Fall Guide 2010 by Hersam Acorn

What You’ll Find Inside:

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Route 7A Map ...................................... 22 Lets Go Antiquing......................... 23-25 Fall Lodging ........................................... 36 Bennington Museum Explores Vermont’s Craft ....................................... 4 Cozy up to Redecorating ................... 40

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Social Media .......................................... 41

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A Hersam Acorn Newspapers Publication Jen Hathaway cover design Melissa Miller, page design

TriState Pennysaver News 109 South Street, Bennington, VT 05201 802-447-3381 Vermont News Guide 99 Bonnet Street, Manchester, VT 05254 802-362-3535

Berkshire Penny Saver Yankee Shopper

Renee Tassone, General Manager

Fall Guide 2010

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Bennington Museum Explores Vermont’s Craft

FARMS / AGRICULTURAL ATTRACTIONS

– Tara Maroney This fall, the Bennington Museum will be exploring the artistic, social and economic history of studio craft in Vermont. With events and exhibits, this is the first time it has been studied extensively by a museum. The exhibit spans Vermont’s contemporary studio craft movement from 1960 to 2010. Curator of Collections at the Bennington Museum, Jamie Franklin, and guest curator Anne Majusiak have put together the exhibit, which contains more than 125 objects by more than 85 craftsmen. In exploration of the crafts, the museum reviews three themes – living by “making,” inspirations, and communities and connections. “State of Craft is an attempt to make clear that those craft traditions have been carried on and greatly expanded upon in the last 60 years, as new generations of craft artists make their way to the Green Mountain State,” said Franklin. “Based on attendance and audience reactions, the show has been very successful, attracting a high volume of visitors who have been ‘wowed’ by the quality of the work being created by the most recent generations of Vermont craft artists.” In addition to the exhibit, there will be a number of events including an introduction to punch needle rug hooking and woodworking workshops throughout the fall. State of Craft is part of a yearlong statewide showcase of Vermont crafts coordinated by the Vermont Crafts Council in honor of their 20th anniversary, with other exhibitions and related programming occurring throughout Vermont during the year according to a statement from the Bennington Museum. The State of Craft exhibit runs at the Bennington Museum through October 31. If your interests go beyond the studio to include craft beer, join the museum for its fourth annual Southern Vermont Brewfest on October 2. Tickets are $30 and include admission, unlimited tastings, a tasting glass and snacks as well as live entertainment. Home brewers can enter their creations by visiting the museum’s web site. An expert panel will serve as judges and the wining brew will be available at Madison’s for a limited time.

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Billings Farm & Museum Route 12 & River Road in Woodstock, Vermont 802-457-2355 The Billings Farm & Museum is keeping alive the spirit and values of Vermont’s rural past. The farm dates back to 1871, when native Vermonter Frederick Billings set out to build a farm and forestry operation that would serve future generations as a model of wise stewardship. His farm flourished and, today, is still a first-class working farm, operating with a museum of Vermont’s rural heritage. The Billings Farm & Museum operates in partnership with the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, the only national park to tell the story of conservation history and the evolving nature of land stewardship in America. Those visiting can get to know the farm’s animals through interactive programs and activities and can try their hands at actual farm work. The farm offers a large number of events, including Time Travel Tuesday’s, Foodways Fridays, Ice Cream Sundays, Wagon Ride Wednesday’s, a quilt exhibit, a pumpkin and apple celebration, a harvest weekend, Halloween activities and more. The farm is also open in November and December 10am to 5pm. www.billingsfarm.org Cabot Creamery 2878 Main Street in Cabot, Vermont 888-792-2268 Visit Cabot’s Visitors’ Center in Cabot Village, home of Cabot’s famous cheddar cheese, and take a factory tour. The guided tour tells the history of Cabot Creamery and a little something about the agricultural history of Vermont. After the video, take a walk down the hall to view Cabot’s award-winning cheese being made. Following the tour ($2 per person over twelve years of age), nibble Cabot’s many varieties of cheeses, including the World’s Best Cheddar and Best Flavored Cheddar. The visit will include a Cabot Critters Coloring Book and weekly specials on selected cheese products. Call to confirm cheese-making days. Large groups welcome with reservations. Open daily through October from 9am-5pm. www.cabotcheese.com

