This website is devoted to two houses that are under the jurisdiction of the Sycamores Committee of the South Hadley Historical Society.

Sycamores was the 1788 home of Colonel Benjamin Ruggles Woodbridge and a Mount Holyoke College dormitory for much of the 20th century.  Attached at the rear is Rawson House, the 1733 home of Grindall Rawson, South Hadley’s first minister.  To the right is the water tower.

Following a Brief History you will find the names and affiliations of the Sycamores Committee.  The Outline History of the two houses will be filled in over time.  Under Mount Holyoke Alumnae are photos of alums who have lived in Sycamores taken when they return to the college at reunion time.

Sycamores will be a long exposition of the exterior and interior renovation.

Concealed Shoes details the three shoes found in the west wall of the Sycamores ell.

Rawson House gives the history of the oldest house in South Hadley, now attached to Sycamores.  The actual move of Rawson House is detailed on these pages.

The Water Tower with its accompanying Photos is complete, as is the information and drawings from the Historic American Buildings Survey.

Reflections from the House, 1928-1929 are the reflections of Adaline Pates Potter, Mount Holyoke class of 1931, who lived in Sycamores during that academic year.

The Letter from Sycamores, 1832 is a transcription of a letter written by a student when Sycamores was a school for boys. 

The “A Better Chance” program was housed in Sycamores between 1972 and 1982.  See Events for a forthcoming ABC (A Better Chance) reunion in 2009.

Our Store will feature the plates, pitcher, books and pamphlets that we have for sale and Events will keep you up to date on what will be happening at the houses.

We hope to reproduce the back issues of our periodic newsletter, the Bark of the Tree, ably edited by Liz Brewer.

Contact:  Ken Williamson, Chair, Sycamores Committee of the South Hadley Historical Sociey, 43 Woodbridge St, South Hadley, MA 01075. 

Tel (413) 534 0487.  Williamson98@comcast.net