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

kCOnLlluGu ITOill OcCuOO IdbCJ
Greylock. 1t is 35O5 feet aigh. The
highest point in Massachusetts and
now included in a State Reservation
of 5000 acres forever set apart as a
pleasure ground for the people. The
bare stripes mark the land slide fol-
lowing the cloud-burst OF 1901.
4S.-This pile of debris marks the
western end of the Hoosac Tunnel.
Az miles in length. The longest
railway tunnel on the American cor
tinent Commenced in 1853 by pri.
vate enterprise it was completed in
1874 by the State of Massachusetts
at a cost of $14 100000 and 1876 lives.
44.-The group of blum brick build
ings on the hillside opposite are those
of the North Adams State Normal
School, established by the Common
wealth in 1897. They consist of the
main school building, Principals
house and Taconic Hall, the school
dormitory.
45.-Main Street, North Adams A
manufacturing city of $4,000 people,
producing finely printed dress goods,
shoes, woolens and cottons, The city
is surrounded by some of the most
picturesque scenery in Berkshire.
Nathaniel Hawthorne, who spent one
summer at North Adams, has given
his impressions of the town and the
surrounding mountains at length in
his American Note Book"
46.-Near this spot stood the Beck
ley Inn Furnace where was smelted
the ore dug at the foot of the Grey
lock Range from watch the plates of
the original Monitor were made.
47.-The rocks in the Hoosac River
below the bridge mark the ford of
the Old Mohawk Trail. the pathway
trod by the Indians of the five nations
on their journeys from the Hudson to
the Connecticut from time immemor-
ial.
4S.LOn this meadow stood Fort
Massachusetts,. Built by the Colony
in 1745. Captured and destrove in
August, 1746, by General de Vaudre-
uil in command of 500 French Eegu-
lars and Indians Sergt John Hawks
and 81 men, the gallant defenders
during a 80 hours siege, together
with women and children were TAX
en- as captves to Canada.
49.-The mountain opposite is
Mount Williams, the northern bull
wark of the Greylock Range. 1t is
1920 feet high and named in honor or
Colonel Ephriam Williams, builder of
Fort Massachusetts and founder OF
Williams College.
5O.-Near this spot stood the house
of John Perry. built in 1746 and des-
troyed by the French and Indians in
the same year. The first house built
in the Hoosac Valley within the limits
of Massachusetts,
51.-The Village of Blackinton
within the limits of tne city of North
Adams Noted for its manufacture
of wooden goods, which was begun
here as early as 1921 by the late San
ford Blackinton.
52.-Williamstown Station. One
mile from Williamstown Village
Here was located in 1891 the free
school founded from the bequest Of
Col Ephriam Williams, who fell in
battle against the French at Lake
George in 1855. This school was in
corporated as Williams College in
1893. The town is noted for its beau
tiful country seats and grandeur and
picturesqueness of its surrounding
mountains. The tower in the dis
lance is that of the Thompson Mem
orial Chapel. Williamstown is in the
extreme northwest corner of Massa-
chusetts touching the states of Yer
mont and New York
53.-The White Oaks Road. Up
this road in August 1777 marched the
men of Berkshire to fight the British
at Bennington. Down this road in
October, 1777, marched a detachment
of Burgoyne's army as prisoners of
war.
54.-Sand Springs. The famous
warm springs of Berkshire, flowing
400 gallons per minute. Temperature
rs degrees throughout the year A
health resort for the Indians of the
Five Nations and for white men since
1862.
55.-The Massachusetts and Yer
mont state line. Surveyed in 1741 by
Richard Hazen and never since al
tered. This line, by mistake, was
run l degree 40 minutes north of due
west, an error which resulted in plac
ing the present site of the city Of
North Adams and of Williams College
within the borders of Massachusetts
instead of Vermont.