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Hilltop Orchards and Furnace Brook Winery 508 Canaan Road in Richmond, Massachusetts 800-833-6274

Bennington Center for Arts Route 9 just west of Bennington, Vermont 802-442-7158

Furnace Brook Winery, Berkshire’s first farm winery, is located at Hilltop Orchards, a 200-acre family fruit farm. Taste their award-winning wines and ciders. The Normandy Gazebo offers wines bythe-glass and a menu in an open air environment overlooking the orchards and the Berkshire Hills. Hilltop Orchards, established in the early 1900s, today produces over 27 varieties of apples, plums, pears and grapes and is the largest producer of fresh apple cider in the Berkshires. The Hilltop Orchards Farm Store stocks fresh baked goods, local produce and cheeses, as well as apples, cider and cider doughnuts. Pick your own apples through the end of the harvest in October. Hiking, biking, picnicking and guided hikes are also offered. The orchards and winery are open year round FridaySunday, 11am-5pm. www.hilltoporchards.com

The Bennington Center for the Arts is known primarily for its fine arts galleries of nature-inspired and Native American art. It has, over the years, acquired a wonderful collection of sculpture, weavings, pottery and carvings. These works represent the beauty of wildlife, landscapes and the culture and history of Native Americans. It houses the award-winning Oldcastle Theatre and the Laumeister Galleries, which feature rotating art exhibits and art sales. It is also home to the Vermont Covered Bridge Museum. Bennington Center for the Arts includes a museum shop, a main theater and a covered bridge theater, as well as a visitors’ information center. Open 10am5pm Wednesday through Monday. www.benningtoncenterforthearts.org

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GALLERIES / VISUAL ARTS Bennington Arts Guild Gallery 103 South Street at the Four Corners, Bennington, Vermont 802-442-7838 The Bennington Arts Guild is a cooperative run by artists from Bennington and the surrounding communities with the common goal of providing a viable market for, and bringing public attention to, fine art and fine craft produced in the area. Membership is open to artists throughout the greater Bennington area. Bennington Arts Guild Gallery is open Sunday 12pm-4pm and Monday, Thursday and Friday 11am-6pm, Closed Tuesday and Wednesday, and Saturday from 10am-6pm. www.benningtonartsguild.com

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Lichtenstein Center for the Arts 28 Renne Avenue in Pittsfield, Massachusetts 413-499-9348 The Lichtenstein Center for the Arts is a community arts center housed in a historic building in downtown Pittsfield. Inside is a gallery and performance area, workshops and artists’ studios. The center features current work of local and regional artists and craftspeople, both well known and emerging. This community arts center also features performances and readings by a variety of musicians, dancers, actors and poets. Nine individual artist rental studios are housed in the Lichtenstein Center, joining over 40 other working artist studios in downtown Pittsfield to create a thriving creative community. Local teaching artists lead a variety of classes, including ceramics, tap dancing, life drawing, tai chi and more. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, noon-5pm. www.culturalpittsfield.com

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MASS MoCA 1040 MASS MOCA Way in North Adams, Massachusetts 413-662-2111 MASS MoCA is an extraordinary project converting a 27-building historic mill complex in the Berkshire Mountains into a multi-disciplinary center for visual, performing and media arts. More than a static display hall, MASS MoCA provides space, tools and time for artists, cultural institutions and businesses working in sculpture, theater, dance, film, digital media and music. With annual attendance of 120,000, it ranks among the most visited institutions in the United States dedicated to new art. Hours are 11am-5pm (closed Tuesdays). www.massmoca.org Southern Vermont Arts Center West Road in Manchester, Vermont 802-362-1405 Vermont’s oldest cultural organization, the Southern Vermont Arts Center is located in Manchester, Vermont in a National Historic Trust Mansion. The Arts Center’s ten galleries feature classic and contemporary art on view and for sale. Its 407 acres are situated on the slope of Mount Equinox and offer hiking trails, a botany trail, sculpture gardens and an indoor/outdoor café. In addition, art classes and performances of music and dance are offered in renovated facilities. The Elizabeth �� de C. Wilson Museum is �� a stunning Hugh Newell �� Jacobsen-designed fine arts �� facility to display the Arts Center’s 800-piece permanent collection and special traveling exhibitions from ��Δ�� the nation’s finest museums. ��Δ�� Open year-round, Tuesday ��Δ�� through Saturday, 10-5pm, ��Δ��Δ�� and Sunday, 12-5pm. The �� center is also home to a �� number of festivals and events. www.svac.org

