The City of North Adams, beautifully situated in the valley formed by the Hoosac, Green and Taconic mountains in western Massachusetts, has an additional resource that has been neglected for many years, the Hoosic River. Located at the junction of the North and South branches of the river, North Adams has for years viewed the river as a source of water power and a means for getting rid of waste produced by our 19th and 20th century industries.

New laws and the departure of those industries have cleansed the River. However, as a result of serious flooding in the early 1900s, our 2.5 mile section of the 70 mile Hoosic River now flows through high and wide concrete chutes. These structures provide good flood control, but prevent the public from seeing, using, and appreciating it. In addition, the river is completely uninhabitable for all fish, especially the cold-water trout which are unique to this area.

The goal of the Hoosic River Revival Coalition is to maintain adequate flood control, but to simultaneously reconnect the river to our city, to make it an attribute for recreation, economic development, and community building. After years of post-industrial economic struggles, the city is recovering, becoming a hub for those involved in the creative economy. Along with that recovery, we believe the time has come to make our river an asset. In keeping with that goal, the next major endeavor of our Coalition is to create a Master Plan for the river and its corridor.

We invite you to explore this website to learn about our work and we hope you will contact us with any comments or questions.