards, swimming areas, golf courses and general and old shops.
“It’s such a nice place to visit and it’s a great program for spring,” said Blair.
Blair suggested anyone who wants to attend the presentation Register -you here or by calling the library at 413-569-1221.
“This really helps us,” Blair said, “when the room is prepared for the presentation.” He said he has up to 40 people.
For those registered, Blair said that Tougias will include “three fascinating events” in the region he calls “forgotten history”, as well as some surprise findings.
Author Michael Tougias (Lindsey Potter photo)
Tougias, a native of Longmeadow, continues to write.
Last August, Tougias published one of his most recent books for young people, “Ochala and the Pilgrims”. The book is a historical fiction novel from the point of view of a ten -year -old Wampanoag boy who plays a role in the relationships between his people and the recent pilgrims.
When completing the book’s research, Tougias said he interviewed Native Americans to learn from their oral stories. He said that all authors use the same historical documents and that written accounts are often incomplete.
“It’s almost like at that time, they never wanted to give credit to what the natives were doing,” Tougias said, “so I thought, I explain it from their point of view.”
Tougias said the book brought him “full circle”. In 2000, Tougias and Eric Schultz van co-wrote “King Philips War”, graduated after the conflict in the late 1670’s. A decade ago, he wrote another novel, “until I have no country,” about the same hostilities.
The process of researching books focused on the colonial era involves many archival records, while the investigation of many of his survival stories allows him to interview the people who were or who knew them. When he wrote about the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, Tougias was able to talk to the last living pilot of this clash.
Tougias travels through the country making presentations like the one to give to Southwick. He said that people always ask questions, but added: “From time to time, someone wants to share stories of their own lives, and I only leave them.”
Sarah Heinonen Reminder Publications Writer of Remindatory Publications contributed to this article.