Saturday’s group hike narrated by special guest Gary Leveille, author and historian was on the Berkshire Street Railway from Great Barrington Historical to Egremont hiking Western Mass History! A 2.5 mile in and back journey on the the over 100 year old trolley bed enjoyed by all including the stories of travel and transportation here in South County and it’s struggles including a robbery right here of the trolleymen’s payroll!

The Berkshire Street Railway trolley line was extended from Great Barrington to South Egremont as a spur. A massive amount of fill was dug and dumped during construction. Giant concrete monoliths were built to support a bridge that carried the trolley cars high above the NY, NH and Hartford railroad tracks. Those remains can still be seen. Unfortunately, the spur to South Egremont operated only until 1919 when a strike ended service. Much of the fill was removed in the 1940s and used elsewhere. One of the massive towers still survives near the northeast corner of Wyantenuck Country Club and the trolley bed including a Carnagie truss bridge which still stands. 

Thank you to Gary and the Great Barrington Historical Society and catch his excellent Then and Now series in the Berkshire Eagle in addition to his published books, Gary is keeping Hilltown History alive!

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