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Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts 413-458-2303 The Clark is a dynamic institution welcoming visitors yearround to experience outstanding European and American art in a beautiful, rural setting. Surrounded by 140 acres of woodlands, meadows and hiking trails, the Clark’s intimately scaled galleries are home to an exceptional collection. Opened in 1955 by Singer sewing machine heir Robert Sterling Clark and his wife, Francine, the Clark is renowned for its French Impressionist paintings by Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro and especially Pierre-Auguste Renoir, with more than 30 paintings by the artist. The collection is also rich in American paintings by Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent, Frederic Remington and Mary Cassatt; Italian and Northern Renaissance masterpieces; portraits and landscapes by European masters; and an extraordinary collection of silver, porcelain and furniture. The Clark also features two new galleries and houses the Williamstown Art Conservation Center in its Stone Hill Center, newly opened last year. The Clark offers a lively variety of events and programs for all ages including concerts, films, family activities, gallery talks and after-hours events. Most public events, including family days and summer band concerts, are free of charge. Food is available year-round. Trails of varying lengths and difficulty cross the property and offer spectacular views of Williamstown and the Green Mountains of Vermont. Picnic tables and benches dot the landscape, inviting visitors to relax and enjoy the surrounding hills. Open Tuesday through Sunday 10am-5pm. www.clarkart.edu Williams College Museum of Art 15 Lawrence Hall Drive off of Main Street, Route 2 in Williamstown, Massachusetts 413-597-2429 One of the finest college art museums in the country, the Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA) houses 13,000 works that span the history of art. Within the broad range of time periods and cultures represented, the collection emphasizes modern and contemporary art, American art from the late 18th century to the present and the art of world cultures. In addition to displaying works from the permanent collection, the museum organizes loan exhibitions of outstanding works from other collections. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am-5pm and Sunday from 1-5pm. Admission is free, and the museum is wheelchair accessible. www.wcma.org Fall Guide 2010

GARDENS, NATURE PRESERVES & PARKS Ashintully Gardens Sodem Road in Tyringham, Massachusetts 413-298-3239 Ashintully (Gaelic meaning “on the brow of the hill”) was the name given to the original 1,000-acre estate assembled in the early 20th century by Egyptologist and two-time state representative Robb de Peyster Tytus from three farms in Tyringham and additional land in Otis. In 1937, noted contemporary composer John McLennan, Jr. acquired the estate, later moving into the farmhouse at the bottom of the hill and renovating the nearby barn into a music studio. McLennan created, over the course of thirty years, Ashintully Gardens. The gardens blend several natural features—a rushing stream, native deciduous trees, a rounded knoll and rising flanking meadows—into an ordered arrangement with both formal and informal beauty. Garden features include the Fountain Pond, Pine Park, Rams Head Terrace, Bowling Green, Regency Bridge and Trellis Triptych. Urns, columns and statuary ornament the garden, while foot bridges, foot paths, stone stairs and grassy terraces connect various parts of the garden. A half-mile woodland loop trail leads to the ruins of the Marble Palace. From these ruins, visitors can take in a distant view north through the Tyringham Valley. Open through October 15th on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons from 1-5pm. www.thetrustees.org/pages/251_ashintully_gardens.cfm

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Berkshire Botanical Garden Junction of Routes 183 and 102 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts 413-298-3926 Nestled in the scenic Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts, the Berkshire Botanical Garden (BBG) offers visitors a peaceful refuge of natural beauty, stunning display gardens, exciting community events and informative classes for all ages and levels of skill and knowledge. The collections (over 3,000 species and varieties) emphasize plants that thrive in the Berkshires and are displayed in an informal, country setting. The display gardens are laid out on a residential scale to inspire and inform the home gardener. The garden also serves as a gathering place for community events, weddings, meetings and classes. Display gardens open 10am-5pm daily, through Columbus Day. www.berkshirebotanical.org

Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center Dyken Pond Road off of Route 80 in Grafton, New York 518-658-2055 Dyken Pond is the principal headwaters of the Poestenkill and the largest lake on the Rensselaer Plateau. Its historic dam was built in 1902 by Manning Paper Company and regulated the stream flow powering machinery along the Poestenkill to Troy. Manning Paper Company donated its land holdings to Rensselaer County in 1973. Since that time, Rensselaer County has owned and operated this living watershed as an ecological teaching unit as well as a low-use recreation area. Thirty-three ecological communities offer an exciting blend of places to explore and enjoy. The park has five miles of trail on county-owned lands and two miles of trail on privately owned conservation lands. No motorized vehicles, mountain biking, horseback riding, barbecues or swimming permitted. There is a non-motor boat launch near the parking lot. Call ahead to assure vehicle access to launch. Dogs are welcomed on leashes. Open daily during daylight hours. www.dykenpond.org Green Mountain National Forest Forest Supervisor, 231 North Main Street in Rutland, Vermont 802-747-6700

Photo by Ceil Petrucelli

The Green Mountain National Forest follows the backbone of Vermont north from the Massachusetts border, all the way to the Appalachian Gap. It was established in 1932 after uncontrolled logging, fire and flooding ravaged the State of Vermont. Today, the Green Mountain National Forest has grown—tract by tract—to almost 400,000 acres that stretch across nearly two-thirds the length of Vermont. The mission of the Forest is to sustain, protect and enhance forest ecosystems. The Appalachian and Long Trails, which extend along the ridgeline of the Green Mountains, are part of its 312 miles of trails. Within the forest’s boundaries are cold streams and beaver ponds famous for brook and rainbow trout fishing. Other activities include birding, berry picking, canoeing, mountain biking, cross-country skiing and scenic drives. http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/greenmountain/htm/ greenmountain/g_home.htm

Photo selected for publication via www.facebook.com/vermontnewsguide

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Lake Paran Houghton Street in North Bennington, Vermont 802-442-2422 Peaceful and beautiful, Lake Paran offers swimming, picnicking and fishing, as well as a bath house, snackbar, charcoal grills and canoe rentals. Certified life guards are on duty during peak swimming times. An evening summer concert series is offered on select weekends. Daily admission. Lake Whitingham/Harriman Reservoir Wilmington/Whitingham, Vermont Lake Whitingham, also known as Harriman Reservoir, is Vermont’s largest recreational lake wholly within its borders, fully eight miles long from north to south, with over 28 miles of undeveloped shoreline. The lake

was formed by the construction of the Harriman Dam, named for Henry I. Harriman, the engineer under whom it was constructed in 1923 by the New England Power Company. This large earthen dam stands 200 feet tall, 1,200 feet across and a quarter of a mile wide at its base. By the dam is the “glory hole,” an enormous 60-foot spillway shaped like a gigantic morning glory. Boating, fishing, swimming and picnicking are all available around the lake. It is maintained by the New England Power Company at no cost to the public. www.thisisvermont.com/storywaters.html The Long Trail Green Mountains, Vermont Built by the Green Mountain Club between 1910 and 1930, the Long Trail is the oldest long-distance trail in the United States. It follows the main ridge of the Green Mountains from the Massachusetts-Vermont line to the

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Canadian border as it crosses Vermont’s highest peaks. It was the inspiration for the Appalachian Trail, which coincides with it for one hundred miles in the southern third of the state. Although the Long Trail is known as Vermont’s “footpath in the wilderness,” its character may more accurately be described as backcountry. The trail climbs rugged peaks and passes pristine ponds, alpine bogs, hardwood forests and swift streams. It is steep in some places, muddy in others and rugged in most. Novice and expert alike will enjoy the varied terrain. With its 270-mile footpath, 175 miles of side trails and nearly 70 primitive shelters, the Long Trail offers endless hiking opportunities for the day hiker, weekend overnighter and extended backpacker. The Long Trail is marked by two-by-six-inch white blazes. Intersections are usually marked with signs. Double blazes may mark important turns. Side trails are blazed in blue and signed. www.greenmountainclub.org/page.php?id=2

