DOCSLIB.ORG

Chapter 2 Landscape Resources

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Chapter 2 Landscape Resources Route 116 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan July 2013 Scenic Resources C H A P T E R 2 Route 116 Scenic Byway Introduction The Route 116 Scenic Byway is characterized by a diverse landscape. The Byway travels through Franklin, Hampshire and Berkshire Counties. The road winds from the Connecticut River Valley through the foothills and hills of the Berkshire Mountains to downtown Adams at the crossroads of Routes 116 and 8. The landscape along the route is beautiful and scenic. It is quintessential rural western Massachusetts. The landscape along the corridor is characterized by farmland, historic village centers, ponds, wetlands, forests, fields, meadows with distant mountain views, and an historic mill town. The completion of an inventory and evaluation of the scenic resources is integral to understanding the character of the road. This chapter describes the landscape assessment methodology; the results of the evaluation; and recommendations for maintaining and enhancing the scenic assets of the area. The Byway stretches 38.8 miles (21.4 miles in Franklin County, 7 miles in Hampshire County and 10.5 miles in Berkshire County). The corridor study area is defined as Route 116 plus a half‐mile wide strip on each side of the Byway. Additionally, the descriptions that are provided in this chapter (as with the rest of the report) travel from east to west. To assess the scenic resources of the Route 116 Scenic Byway the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC), the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) traveled the route and systematically rated the landscape features and views along the Byway using an assessment methodology. The scoring system is based on the landscape assessment procedure used by the BRPC, FRCOG and PVPC for previously completed Corridor Management Plans including the Mohawk Trail Scenic Byway, the Route 112 Scenic Byway, the Connecticut River Scenic Farm Byway and the Route 122 Scenic Byway. Some modifications to the evaluation form and ranking system were made to better suit the specific characteristics of the Route 116 Byway. The assessment procedure is described below, and a sample of the Scenic Assessment Evaluation Form is included at the end of this chapter. Scenic Assessment Process Step 1 Initially, the corridor was divided into “visual segments” based on common visual characteristics that were observed while driving along its length. The landscape along the Byway was classified into the following five “visual segments” categories: Chapter 2: Scenic Resources 6 Route 116 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan July 2013 Farmland/Open Land (crop fields, orchards, hayfields, pasture land, and non-forested open land including recreation areas); Farmland Developed (fields and forest lands that have some residential and/or commercial development interspersed with active farms); Forest (forested land including both mature and successional); Village/Town Center (central commercial and industrial areas with multi-storied buildings, community and government facilities and apartments and multi-family housing; and Developed Land (including residential subdivisions, commercial development and industrial areas). For visual segments that have two different characteristics, for example residential development along one side of the road and agricultural land with a historic farm house on the other side, the evaluator made a judgment about which is the dominant visual feature. Each “visual segment” was evaluated every ½ mile according to the procedure detailed in Step 2 with a separate Scenic Assessment Evaluation Form completed for each of the ½-mile sections. Step 2 Using the Scenic Assessment Evaluation Form (a copy is included at the end of this chapter) each ½-mile section within the larger “visual segment” was evaluated twice, traveling the Byway in each direction. All features, both scenic and detracting, along each side of the ½-mile roadway segment were included in the ranking. The scenic features present within each ½-mile section received a +1 and the detracting features within each ½-mile segment received a –1. In addition, all of the topographical features that could be seen from the Byway, not just those within the ½-mile study area were noted. This allowed the long-range and panoramic views that can be