Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1851-01-02
Salisbury; Mount Riga; Bash BiSh
Boston Corner.

From proceedings OF N. Y. Historical Society
in N. Y. Literary World.l
Another topic Of some interest relates
in part to our own state; that is, to the
corner where the line between the states
of Massachusetts, and Connecticut strikes
the Eastern line of the State of New York
Tbs spot, as is well known. is on or near
BIsS range of the Taghkanic mountains,
which stretch along for the whole dis
lance between New York and Massachu.
sets. In Salisbury, the northwest corr
ner town of Connecticut, they are so de-
pressed that the turnpike road leading by
the rich bed of iron ore, passes into the
town of North East, in New York, with
scarcely perceptible ascent Or descent.
But from the ore bed the ground rises
rapidly toward the north /; SO that after
three or four miles, one comes out upon
broad tract, kind Of high table land,
on which are two lakes, whose waters
flow off eastward through Salisbury to
the Housatonic. Here the ridge spreads
out, and further north rises for time, at
the sides, into two parallel ranges of
summit, embracing an oval basin some
three miles in breadth. This basin is ell
evated more than thousand feet above
the adjacent plains. The eastern line of
SUBMITS is the highest and among them
is Mount Washington, the highest of the
range, rising 1000 feet above the sea-
This elevated region constitutes the town
of Mt. Washington, the south westerns
most in Massachusetts,. Its approach
ed by road from Salisbury on the south
and by another from Egremont on the
north. In this basin several streamlets
have their source; these all converge
and unite near the western side, where
the combined stream breaks through the
ridge by magnificent gorge, in which
are the picturesque falls of Bash Bish
and the waters JON the Ancram creek.
and so flow to the Hudson. Through
this gorge another road leads up to the
basin of Mt. Washington:
The elevated lakes above mentioned,
with the romantic streams issuing from
them were early selected as the site of
large iron works.
Some forty years since an extensive
company was formed. which purchased
these works and others in Salisbury
This spot was named by them Riga after
the Russian city of that name celebrated
for its iren foundries. A post Office was
established there, also under the name
of Riga. The men are still living who
took part in these matters; and this
statement is from their lips. The facts
are not important in themselves; but it
SO happens, that the scene of one OF Miss
Sedgewick's pleasant little books is laid
| in or near this village, and the title runs !:
i" The Boy of Mount Righi." BY this
change the name is identified with the
celebrated Swiss mountain so called and
in note the gifted authoress seems to
regard it as fact, that there must have
been Swiss emigrants among the early
settlers! But Salisbury itself has been
settled only about 40 years; and there
are those now living whose fathers were
among the earliest Inhabitants; and it IS
fact Of public notoriety that no Swiss
ever lived there. AS well might it be
argued from the name Riga that the
place was settled by Russian emigrants
especially too as the neighboring town
of Copake in New York, bears the name
Of the common Russian coin. Yet il
would not be surprising, it a century
hence, Miss Sedgwick's little book should