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Fall Guide 2010

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Merck Forest & Farmland Center Route 315 Rupert Mountain Road in Rupert, Vermont 802-394-7836 Merck Forest and Farmland Center’s mission is to teach and demonstrate the benefits of innovative, sustainable management of forest and farmland. The purpose of the farm is to demonstrate modern, sustainable approaches to agriculture while producing maple syrup, organic vegetables, flowers and herbs and raising livestock for meat, eggs, wool and dairy products. These are sold at Merck’s farm stand, through its Community-Supported Agriculture program and at three local farmers’ markets. Timber products include hardwood logs for furniture, veneer, flooring and other products. Merck Forest and Farmland Center has several relatively rare types of forest communities, which provide valuable wildlife

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habitats and allow for scientific research. Merck has a number of trails, camp sites and educational programs. Open year-round, dawn to dusk. www.merckforest.com Pember Nature Preserve/Pember Museum of Natural History Preserve located on Route 22, eight miles south of Granville, New York Museum located at 33 West Main Street in Granville, New York 518-642-1515 The Pember Nature Preserve, donated to the Pember Library and Museum in 1979, encompasses 125 acres of forest, wetland and fields on both sides of Black Creek, a tributary of the Battenkill. The mission of the Pember Nature Preserve is to provide a refuge for the region’s native wildlife and plant species. Visitors to the marsh walk on elevated walkways and over a footbridge spanning Black Creek. An observation platform at the edge of Black Creek allows for the observation of wetland wildlife. In 1987, the Granville School District deeded the Porter Schoolhouse to the Pember Library and Museum for use as a nature education center. The Porter Schoolhouse is one point of entry to the preserve; the other is on South Grimes Hill Road. Seven nature trails are available year-round from dawn to dusk. Trail maps at both entrances. www.pembermuseum.com/preserve.shtml ��

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The Pember Library and Museum were established in 1909 by Franklin Tanner Pember and his wife, Ellen Wood Pember. Both institutions continue to operate in the building designed and built for that purpose. Franklin Pember was an entrepreneur, with interests in the fur trade, oil fields and orange groves. From boyhood he was interested in the natural world and collected mounted birds and mammals, bird nests and eggs, shells, insects, plants, rocks and minerals. This collection became the basis of the museum. Open year-round Tuesday-Friday from 1-5pm and Saturday from 10am-3pm. Closed Sundays, Mondays and holidays. www.pembermuseum.com

of picnic tables and stone fireplaces provide opportunities for a day of picnicking with views of the opposite shoreline. The shoreline varies from grassy around the dam to brushy and forested as one progresses north. By canoe, fishing hidden inlets for rainbow trout, walleyed pike and bass are possible. Note: Only swim in designated spots. The area is open to day use between 6am and 9:30pm. www.thisisvermont.com/storywaters.html

Somerset Reservoir Somerset Road off of Route 9 on Searsburg Mountain, Vermont

Massachusetts

Just shy of 1,600 acres in size, this is the first of a series of large reservoirs utilizing the Deerfield River for electrical power. The south end of the reservoir, just after the dam, has a parking lot with public toilets. Below the parking lot is a boat launch suitable for motorized and man-powered vessels. To the right of the launch a series

STATE PARKS AND OTHER WILDERNESS PRESERVES

Beartown State Forest on Blue Hill Road in Monterey. 413528-0904. www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/bear.htm Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary, off of Holmes Road in Pittsfield. 413-637-0320. http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/ Sanctuaries/Canoe_Meadows/index.php

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NICOLE BARR COLLECTION Hard French Enamel on Sterling Silver prices starting at $125

prices starting at $125

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Fall Guide 2010

Field Farm on Sloan Road in South Williamstown. 413458-3135. www.berkshireweb.com/trustees/field.html Glendale Falls on Clark Wright Road in Middlefield. 413684-0148. www.thetrustees.org/pages/305_glendale_falls.cfm ��

Goose Pond on Cooper Creek Road in Lee. 413-298-3239. www.thetrustees.org/pages/306_goose_pond_reservation. cfm Hopkins Memorial Forest at the intersection of Bulkley Street and Northwest Hill Road in Williamstown. 413-5974353. www.williams.edu/CES/hopkins.htm Kennedy Park on Route 7A in Lenox. Jug End State Reservation and Wildlife Management Area on Jug End Road in Egremont. 413-528-0330. www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/juge.htm

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Lilac Park on Main Street (Route 7A) in Lenox. 413-6373646. McLennan Reservation on Fenn Road in Tyringham and Otis. 413-298-3239. www.berkshireweb.com/trustees/mclennan.html

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Monument Mountain Reservation on Route 7 in Great Barrington. 413-298-3239. www.berkshireweb.com/trustees/monument.html

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Mountain Meadow Preserve on Mason Street in Williamstown. 413-298-3239. www.thetrustees.org/pages/333_mountain_meadow_preserve.cfm

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Mt. Greylock State Reservation Visitor’s Center on Rockwell Road in Lanesboro. 413-499-4262. www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/mgry.htm

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Natural Bridge State Park on McCauley Road off of Route 8 in North Adams. 413-663-6392. www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/nbdg.htm Notchview Reservation on Old Route 9 (off of current Route 9) in Windsor. 413-298-3239. www.berkshireweb.com/trustees/notchview.html Fall Guide 2010

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October Mountain State Forest on Woodland Road in Lee. 413-243-1778. www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/octm.htm Pittsfield State Forest on Cascade Street in Pittsfield. 413442-8992. www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/pitt.htm Pleasant Valley Sanctuary on West Mountain Road in Lenox. 413-637-0320. www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/ Pleasant_Valley/index.html Sandisfield State Forest (York Lake) on York Lake Road in Sandisfield. 413-528-0904 in winter, 413-229-8212 summer. www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/sand.htm Tolland State Forest on Tolland Road in East Otis. 413-2696002. www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/toll.htm Tyringham Cobble on Jerusalem Road in Tyringham. 413298-3239. www.berkshireweb.com/trustees/cobble.html Waconah Falls State Park off of Routes 9 and 8A in Dalton. 413-442-8992. www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/wahf.htm

413-268-7098 (off season). www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/western/wnds.htm

New York State Cherry Plain State Park at 26 State Park Road in Cherry Plain. 518-733-5400 or 518-279-1155. http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=115 Grafton Lakes State Park on Long Pond Road in Grafton. 518-279-1155. http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=116

Southern Vermont Bomoseen State Park at 22 Cedar Mountain Road in Fair Haven. 802-265-4242. www.vtstateparks.com/htm/bomoseen.cfm Emerald Lake State Park at 65 Emerald Lake Lane in East Dorset. 802-362-1655. www.vtstateparks.com/htm/emerald.cfm Jamaica State Park at 285 Salmon Hole Lane in Jamaica. 802-874-4600. www.vtstateparks.com/htm/jamaica.cfm

Windsor State Forest on River Road in Windsor. 413-6840948 or

Lake Shaftsbury State Park at 62 Shaftsbury SP Road in Shaftsbury. 802-375-9978. www.vtstateparks.com/ htm/shaftsbury.cfm ��

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Lake St. Catherine State Park at 3034 Vermont

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Route 30 in Poultney. 802-287-9158. www.vtstateparks.com/htm/catherine.cfm Lowell Lake State Park at 1765 Little Pond Road in Londonderry. 802-824-4035. www.vtstateparks.com/htm/lowell.cfm Molly Stark Park at 705 Route 9 East in Wilmington. 802-464-5460. www.vtstateparks.com/htm/mollystark.cfm Townshend State Park at 2755 State Forest Road in Townshend. 802-365-7500. www.vtstateparks.com/htm/townshend.cfm Woodford State Park at 142 State Park Road in Bennington. 802-447-7169 summer. www.vtstateparks.com/htm/woodford.cfm

MUSEUMS/HISTORIC SITES Bennington Battle Monument 15 Monument Circle in Bennington, Vermont 802-447-0550