seen from the Byway to be accounted for in the evaluation. After the assessment was completed in both directions, the totals were added together and divided by 2 for a “segment score.” During the assessment, the evaluators drove the entire roadway in one direction filling out segment evaluation forms and then repeated the process in the opposite direction. Step 3 If the continuous ½-mile visual segments were categorized as the same land use classification, the segments were collapsed into one segment and the scores were averaged together. In the cases where the visual ½ mile sections represented a continuous string/length of one of the five visual segment categories, the scores were averaged together. The larger “visual segment” score was calculated by adding the total score from each of the Scenic Evaluation Forms completed (one for each ½-mile section) within that “visual segment,” and dividing by the number of ½-mile sections within the particular “visual segment.” For example, if a particular “visual segment” is six miles long, 12 Scenic Evaluation Forms would be filled out, and these 12 segment scores would be averaged to calculate the visual assessment score. The “visual segment” was then ranked based on the following categories: Outstanding (Score Range: 12 or greater) Distinctive (Score Range: 8.1-12) Noteworthy (Score Range: 5-8) Average (Score Range: less than 5) Chapter 2: Scenic Resources 7 Route 116 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan July 2013 Overview of the Scenic Aspects of the Byway The landscape of the Byway differs from the lowlands of the Connecticut River to the Berkshire Hills. The fertile land along the Connecticut River is typically flat with large agricultural fields such as those in Sunderland, Whately, and Deerfield. Historic tobacco barns still stand in farm fields and are a visual reminder of the Connecticut River Valley’s rich agricultural history and current farming economy. West of the Connecticut River Valley, the Byway winds through Conway and Ashfield. The landscape is a hilly, wooded terrain in which historic farmsteads with barns, farmhouses, stonewalls, open meadows, and stands of sugar maples can be seen. Further west, Route 116 travels through Plainfield, Windsor, Savoy and Cheshire. The Byway reaches its terminus in Adams. Along the route are breathtaking views of the Berkshire Hills in Savoy and Cheshire. Adams is located at the base of Mount Greylock (the access road is the Mount Greylock Scenic Byway), and is home to many restaurants and artist galleries. The Ashuwillticook Rail Trail, which stretches from Lanesborough to North Adams, is accessible from downtown Adams near the terminus of the Byway at Route 8. Essential services to the road weary traveler, including food, lodging and information, fuel and auto repair can be found along the Byway, primarily in Deerfield, Conway, Ashfield, and Adams. Regional Viewshed Areas Regional viewsheds areas were also noted based on an assessment of the views along the Byway that show unique and impressive natural or scenic features. These include spectacular agricultural landscapes or regionally significant landscape elements. The predominant landscape features include farm and pasture land, ponds, rivers, and historic resources such as historic buildings, farmsteads, and a village center. The viewshed were assessed and priority scenic viewshed were noted for each region based on the field of view, wide of the scenic area, depth of the view and variety and contrast. Scenic Assessment Franklin County The eastern terminus of the Byway in Franklin County is at the Deerfield/Sunderland town border which is on the Deerfield Sunderland Bridge over the Connecticut River. The Franklin County section of the Byway travels through the towns of Deerfield, Conway and Ashfield. At the eastern terminus the picturesque Sunderland Village Center is within the ½ mile buffer area at the eastern end of the Byway and also within the view of the Byway. The entire Franklin County section is 21.4 miles, and terminates at the Ashfield/Plainfield town line. Chapter 2: Scenic Resources 8 Route 116 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan July 2013 Table 2-1: Visual Segment Categorization- Franklin County Visual Segment Category Total Length (miles) Farmland/Open Land 3.8 Farmland / Developed Land 2.0 (Residential) Farmland/Forest Edge 2.5 Historic Village/Town Center 1.7 Town Center/Industrial .5 development Forest 6.4 