The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-09-03
HISTORIC SITES
Sign Boards Along Trolley Road
Point Out Places Of Interest

A few weeks ago the Berkshire
Street Railway company erected
number of sign boards along the route
of their tracks from Great harrington
Mass, to this town. Each board is
numbered, the numbers running from
l to 62, and marks point of historic
interest.
The company mas published an ex-
planatory pamphlet the contents of
which is as follows:
1.-The road to Egremont leading
to the last stand and most serious
battle of Shay's Rebellion, 1887.
2.-The Henderson house, probably
the oldest house standing in Berk-
shire County. Used as a store-house
for supplies during the Revolution.
Here, in 1777, lodged General Bur
goyne, a prisoner of war, on his way
to Boston. Here, in 1921, William
Cullen Bryant was married to Fran.
ces Fairchild of Great harrington.
3.-The famous house built by Mrs.
Mark Hopkins, afterwards Mrs. Scar
les, costing over 100000. Built of
native blue dolmite. The architec-
ture is French and there are seven
towers upon the house, which is $50
#. long and 100 TT. deep. Among its
other attractions is the organ in the
music room, costing $4,000.
4.-Road leading to monument
marking the spot where the first
white man crossed the Housatonic
River.
5.-This monument commentaries
the first armed resistance OF the
American Revolution. On August 16,
IVA. eight months before the Battle
of Lexington, the people OF Berkshire
assembled on this spot and by show
of force prevented the Crown Judges
from holding court and drove them
from the town. The authority of
George III was never re-establisned
in Berkshire.
6.-Site of the Office used by VIII
liam Cullen Bryant while a resident
and Town Clerk of Great harrington.
IA famous road. An old Indian
trail The probable route of Major
Talcott in his pursuit of King Philips
Indians in 1876. over it passed Gen.
Amherst's army in 1859 and Gen. Bur
goyne, a prisoner in 1777.
S.-The stone house opposite is one
of the old houses of Berkshire. Built
in 1771 by Isaac Van Deusen, an early
Dutch settler.
9.-Monument Mountain. A land
mark of Berkshire The theme OF
Bryants poem. Noted for its superb
views and tne ancient stone cairn
built by the Indians and regarded by
them as of deep religious import.
10.-MOnument Mills Power Plant
Built in 1906. Dam 2S feet high
Foundation on rock 20 feet below
river bed Canal 1900 feet long. To
tai fall Al feet. Minimum capacity of
plant 1900 II. p. Maximum 5000 II. p
11.-This road leads to the ancient
burial place of the Stockbridge In
dams; the clock tower marking the
site of the Indian Mission School, and
the Village cemetery.
12-Stockbridge The old Indian
town. Home of the Stockbridge In
dams. Here was established in 1884
John Sargent's Indian Mission and
acre Jonathan Edwards lived and
wrote THE Freedom of Will"
13.-Ice Glen. A famous ravine in
the Beartows Mountains. Noted for
its wildness and deposits of ice
throughout the year.
1.-THE road to Beartown Noun
tain. One of the wild spots of Berk-
shire and the former home of Levi
Beebe, the famous weather prophet.
15.-From this point may be seen
Hop Brook Valley and birmingham.
Once the home of the Shakers. Now
the home of many well known sum-
mer visitors. Here. tradition says
the Indians first taught the whites
the art of Maple Sugar making.
16.-In the distance are the Lee
marble quarries from which have
been taken over 100000 headstones
to mark the graves of Soldiers of the
United States.
17.-Tnis road leads to East Lee
and thence over the famous Jacobs
Ladder" route to Springfield and the
east.
1S-Lee. Town incorporated in
1877 and named in honor of General
Charles Lee of the Revolutionary
war. A pioneer town in paper manu-
featuring, at one time having twenty
two paper mills. Known also for its
marble quarries. which have furnish
ed material for part of the Capitol at
Washington, St. Patrick's Cathedral,
New York City, and other noted
buildings.
19,-Columbia Mill Property OF