RUSSELL KNOX From Blandford, the road descends the steep eastern side of the Berkshires over a series of drops known as “The Devil’s Staircase”, a dangerous path for his sleds and well justifying the employment of two span of oxen to control their movement. Today’s visitor will follow Route 23 down to General Knox Road in Russell, then turn right over that to pass the Moses Boy Scout Reservation through which the original road passed beside Russell Pond, then down the successive levels to the plain on which the city of Westfield stands.

At Westfield, the old road crossed the Westfield River and roughly followed part of the roadbed of the railroad toward the Connecticut River. The old maps indicate that, before reaching the Connecticut, the road bore a little to the north to approach a crossing point near the outlet of the present Bear Hole Reservoir, which would place it in the vicinity of the Old Chicopee Bridge (now closed) and the present 1-91 bridge rather than down near the railroad bridges and Route 20 crossing from West Springfield to Springfield.

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