Forest/Developed Land 1.2 (Residential) Developed Land (Residential) 2.9 Developed Land (Commercial) .4 Total 21.4 Table 2-2: Visual Segment Evaluation – Franklin County Evaluation Ranking Total Length (miles) Outstanding 9.4 Distinctive 10.2 Noteworthy 1.4 Average 0.4 Total 21.4 Chapter 2: Scenic Resources 9 Route 116 Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan July 2013 Table 2-3: Visual Segment Category and Evaluation – Franklin County Segment Starting/Ending Points Approximate Segment Landscape Distinctive Number Length Category Evaluation Feature (miles) 1 Deerfield/ Intersection of 0.5 Farmland/ Outstanding View of the CT Sunderland Route 116 and Developed Land River and town line Sugarloaf Street (Residential) neighboring farmland 2 Intersection of Driveway of 3
Load more

Recommended publications
  • History of Sunderland, 1899; History of Sunderland, Vol
    TOWN OF SUNDERLAND - A BRIEF HISTORY Sunderland, Massachusetts, is one of the southernmost towns in Franklin County. The community is situated in the eastern portion of the Connecticut River Valley in western Massachusetts. Sunderland was incorporated as a town in 1718. Before being incorporated, Sunderland was known as Swampfield, so named by its first settlers because of the swampland within the town. Settlement of the town originated on what is now North and South Main Streets, with forty designated house lots. Settlers were also assigned an equal percentage of swampland, pasture land, and wood lots. North and South Main Streets are scenic, broad avenues that appeal to our sensor of what a small New England town should be. In the late 1820’s, maple trees were planted on each side of the street, which has added to Sunderland’s beauty, especially as leaves change color, or after a snowfall. The houses are a pleasing mix of sizes and styles; in fact, Sunderland’s main street has examples of most of the architectural styles of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Mount Toby range is another source of beauty and historic background. A watchtower is at the peak along with a commanding view of the river valley. The north part of Mt. Toby is the home of the “Sunderland Cave.” It is not technically a cave, but huge slabs of tipped conglomerate rock. Caves are rare in this part of New England, which has made this one more widely known. Sunderland’s first Irish immigrants located their homes on Mt. Toby in the mid-nineteenth century, which were known as “paddy farms.” Trails are still evident, along with old stone walls marking boundary lines.
    [Show full text]
  • Periodic Report to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation And
    Periodic Report to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Submitted by Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest Robert T. Leverett Gary A. Beluzo And Anthony W. D’Amato May 21, 2006 Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest 52 Fairfield Avenue Holyoke, MA 01040 (413) 538-8631 [email protected] 1 Table of Contents Topic Page General Introduction 3 SECTION 1: Old Growth Inventory and Mapping 4 SECTION 2: Forest Reserve 8 SECTION 3: Update on Rucker Indexing Analysis 11 and Exemplary Forest Documentation SECTION 4: White Pine Volume Modeling, 31 Individual Profiles, and White pine Tree Dimensions Index (TDI) Lists SECTION 5: White Pine Stand Tagging, Inventorying, 47 and Growth Analysis SECTION 6: Activities and History of FMTSF 49 SECTION 7: Dendromorphometry 53 SECTION 8: Summary of Exemplary Trees and 56 Forest Features in MTSF and MSF Appendix I: Maps – Recommended Forest Reserves 60 2 General Introduction This report is presented to the Chief Forester for Massachusetts, James DiMaio; the Region 5 Supervisor, Robert Mellace; and the management forester within Region 5, Thomas Byron. Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest (FMTSF) will also present copies of this report to the Eastern Native Tree Society (ENTS), Harvard Forest for inclusion in their archives, the Massachusetts Audubon Society, Board members of the FMTSF, and Dr. Lee Frelich, Director for the Center of Hardwood Ecology of the University of Minnesota. ENTS, Mass Audubon, Dr. David Orwig of Harvard Forest, and Dr. Lee Frelich have been important contributors to the research described in this report. On February 5, 2004, “Report on Forest Research at Mohawk Trail State Forest” was submitted to the then Department of Environmental Management (DEM) through William Rivers.
