Zoom in at the Inn
I recently published a story about Diana Mara Henry 's new bed and breakfast in historic Forest Park, a section of Springfield, Mass.
Henry is an acclaimed photojournalist who has captured images during some of America's most turbulent times of change -- she was once Former NOW President Bella Abzug's personal photographer, covered the 1972 Democratic Convention, hobnobbed with Ronald Reagan, Gloria Steinem, and Andy Warhol, and has a slew of photos housed in the Smithsonian.
Her photography business continues, including a project to place her work featuring women of distinction on a set of U.S. postage stamps, but Henry has taken on a new challenge at the Lathrop House on Sumner Ave. in Springfield -- a Victorian home now serving business, leisure, and family travelers in vintage opulence, but with an easy, home-spun feel. Henry's photos adorn the walls alongside an eclectic mix of original artwork and flea market finds -- the effect is surprisingly seamless -- and her guestbook is quickly filling with a diverse set of visitors ranging from canines to Congressmen (Holly, a celebrity bloodhound, visited with her own film crew, and Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia spent a night while visiting colleges with his son).
Henry is a pleasant, engaging host. She has countless stories to tell of her own travels, while at the same time maintains a peace that is as welcoming to weary guests as her two feline concierges, Bobbie and Toesey.
Before I left our interview, Henry gave me a signed print of Bill Clinton she'd taken in the 1970s - Clinton was still a young, non-inhaling sprite at the time, speaking out at a political rally.
Who knows what other images Henry has stashed away in the grand rooms of the Lathrop House ... it might behoove Bill and Hill to pay a visit.
Photos from the Beat
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