Battle of Bennington. In 1953, it was restored by the Vermont Historic Site Commission, which now administers it for the state. The monument was constructed on the site of the Continental arms storehouse, the object of this Revolutionary War battle in which General John Stark led his troops to one of the first major American victories against the British. There are interpretive exhibits, an elevator to the top of the monument and a gift shop. Scenic vistas of Vermont, Massachusetts and New York can be seen from the observation level high within the structure. Open to October 31st, 9am-5pm daily. http://www.historicvermont.org/bennington/ Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site Route 67 between Walloomsac, New York and Vermont state line 518- 686-7109 Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site is the location of a Revolutionary War battle fought in August 1777 between the British forces of General John Burgoyne and Colonel Friedrich Baum against the American forces under Brigadier General John Stark and Colonel Seth Warner. British forces underestimated the strength of

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This 306’ dolomite obelisk is Vermont’s tallest structure and was dedicated in 1891 to commemorate the 1777

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their enemy, and most of their men were killed or taken prisoner while the Americans sustained smaller losses. The British surrendered on October 17, 1777. The summer season often includes special events and exhibitions. Site includes caretaker’s house (open 1pm to 4pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays), game fields and 276 acres. Open weekends only from Labor Day to Veterans Day, 10am-7pm. www.nysparks.com/sites/info.asp?siteID=3 Bennington Museum West Main Street (Vermont Route 9) in Bennington, Vermont 802-447-1571 The Bennington Museum was founded as the Bennington Historical Association in 1875 to celebrate Bennington’s Colonial past and, more specifically, to commemorate the historic Revolutionary War Battle of Bennington in 1777. Over time the museum acquired paintings and sculpture by Vermont artists, children’s toys, maps, books and military artifacts. Its Grandma Moses Gallery hold the largest public collection of Grandma Moses art and memorabilia available to the public. It also features: an extensive array of American glass from the 19th to the early 20th century; vintage portraits of early settlers by Ammi Phillips; a unique Ralph Earl townscape; examples of abolitionist newspapers by William Lloyd Garrison; a Windsor writing-arm chair owned by Ira Allen, a founder of Vermont and author of the State’s Constitution; and the world’s largest collection �� of Bennington pottery. �� The museum is open daily �� (except Wednesdays) from 10am-5pm. In addition, the adjacent Hadwen Pavilion and Trails are open to the public free-ofcharge. www.benningtonmuseum.org

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Cambridge Historical Society & Museum 12 Broad Street in Cambridge, New York 518-677-5232

Georgi Museum & Park Center Adams Lane in Shushan, New York 518-854-3773

This museum was established in 1929 by the Cambridge A collection of Renaissance art, European antiques and Historical Society to preserve the history of Cambridge Asian collectibles, situated on nine acres of park and and the surrounding area for the education and enjoygardens along the famous Battenkill trout stream. The art collection is comprised of Italian, Dutch, Flemish, ment of the public. The house is a fine example of Victorian architecture featuring a mansard roof, wrapGerman and French paintings from the fourteenth around porch and ornate exterior moldings. Displays through the eighteenth centuries. Chinese and Asian include Revolutionary and Civil War memorabilia, firetapestries and Oriental figurines are an added attracfighting exhibits, Cambridge-made (19th century) Baron tion. The Georgi Museum also boasts an extensive minfurniture, china, glassware, antique kitchen utensils, eral collection with samples from as far away as South antique hat boxes, spinning wheels, toys, period clothing �� and more. Tours are given Tuesdays and Sundays from 1pm to 4pm or by appointment to October 18th �� www.cambridgenycham�� ber.com/theregion.html

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Chesterwood Estate and Museum 4 Williamsville Road just off of Route 183 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts 413-298-3579 Sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial, the Minute Man at Concord, Massachusetts and many familiar public monuments, Daniel Chester French (1850-1931) was a leading turn-of-the-century sculptor. In the 1920s, his studio— Chesterwood—provided a retreat from New York’s urban life. Models, studies and fullsize sculptures of his famous works, as well as striking contemporary sculptures, are displayed in the studio, museum gallery, summer home and gardens. Open daily from 10am-5pm, through October 31st, for self-guided tours. www.chesterwood.org Fall Guide 2010