    [Show full text]
  • Tall Pines Trail
    Tall Pines Trail Location: Mohawk Trail State Forest. Updated 7-29-2019 County: Franklin Township: Charlemont Start and End of Trail Network: Lat 42.638425 N, Long 72.936285 W Trail length (complete loop plus spur): 3.0 miles Introduction Mohawk Trail State Forest (MTSF) was one of the first state forests to be established as part of the Massachusetts system of Forests and Parks. Today the property covers approximately 6,700 acres and is split by State Route #2, named the Mohawk Trail in recognition of the ancient Indian path that ran from the waters of the Hudson to the Connecticut River. MTSF is mountainous, possessing some of the most rugged topography in the Commonwealth. The Cold River and Deerfield River gorges reach depths of 1,000 feet in Mohawk, and elevations vary from 600 to almost 2100 feet within the property. Mohawk has many outstanding features, including: (1) its wealth of old growth forests (nearly half of the total for Massachusetts), (2) record-breaking tall, second-growth white pines, (3) a section of the original Mohawk Indian Trail, (4) section of the old Shunpike, (5) site of an old Indian encampment, and (6) the gravesite of Revolutionary War veteran John and his wife Susannah Wheeler. The State Forest is part of the 9th Forest Reserve, which is maintained in pristine condition. The Park area is located on the north side of Route #2, and includes the Headquarters, picnic area, campground (for RVs and tents), cabin area (six rental cabins), the Old Cold River Road, and the upper and lower meadows.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mohawk Trail Region the Official Visitors Mohawk Guide 2018 - 2019 Trail Region Eugene Michalenko Tourist Information
    The Mohawk Trail REGION The Official Visitors Mohawk Guide 2018 - 2019 Trail www.mohawktrail.com REGION Explore The Trail Region 4-6 Ride off the beaten path ....33 Historic and literary figures Savoy .............................33 travelled The Trail ............7 Rowe ..............................33 Traffic on The Trail Annual Events for millenniums ................7 along The Trail ..........34-35 Tourist Information ... 8-10 map of the Ice Cream along The Trail ...11 mohawk trail find a place to region ...............36-37 enjoy yourself Charlemont ...................38 in the mohawk Shelburne Falls .............43 trail region Colrain ...........................46 The Arts & Culture .........12 Shelburne ......................46 Places to Eat & Drink .12-13 Greenfield .....................48 Places to Stay ..................13 Cultural Districts ..............49 Places to Shop .................14 Deerfield .......................49 Services ...........................15 South Deerfield .............51 www.mohawk trail.com How to Get Here .............15 Turners Falls .................51 Distances from Bernardston ..................52 BIENVENIDO | BIENVENUE North Adams to ? ...........15 Northfield .....................54 Camping, State Parks & Gill .................................54 WILLKOMMEN | BENVENUTO Outdoor Recreation .......16 Athol .............................55 欢迎 Sights to See .................17 Phillipston ....................55 ようこそ | cities & towns Westminster .................55 in the trail Farmers’ Markets ...56-57
    [Show full text]
  • Taconic Physiography
    Bulletin No. 272 ' Series B, Descriptive Geology, 74 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR . UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR 4 t TACONIC PHYSIOGRAPHY BY T. NELSON DALE WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1905 CONTENTS. Page. Letter of transinittal......................................._......--..... 7 Introduction..........I..................................................... 9 Literature...........:.......................... ........................... 9 Land form __._..___.._.___________..___._____......__..__...._..._--..-..... 18 Green Mountain Range ..................... .......................... 18 Taconic Range .............................'............:.............. 19 Transverse valleys._-_-_.-..._.-......-....___-..-___-_....--_.-.._-- 19 Longitudinal valleys ............................................. ^...... 20 Bensselaer Plateau .................................................... 20 Hudson-Champlain valley................ ..-,..-.-.--.----.-..-...... 21 The Taconic landscape..................................................... 21 The lakes............................................................ 22 Topographic types .............,.....:..............'.................... 23 Plateau type ...--....---....-.-.-.-.--....-...... --.---.-.-..-.--... 23 Taconic type ...-..........-........-----............--......----.-.-- 28 Hudson-Champlain type ......................"...............--....... 23 Rock material..........................'.......'..---..-.....-...-.--.-.-. 23 Harder rocks ....---...............-.-.....-.-...--.-.........
