./MVD McrNiiT: f^^ UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AT AMHERST UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Special Collections & Rare Books fO Z^h^ L7)inses or. in ...STOCKBRIDGE... AND V^ICINITY. tj'hoto - y-/r rap u res Th,e Ai-asRTvPE Cc Brooklvm, N Y. E. A BENJAMIN. StoC K afJlCGE. Mass STOCKBRIDGE. TOCKBRIDGE, nestling in the heart of the Berkshire Hills, has long been known as the "Village Beautiful." Entirely surrounded by mountains, the village, with its broad street, its magnificent historic old trees, the liousatonic river winding through the meadows, its perfect highways and beautiful estates, make it one of the most attractive resorts in the country. It was originally an Indian settlement, with John Sergeant as its first missionary. His grave lies in our cemeter)', and the old Mission House is still standing on the estate of S. W. Woodward, formerly the David Dudley Field property. The neighborhood abounds in the lore and legend of the oid Indian tribes. Lovers' Leapon Monument Mountain, where the Indian maiden threw herself from the jagged cliffs because she could not marry her cousin, has been made famous by the pen of Bryant. Sacrifice Rock on Laurel Hill, in which, it is said, there is always to be found a pool of water, has been wrought into the story of Hope Leslie, by Miss Catherine Sedgwick. The old Indian burial ground is at the west of the village and is marked by a large monolith of natural stone, bearing the inscription: "The ancient burial place of the Stock- bridge Indians, the friends of our fathers; 1734-1877." The spot where stood the litt'e Indian church in the wilderness in 1739 is marked by a beautiful chime tower, the gift of David Dudley Field. These chimes are rung at sunset during the summer. The town was chartered in 1737, and in 1750 Jonathan Edwards, exiled from Northamp- ton, came here, where his name was closely linked with the history of the town. It was here he wrote that famous treatise "The Freedom of the Will." His old study table is to be found in the public library, together with the pewter communion tankard used by the Indians, and the couch shell used by them to call their people to worship. Laurel Hill, the gift of the Sedgwick family to the town, was the former council place of the Indians, and is now the anniversary meeting place of the Laurel Hill Association ; the pioneer village im- provement society of the country. On Laurel Hill there is a natural platform, with stone seat and speaker's desk designed by Daniel Chester French, who has a home in Glendale. This rostrum is a memorial to Henry D. Sedgwick, for twenty-three years president of the Association. The old Indian meeting house, somewhat remodeled since the early days, stands at the west end of Main street. Here preached Edwards, Stephen West, David Dudley Field, Tertius Clarke, and many other noted divines. St. Paul's Episcopal Church in the centre of the village is a memorial to Susan Ridley Sedgwick Butler, erected by her husband, Charles E. Butler. It is a choice work of art. The stained glass window in the chancel is by La Farge. The decoration of the choir loft is a reproduction of L,uca Delia Robbia's "Singing Galleries." The baptistery is of marble from France, the memorial tablet of which was the work of Saint-Gaudens. The stained glass window is from Tiffany. The church was consecrated in 1884. The town is noted for its beautiful trees, the oldest being the elm standing in front of Edward B. Owen's home opposite the church, having been set out by a grandson of President Edwards in 1786. The first post oflSce in the country was established here in 1792, and here was published in 1788 the first newspaper, called "The Western Star." To the north of the village is beautiful Lake Mahkeenac, near which stood the little red cottage where Hawthorne lived and wrote "The House of the Seven Gables," "Wonder Book" and "Tanglewood Tales. Considering its small population, Stockbridge has given to the world an unusual num- ber of eminent men: lawyers, physicians, authors, artists and judges. To Judge Theodore Sedgwick belongs the honor of the first advocacy of a suit for freedom brought by a slave under the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780. The famous Field family lived and are buried here; Cyrus W., who laid the Atlantic cable; Rev. Henry M., editor of the Evangelist; David Dudley, a well known lawyer, and of the next generation, Stephen D. Field, a noted electrical expert. Mark Hopkins, made president of Williams College in 1836, was born at Cherry Hill, now the home of Henry McBurney. Stockbridge has many natural beauties. Ice Glen, perhaps, being the most famous. This is a cleft in the rocks on a spur from the western end of Beartown, called Little Moun- tain. This is a cool ravine with caves in which there is said to be ice through the summer. A torch light procession through this glen, of the citizens in fancy costumes, is one of the attractive pastimes of the town. These always end with a frolic round a huge bonfire. We have an attractive up-to-date library of ten thousand volumes. The town has a fine modern school building. Prospect Hill is the "Mecca" of all those who wish to get a view of the village from its loveliest point, and here are grouped, in their settings of extensive lawns and fascinating gardens the homes of many well known people. "Naumkeag", the estate of the late Hon. Joseph H. Choate is one of great interest. On the sloping hillside are the old fashioned garden and the formal Italian garden with their stone seats and sparkling fountains; a mass of brilliant color the season through. From these the ground slopes gently down to the cemetery, where, on his own land, his body quietly rests. Mr. Charles Mellen, formerly president of the N. Y., N. H. & H. R. R., has an extensive and beautiful estate on East Main street. Stockbridge is the centre of a colony of famous artists and sculptors. Here one finds Daniel Chester French, Augustus Lukemann, Edward Morse, Walter Nettleton, Frederick Crowninshield, Lydia Field Emmet and so on. Every September an exhibition is held in the Casino of the work of these and many other noted people of adjoining towns. The links of the Golf Club are regarded by golfers one of the best courses in the countr}'. The Red Lion Inn, on Main vStreet, and Heaton Hall, on Prospect Hill, are both famous hotels. There are also a number of excellent boarding houses. Stockbridge is on the N. Y., N. H. and H. R. R., 150 miles from New York and 167 miles from Boston. It has an altitude from 800 to 1000 feet. There are several first-class liveries and garages. St. Paul's Church, Main Street Bed Lion Inn. c The Old Mission House, Built im 1740 by Rev. John Sargeant, First Missionary- to the Stockbridse Indians. Red Lion Inn and Soldiers' Monument. :v- -m Heaton Hall. Ice Glen Lake Mahkeenac or Stockbridge Bowl, From Shadotw Brook." Residence of Mr. Andrew Carnegie 'The Knoll," residence of Dr. Austin F. Riggs. The Oak Lawn House. RAILF