MEDFORD, Mass. — On Wednesday, February 11, filmmaker Roger Hagopian will present his documentary “Memories Flow Beneath It, From Valley to Quabbin,” at Medford Public Library.
This 69-minute film traces the displacement of people and the loss of a way of life in the Swift River Valley of central Massachusetts when the Quabbin Reservoir flooded four towns in order to create water infrastructure for 52 Boston metropolitan communities, including Medford. Several interviewees include former valley residents, historians, and authors, including J.R. Greene, who has written numerous books on the subject.
The ever-westward evolution of the water systems begins with springs on the Shawmut Peninsula of Boston in 1630, an aqueduct from Jamaica Pond, and involves the consideration of the Mystic Lakes and Spot Pond, before resorting to the Cochituate System emanating from Natick, which became insufficient due to the mass immigration of refugees from the Irish Famine, thus drastically increasing Boston’s population. The Great Boston Fire of 1872 exposed the limitations of the water supply, leading to the Sudbury and Wachusett systems. Italian immigrants, some of whom were stonemasons, found work on these infrastructure projects as the system expanded further. State House debates, Supreme Court decisions, and incredible civil engineering innovations, led to the creation of the Quabbin Reservoir. Former Valley residents recall their rural industrial and agricultural towns, family life, and the years leading up to their expulsion. The cold processes of eminent domain and eviction caused lifelong trauma to the valley residents, especially the elderly. Generations of history were demolished by 1938 and the people were not given housing and employment assistance by the state – they were on their own.
Expert commentary is given by noted historian, the late Howard Zinn. The music track is graciously provided by pianist, Jacqueline Schwab, who has performed on numerous Ken Burns PBS documentaries, beginning with The Civil War through The American Revolution.
Hagopian lives in Lexington, where he learned filmmaking at the local cable television studio there. A history lover since his youth, he has had film screenings on the Armenians and the Genocide, World War II veterans, factory workers, and local American history, including the Middlesex Canal, which ran through Medford, at universities, high schools, public libraries, historical societies, churches, temples, community centers, and other public and private venues. He has also appeared on local cable television stations and radio programs. After the film, Roger will be present to discuss it with the audience.
The film will be shown on February 11, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., with discussion to follow, at Bonsignore Hall, Medford Public Library, 111 High St., Medford.