    [Show full text]
  • Whitmore's Mills and the Connecticut River: a Social and Natural History
    Whitmore’s Mills and the Connecticut River: A Social and Natural History Tour Presented by members of the Sunderland Historic Commission Published October 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TOUR GUIDE MAP 3 TOUR GUIDELINES 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4 Welcome & Introduction 5 STOP 1: Ice Age / Lake Hitchcock / First People 7 STOP 2: Unique Landscape & Early Settlement 8 STOP 3: Studying Rocks & Overview of Falls Village 9 STOP 4: North Sunderland Baptist Church 12 STOP 5: Roadways Old & New 14 STOP 6: Whitmore’s Mills & The falls of Falls Road 16 STOP 7: River Crossings & Transportation 18 STOP 8: Recreation along the River 20 STOP 9: Electricity, Industry, and the Natural Environment 22 STOP 10: The End 24 2 TOUR GUIDE MAP RT 47 10 Scenic Pull out Parking / Visitor Welcome 3 TOUR GUIDELINES This 4 mile round trip tour can be walked, biked, or driven. Falls Road is a country road and is not normally heavily traf- ficked; however, we encourage everyone to use recommended safety measures specific to your chosen mode of transportation; walk facing traffic, bike with traffic and wear a helmet, pull your car to the side of the road when stopping. Unless otherwise noted, the land on either side of the public road is privately owned; please be respectful of local property owners by sticking to the public roadways throughout the tour and leav- ing no trace or trash behind. please note there is poison ivy growing along the side of the roadway. TOUR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This tour is sponsored by the Sunderland Historical Commission and 88.5 WFCR FM 640 WNNZ and funded in part by a grant from Mass Humanities, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Sunderland Cultural Council, a local agency which is sponsored by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.
    [Show full text]
  • 2003 Annual Town Report (PDF)
    Cover: Vince Guadazno’s photograph of the Town Hall Steeple looking out over Provincetown Harbor. Photo Credits: Vince Guadazno: cover, pages 11, 22, 108, 160, 185, 205, 211 Doug Johnstone: page 14 Art Credit: Howie Schneider - page 204 Acknowledgements Thanks to the Town Boards and Departments for submitting reports for inclusion in this year’s Annual Town Report. Thanks as well to Richard Faust for editing the reports, and to the design team of Gary Delius, Doug Allen, and Edward Terrill. ANNUAL TOWN REPORT YEAR 2003 TOWN OF PROVINCETOWN PROVINCETOWN, MASSACHUSETTS Annual Reports of the Officers of the Town of Provincetown, Massachusetts for the year ending December 31, 2003. Financial Reports for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003. www.provincetown-ma.gov Compiled and Prepared by Doug Johnstone, Town Clerk In Memory of Sidney W. Bamford Airport Commission, Bicycle Committee, Open Space/ Recreation Committee Temporary Assistant Registrar, Zoning Board of Appeals Beatrice Cabral Public Works Seasonal Employee Alden E. Clapp Parking Department Seasonal Employee Dorothy Costa Public Works Seasonal Employee Marcel “Coty” Cote Harbor Committee, Parking Department Seasonal Employee James H. Green Municipal Advertising Committee, Police Department Study Committee Vivian R. Kolz Teacher Nancy McNulty Bicentennial Committee, School Committee In Memory of William McNulty Town Manager Assistant Harbormaster, Building Commissioner Harbor Development Committee, Police Needs Study Committee Police Building Advisory Committee, Water Resources Advisory Council William D. Roberts Charter Enforcement Commission Albert C. Rocheteau School Custodian Anthony Souza Parking Department Seasonal Employee John F. Souza, Jr. Public Works Employee Damianne Lea Strong Recreation Seasonal Employee Michael A. Torre On-Call Secretary, Temporary Bookkeeper Francis J.
