Exhibit pairs historic photographs of the Quabbin Reservoir’s creation with contemporary images of the landscape and wildlife that define the region today
Reading, MA – The Reading Public Library is hosting Quabbin: Yesterday and Today, a photographic exhibit that pairs historic images of the Quabbin Reservoir’s creation with contemporary landscape and wildlife photography from the region. The exhibit will be on display through July 2026.
The exhibit recently concluded a successful run at the Massachusetts State House Senate Gallery and is now touring libraries in communities that receive drinking water from the Quabbin Reservoir, including Reading.
Belchertown nature photographer Ed Comeau created the exhibit. His contemporary images document the landscapes, wildlife, and natural beauty that now define the reservoir and surrounding watershed.
“I wanted to help people better understand where their water comes from, what it took to create the Quabbin Reservoir, and what an extraordinary place it has become,” said Comeau. “By bringing this exhibit to libraries in communities that benefit from Quabbin water, such as Reading, I hope to create a stronger connection between residents and the watershed that serves them. I appreciate the library’s support in hosting this exhibit.”
“We are proud to bring Quabbin: Yesterday and Today to Reading,” said Library Director Amy Lannon. “This exhibit connects our community to the source of the water we rely on every day and reminds us of the extraordinary human and environmental history behind it. We hope residents will take the time to see it.”
The Quabbin Reservoir was created in the 1930s as part of Massachusetts’s effort to provide a reliable water supply for metropolitan Boston and surrounding communities. Construction required the disincorporation of the towns of Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott, the relocation of more than 2,500 residents, and the demolition or removal of approximately 1,100 homes, businesses, and other structures before the Swift River Valley was flooded.
Today, the Quabbin Reservoir remains one of the largest unfiltered public water supplies in the United States. Careful watershed management across the Quabbin watershed’s 12 communities protects the region, which has also become an important destination for wildlife, outdoor recreation, photography, and environmental stewardship.
Digital Commonwealth and the Massachusetts State Archives provided the historic photographs featured in the exhibit. Photographers working for the Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission originally created many of the images, documenting the final years of the Swift River Valley communities and the construction of the reservoir itself. The collection includes images of homes, farms, businesses, public buildings, and engineering works associated with one of the largest public works projects in Massachusetts history.
Quabbin: Yesterday and Today will be on display at the Reading Public Library, 64 Middlesex Avenue, Reading, through July 2026 during regular library hours.
An online version of the exhibit is available at:
