Noble View Outdoor Center in Russell acquired by the AMC Berkshire Chapter during the Great Depression of the 1930s. It was common practice, to go to Noble View using public transportation to Westfield and then hiking the remaining miles.

Albert Noble, a young, ambitious farmer, acquired the southerly half of the former Gowdy Farm in 1825, and then added to his acreage by purchasing nearby lots through the mid-1800s. On a pristine mountaintop overlooking the Connecticut River Valley, Albert Noble built his homestead in a sheltered location on the north side of the property. His farmhouse remained occupied by members of the Noble family until 1884, when – upon the death of Lucy Blakeslee (Albert Noble’s daughter) – the property was sold as a single farm of 240 acres. After changing hands several times again, it was purchased by AMC in 1931 from the family of Edith Prince.

Noble View is a Tree Farm, and the Chapter has planted thousands of young red pine and Norway spruce on the old fields which were turning to brush and juniper. Shrubs and flowers planted to attract birds have done well and add beauty to the spring landscape. Today, the Center features 360 acres of woodlands, trails, and abandoned farm fields to explore. Courtesy AMC website.

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