    [Show full text]
  • Guide to the Records of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in New England
    Guide to the Records of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in New England compiled by Richard D. Stattler New England Yearly Meeting Archivist Guide to the Records of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in New England compiled by Richard D. Stattler New England Yearly Meeting Archivist Published by the Rhode Island Historical Society, 1997 ©1997 by New England Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends. All rights reserved. ISBN 0-932840-13-2 Published by the Rhode Island Historical Society under the sponsorship of the Obadiah Brown Benevolent Fund and the Mosher Book and Tract Fund of New England Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends. Additional copies can be purchased by contacting the Rhode Island Historical Society, 110 Benevolent Street, Providence, RI 02906, (401) 331-8575. i Acknowledgements This guide was made possible with support from the Obadiah Brown Benevolent Fund, the Chace Fund, the Archives Committee of the New England Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends, the Mosher Book and Tract Fund, and the Rhode Island Historical Society. In addition, all of those who have labored on behalf of the New England Yearly Meeting Archives over the years deserve credit for these results, including Rosalind Wiggins, Phyllis Brightman, Isabelle Harding, Laura Marzzacco, Madeleine Telfeyan and David Haines. Cynthia Bendroth initiated this project in 1992, and did much of the preparatory work for it. Thomas Hill supplied many helpful corrections to an earlier draft of this work (though he is in no way re- sponsible for the many errors that undoubtedly appear in this draft). Jonathan Vogel-Borne helped prepare the maps, and provided enormous assistance with the technical aspects of bringing this guide to production.
    [Show full text]
  • Brittle Fracture History of the Montague Basin, North-Central Massachusetts
    BRITTLE FRACTURE HISTORY OF THE MONTAGUE BASIN, NORTH-CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS BY ARTHUR G. GOLDSTEIN CONTRIBUTION NO. 25 GEOLOGY DEPARTMENT UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS. BRITTLE FRACTURE HISTORY OF THE MONTAGUE BASIN, NORTH-CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS by Arthur G. Goldstein Contribution No. 25 Department of Geology and Geography University of Massachusetts Amherst, Massachusetts July, 1975 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ................................................ viii INTRODUCTION .....•.................................•..... 1 The Problem ........................................ 1 Location ........................................... 1 Topography and Drainage ............................ 3 Regional Geology 3 Stratigraphy and Structure.......................... 6 Acknowledgements 11 METHODS . 13 Field Forms . 13 Joint Sampling Methods 18 Fault Sampling Methods 19 JOINTING . • . 21 Method of Study . 21 Regional Patterns . • . • . • . 21 Patterns within Subareas ............................ 25 Eastern basement area .......................... 25 Turners Falls area............................. 29 Cheapside area . • . • . 29 Mt. Toby/Mt. Sugarloaf area.................... 30 Western basement area . 30 Relationship of Jointing in Sedimentary Rocks to Jointing in Crystalline Rocks ..................•... 30 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued) Page Separations of Classes of Joints .... ... ......... ... 25 Turners Falls area............................. 33 Cheapside 2rea . 33 Ht. Toby /Mt. Sugarloaf <Hea . .. .. .. .. .. 33
    [Show full text]
  • Mount Toby Management Plan
    Mount Toby Demonstration Forest Management Plan Spring 2006 By Jesse Caputo and Tony D’Amato Table of Contents Preface……….……………………………………………………………………….. 3 Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………... 3 Statement of Authority……………………………………………………………….. 3 Forest History………………………………………………………………………… 4 Current Conditions…………………………………………………………………… 6 Topography…………………………………………………………………... 6 Landscape Context…………………………………………………………… 6 Climate……………………………………………………………………….. 7 Geology………………………………………………………………………. 7 Soils…………………………………………………………………………... 8 Hydrology…………………………………………………………………….. 8 Overstory Vegetation…………………………………………………………. 9 Wildlife and Species of Special Concern…………………………………….. 10 Trails and Infrastructure……………………………………………………… 11 Management Objectives……………………………………………………………… 12 Third Party Usage for Research, Teaching, and Demonstration……………………... 12 Data Archives and Website…………………………………………………………... 13 Infrastructure and Recreation………………………………………………………… 14 Management Zones / Management Activities………………………………………... 15 Riparian/Wetland Special Management Area………………………………... 15 Special Management Area……………………………………………………. 16 Research Natural Area………………………………………………………... 17 Active Management Area…………………………………………………….. 17 Monitoring……………………………………………………………………………. 18 Budget………………………………………………………………………………… 19 Schedule………………………………………………………………………………. 19 References…………………………………………………………………………….. 19 Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………… 20 APPENDICES………………………………………………………………………… 21 PREFACE This management plan has been written as a replacement
    [Show full text]
  • Heydays Along the Mohawk Trail Lauren R
    Early tourist postcards of the Mohawk Trail feature “the wigwam,” the Whitcomb Summit, and famous Hairpin Turn on the way down to North Adams. Heydays along the Mohawk Trail Lauren R. Stevens ngineering that was remarkable for its day in 1914 created automobile passage over the forbidding Hoosac Mountains, second Ein these parts only to boring a railroad tunnel through the same rock some four decades earlier. But my interest is more in the context of the construction. When you set out for an automobile ride, is it the trip itself, seeing the sights and stopping occasionally for snacks and gifts? Or is it your goal to avoid towns and get to your destination as soon as possible? The centennial of the Mohawk Trail automobile road defines that issue. Nowadays traffic on Route 2, the Mohawk Trail, only faintly approximates what it must have been like for 40 busy years after one of the first scenic highways in the United States opened. The trail, which officially winds 65 miles between Williamstown and Orange, in Massachusetts, was dedicated 100 years ago, on October 22, 1914, setting off, I trust, suitable celebration this year—but maybe not a pageant. My initial interest in the Mohawk Trail was an effort to recreate the 100-mile-long Indian footpaths that joined the Connecticut and Hudson valleys by following the Deerfield and Hoosic rivers. This route opened up a major way to Canada via the Owl Kill and Lake Champlain. It was used by Indians, eighteenth-century white warriors like Ethan Allen, Benedict Arnold, and Henry David Thoreau, among others.
    [Show full text]
  • Greenfield Reconnaissance Report
    Greenfield Reconnaissance Report Connecticut River Valley Reconnaissance Survey Massachusetts Heritage Landscape Inventory Program JUNE 2009 Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Franklin Regional Council of Governments Pioneer Valley Planning Commission PROJECT TEAM Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Richard K. Sullivan, Jr, Commissioner Joe Orfant, Director, Bureau of Planning & Resource Protection Patrice Kish, Director, Office of Cultural Resources Wendy Pearl, Director, Historic Landscape Preservation Initiative Jessica Rowcroft, Preservation Planner, Heritage Landscape Inventory Program Regional Partners & Project Consultants: Franklin Regional Council of Governments Margaret Sloan, Director of Planning & Development Melissa Adams, Land Use Program Manager Kimberly Noake MacPhee, Natural Resources Program Manager Patricia Smith, Land Use Planner Ryan Clary, GIS Specialist Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Bonnie Parsons, Principal Planner and Manager of Historic Preservation Programs Anne Capra, Principal Planner Jim Scace, Senior Planner/GIS Specialist Local Project Coordinator Marcia Starkey, Chair, Greenfield Historical Commission Local Heritage Landscape Participants Frostine Bean, President, Franklin County Agricultural Society Paul Daniello Christine Forgey, Mayor Devleeya Ghosh Alex Haro Nancy Hazard Kate Kerivan Ralph Kunkel, Conservation Agent Carolyn McLellan Peter Miller, Greenfield Historic Commission Larry Petrin Pat Serrentino Linda Smith Fred Steiner, Franklin County Agricultural
    [Show full text]