Massachusetts' Wild Wild West...

BERKSHIRE COUNTY

ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET
with COLORED MAP

The early days of Berkshire County, MA, and its various towns and townships, are recalled through a mixture of colorful tales and factual data in this NEW 95 Page Booklet, reprinted primarily from two hard-to-find books: the 1839 edition of Historical Collections of the State of Massachusetts by John Warner Barber, and Massachusetts, a Guide to its Places and People, a WPA project. The spiral-bound booklet, sold exclusively on eBay, is printed one-sided on 60# paper, with the print enlarged for easier reading.

INSERTED IN THE BOOKLET is a color copy of the Map of Massachusetts which accompanied the Barber book. The map is printed on a parchment-like paper to simulate the original, and could easily be removed for framing.

The communities mentioned include: Adams, Alford, Becket, Becket Center, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Cold Spring, Dalton, East Windsor, Egremont, Florida, Great Barrington, Hancock, Hinsdale, Lanesborough, Lee, Lenox, Mount Washington, New Ashford, New Marlborough, North Adams, New Boston, Otis, Peru, Pittsfield (originally Poontoosuck), Richmond, Sandisfield, Savoy, Sheffield, South Egremont, South Williamstown, Stockbridge, Tyringham, Van Deusenville, Washington, West Becket, West Cummington, West Stockbridge, Williamstown, and Windsor.

Early Settlers, Where They Came From, and Their All-Important Early Churches; Special Physical Features, like the Natural Bridge in Adams Twp.; Remarkable Story about Major Gen. Putnam and three Very Old Bugs; Indians Killed while Tying Moccasins; Crossing a Bridge that Wasn't There; a Powder Factory Explosion; 1774 Non-Importation Agreement Against England, Signed at Lenox; a Woman-Hating Poet-Hermit; Mystery of the Flying Stones at Sheffield; the Founding of Williams College; Cotton Manufacturing and Other Industries; Mammouth Cheese Sent to Pres. Jefferson; Town Names; Graveyard Inscriptions; Washington's Appreciation Feast for the Muhhekaneew Indians; an Indian School; the Rev. Eliphalet Steele and Shay's Rebellion; the Shaker Village in Hancock; The Hoosac Tunnel; Mt. Greylock; Indian Love Story with a Happy Ending! & Others, Not So Happy; Old Elm in Pittsfield; Quaker Justice; "Grandmother of the Mohawk Trail"; Paper Manufacturing in Lee; Crane Paper Co. in Dalton; Peru, where the Poor Were Auctioned Off and a Hog Wore Shoes, the Battle at Massachusetts Fort. and many more bits of history and trivia.

The booklet has no index, but surnames mentioned in the Barber section include:

ALLEN; ALEXANDER; ASHLEY; ADAMS; AUSTIN; AVERY; ARNOLD; ANDREWS; ANTHONY; AYRES; ABBOT; ANDRUS; BIDWELL, BOARDMAN; BURVEE; BARRET; BAKER; BRUNSON; BRIGHAM; BIRCHARD; BENNET; BUCKLAND; BALDWIN; BULLOCK; BOURN; BISHOP; BATES; BALDWIN; BAILY; BRYANT; BROWN; BIXBE; BRADLEY; BEACH; BADGER; BACON; BENJAMINE; BABBIT; BLACKMER; BROOKINS; BRYAN; BOWER; BRACKENRIDGE; BELCHER; BALL; BREWER; BEARD; BALLANTINE; BURGHARDT; BRAZEE; BOYNTON; BENEDICT; BIRCHARD; BURBANK; BEEBE; BUCKLEY; BRIDGES; BUSHNEL; BANGS; BATEMAN; BLIN; BALLARD; BARRET; BRANCH; BENEDICT; BELDIN; BULL; BEMENT; BENTON; BUTLER; CORAN; CALLENDER; CROFOOT; COOK; CARPENTER; CLARK; CHAMBERLAIN; CADY; COLVER; CHURCH; CAMPBELL; CLOTHIER; COOPER; CLEAVELAND; CHADWICK; CRANE; CHOATE; CHAPIN; CHINDESTREE; CHAPLIN; CADWELL; CULVER; CORBEN; COLLENS; COLLINS; CARY; CROSS: CRUTTENDEN; CURTISS; DAY; DICKINSON; DUNHAM; DUNTON; DRURY; DIBBLE; DIBBELL; DEWY; DEWEY; DEMING; DOUGLASS; DEANE; DWIGHT; DeWOLF; DEAN; DAVIS; DEMING; DUNNING; ENSIGN; EDWARDS; ELY; FARRINGTON; FISK; FROST; FITCH; FENTON; FREEMAN; FULLER; FOSTER; FARNUM; FENN; FOOT; FORD; GALLOP; GALLUP; GOSS; GRAVES; GOODRICH; GUTHRIE; GREEN; GREGORY; GRIDLEY; GRIPPEN; GLEZEN; GARDNER; GLEASON; GARFIELD; GATES; GRAY; HALE; HAND; HAZARD; HATHEWAY; HEWINGS; HASKINS; HOOPER; HOOKER; HOLLIS; HOPKINS; HICKS; HINE; HIGGINS; HOSFORD; HARMON; HAYDEN; HUNN; HAMILTON; HINMAN; HINSDALE; HALL; HULL; HOLLISTER; HUNT; HUNTER; HUGGINS; HUBBARD; HARTNESS; HAWKS; HUMPHREY; HAWLEY; HURLBURT; HUDSON; HYDE; HARRISON; HAWKINS; HOWE; HOLMES; HEATH; HAMLIN; INGRAHAM; INGERSOLL; INGERSOL; JONES; JOHNSON; JOYNER; JACKSON; JUDSON; JUDD; JEROME; KILBOURN; KILLY; KING; KELSEY; KINGSLEY; KETCHUM; KARNER; KNOWLTON; KENT; KIRBY; KEYES; KIBBE; KINGSBURY; KINNE; KELLOGG; KEEP; KNOX; KEELER; LANDON; LAURENS; LEAVENWORTH; LAPHAM; LIPPET; LOW; LAWRENCE; LAFLIN; LOOMIS; LYON; LEONARD; LARKEOM; LEE; LYNCH; LEWIS; LITTLE; LANDERS; MURRAY; McNEIL; MILES; MEACHAM; MUNGER; MESSENGER; MARTIN; MILLS; MORSE; MATTHEWS; MERRIMAN; MARCY; MARSH; MILLER; McCOY; MUNSON; MUDGE; MALLORY; MASON; MUMFORD; MILEKIN; MINKLER; McMASTER; MATTOON; MARTINDALE; MACKAY; MALTBY; NIMS; NORTON; NESBIT; NELSON; NORTHRUP; NORTHAM; NOBLE; NASH; NEWBURY; NICHOLS; OSBORN; ORTON; OVITT; OLMSTED; PARK; PHELPS; PERRY; PALMER; PARMELEE; PERCY; PUNDERSON; PIXLEY; PATTERSON; PATERSON; PIKE; PELTON; PLUMBE; PARSONS; POMROY; PELL; PEPOON; PARTRIDGE; PARIS; POND; PARKER; PUTNEY; PIERCE; POWEL; POOLE; PUTNAM; PADELFORD; RICH; RICHARD; RICHARDSON; RICHARDS; RAYMOND; REYNOLDS; ROBINSON; RANDSFORD; ROWLEY; RICE; RYAN; REED; ROE; ROGERS; ROBERTS; ROOT; STORRS; SPENCER; SUMMER; SPEAR; SQUIRE; SQUIER; STEPHENS; STEVENS; STOW; STRONG; SPRAGUE; SMITH; SWEET; SIMONDS; SPERRY; STAFFORD; SHEARMAN; SABEN; SABIN; SHERWOOD; SWIFT; SKINNER; STANLEY; ST. JOHN; STONE; SPOOR; SHELDON; STEELE; STEEL; STAPLES; STARR; SOUTHWICK; SUYDAM; SAGE; SERGEANT; SEDGWICK;SHERMAN; SLATON; SLOAN; STOWELL; SLOSSOM; SMEDLEY; SIMMONS; STRATTON; SEARLE; SEELY; TATLOW; TOWNLY; TRUMBULL; TROOP; TRAIN; THOMAS; TYRRELL; TRUMAIN; THOMPSON; TENTER; TAYLOR; TYLER; TODD; TALCOT; TORREY; TRACY; TREAT; TALMADGE; UPTON; VAN SCHAACK; VAN RENSSELAER; VAUGHAN; WILLIAMS; WELLS; WYMAN; WEST; WILCOX; WAIT; WALKER; WADSWORTH; WILMARTH; WHELPLEY; WARREN; WETHERELL; WILBORE; WERDEN; WEBB; WAY; WATTS; WHEDON; WHITNEY; WARNER; WHITE; WATKINS; WING; WEST; WATERMAN; WHITLOCKE; WRIGHT; WILSON; WILLARD; WOOD; WOLCOTT; WOODEN; WHEELER; WARD; WITT; WESTOVER; WOODBRIDGE; WELCH; WOODCOCK; WOLCOTT; YOEMANS; YALE; YOUNG; and YOUNGLOVE.

Among the famous and not-so-famous names mentioned in the 1940 section are:

HENRY HUDSON KITSON; MARK TWAIN; PETER WILCOX (w/ Shay's Rebellion); EDITH WHARTON (novelist); ANDREW CARNEGIE; JOHN DAVIDSON, SQUIRE FILLEY; RICHARD WATSON GILDER; COL. OLIVER PARTRIDGE; REV. ISAIAH WESTON; ABAGAIL THAYER; SHADRACK PIERCE; FRANK CRAMER (an entertaining auctioneer); CHARLES FORD; HENRY WHEELER SHAW (Josh Billings); HERMAN MELVILLE; ROBERT HAWKINS; CAPT. SMEDLEY; MRS. FREDERICK COOLIDGE; MRS. CHARLES SEDGWICK; NATHANIEL HAWTHORN; DUDLEY FIELD AND FAMILY; JOHN SERGEANT; MABEL CHOATE; FLETCHER STEELE; WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT; EZRA CORNELL; ANSON JONES; JOHN ALFORD; JOHN & MARY TULLER; ELAINE & DORA GOODALE (Apple Blossom Poets); WALTER PRICHARD EATON; EDMOND SEARS ("It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"); WILLIAM STANLEY (inventor); OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES; ELKANAN WATSON; LUCRETIA WILLIAMS; JOHN CHANDLER WILLIAMS; CALVIN MARTIN; SARAH DEMING; and HENRY VAN SCHAACK.

ILLUSTRATIONS include North Adams, Saddle Mountain, Monument Mountain, Shaker Village in Hancock, Lanesborough, Lee, Lenox (full page), Pittsfield (full page), Sheffield, Ancient House in Stockbridge, West Stockbridge and Williams College. Most are about 1/3 page in size.

The Barber history covers the development of this area until about 1836, while excerpts from the WPA book, give a nostalgic glimpse from a 1940 vantage point, including interesting historical notes, especially as they relate to sightseeing possibilities. One rather curious thing, the Barber states that the mamouth cheese was 1450 lbs, while the WPA book puts it at 1235 lbs. Perhaps, a mouse got in that cheese. At least, that's one explanation of how the cheese lost 215 pounds between the 1839 account and the 1940 version.)