river connections

river connections. . , The Deerfield and Connecticut Rivers shape the geography, economy and culture of this region., Through the trees to the west you can see a dramatic curve, or oxbow, of the Deerfield River. From its headwaters in Vermont's southern Green Mountains, the Deerfield flows through the hill-towns of western Massachusetts to this spot. From here, the river continues on a northeast course until it flows into the Connecticut River, two miles away. Native people named this river Pocumtuck, meaning "river that is at times narrow, shallow, sandy and swift." They gathered here to fish American shad and eels. English settlers fished in the Deerfield river and built water-powered mills along its banks. Through the 1800s these waterways connected Deerfield to the wider world as trade goods travelled up and down the river. In the summer, the Deerfield River is known as a place to swim, go tubing, or canoe.