(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved. Contact us for information about using this image.
The early 1900s were exciting and stressful times for many Americans. New advances in technology, transportation, and mass-production created new jobs and improved the quality of life for many people. At the same time, Americans struggled with the social and economic challenges industrialization brought: labor unrest, exploitation, competition from other regions due to an expanding railroad system, and waves of immigration. Growing anxiety about the nature of the industrial society in which increasing numbers of Americans lived helped stimulate a back-to-nature movement. Many who could afford to do so sought to "experience" nature through camping or by traveling scenic routes such as the Mohawk Trail in western Massachusetts. This postcard view of the Trail near Charlemont advertises not only the well-groomed road but also the natural landscape surrounding it.