Building Histories That Have Futures: The Benefits of Collaborative Research

This paper outlines the benefits of collaborative research involving the Fiske Center for Archaeological Research at the University of Massachusetts Boston and the Nipmuc Nation of southern New England, centred in Massachusetts. Over the past 15 years, work carried out by both authors has resulted in the production of a more detailed history of the Nipmuc community of Hassanamisco in what is today Grafton, Massachusetts. Having survived the ravages of King Philip’s War (1675–1676), Hassanamisco has remained a culturally and politically viable community. This paper discusses the nature of the collaboration that has resulted in a renewed understanding of Hassanamisco Nipmuc history.