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Africa. Museum grounds are open dawn to dusk. Open Sundays from 1-4pm. www.salem-ny.com/georgi.html Herman Melville’s Arrowhead 780 Holmes Road in Pittsfield, Massachusetts 413-442-1793 Arrowhead was the home of Herman Melville from 1850-1863 and where he wrote his most famous work, Moby Dick, along with three other novels, Pierre, The Confidence-Man and Israel Potter, a collection of short stories entitled The Piazza Tales, all of his magazine stories and some of his poetry. Arrowhead is now a house museum interpreting the life of the Melville family in the Berkshires. It is owned and operated by the Berkshire County Historical Society. Open daily to Columbus Day from 9:30am-4pm. Tours begin every hour on the hour

with the first tour at 10am and the last tour at 3pm. www.mobydick.org Museum of Black WWII History 179 Oak Hill School Road in Pownal, Vermont 802-823-5519 This museum was created not to glorify war but to document it—in particular to honor the long-ignored role of African-Americans in the largest worldwide conflict of human history. The museum’s goal is to enlighten visitors about the relatively unknown and unappreciated contribution of the 1.1 million African Americans who served in the U.S. military in World War II. More than a collection and display of objects, the museum is a center for ongoing teaching and research on this broad subject. Open Thursday to Monday from 10am-5pm and special hours upon request. www.blackww2museum.org

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The Mount: Edith Wharton’s Estate and Gardens 2 Plunkett Street in Lenox, Massachusetts 413-551-5111 The Mount—Pulitzer-prize winning author Edith Wharton’s 1902 estate and gardens—is the creation of one of America’s greatest authors. An icon of American architecture and landscape design, The Mount combines English, French and Italian elements with a New England twist. The estate has been extensively restored, with nearly $9 million invested to bring the 42-room mansion and formal gardens back to life. Like Jefferson’s Monticello, The Mount is an “autobiographical house,” a telling reflection of her remarkable life and work. Three acres of formal gardens surround the mansion. Wharton, an authority on European landscape design, created her gardens as architectural compositions, divided into rooms and planned in concert with the house and surrounding natural landscape. Linger over lunch on the terrace where Wharton entertained notables like Henry James. The Mount is the only U.S. monument to Edith Wharton. Open daily from 10am-5pm. www.edithwharton.org Naumkeag Prospect Hill Road in Stockbridge, Massachusetts 413-298-3239 An aura of grand times and gracious living still lingers at Naumkeag. This 26-room gabled mansion, designed by Stanford White in 1885, was the summer home of Joseph

Hodges Choate (1832-1917), noted attorney and ambassador to England at the turn of the century. The rooms contain the Choate family’s collection of Chinese export porcelain, antique furniture, elegant rugs and tapestries. Naumkeag is famous for its eight acres of terraced gardens and landscaped grounds surrounded by forty acres of woodland, meadow and pasture that stretch to the Housatonic River Valley. Open daily to Columbus Day from 10am-5pm. Allow a minimum of one hour for the garden or two hours if also taking the house tour. www.thetrustees.org/pages/335_naumkeag.cfm New England Maple Museum Route 7 in Pittsford, Vermont 802-483-9414 The New England Maple Museum offers a trip through over 200 years of maple sugaring history starting with the Native American discovery that maple sap cooked over an open fire produces a sweet syrup. The museum has the most complete collection of sugaring artifacts in existence, from an ancient block of wood with a sap collecting gash made by American Indians to modern plastic pipeline. And a trip would not be complete without sampling various grades of maple syrups and mouthwatering Vermont specialty foods in the tasting room. Open daily 8:30am-5:30pm to October 31st. www.maplemuseum.com

“Taste my hard cider, made from the best apples in the Berkshires” Johnny Mash

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North Adams Museum of History and Science Western Gateway Heritage State Park in North Adams, Massachusetts 413-664-4700 Housed in a beautifully restored historic freight yard, the North Adams Museum of History and Science portrays a microcosm of America as told through the history of North Adams and the environment of the Northern Berkshires. It provides over 25 exhibit areas on its three floors and includes hands-on discovery rooms, the Solar System Black Light Gallery, the Natural History Center, early social, industrial and railroading history, the Fort Massachusetts Barracks Room and other military exhibits and more. Open 10am-4pm Thursday through Saturday and 1-4pm Sunday through December. Free admission. www.geocities.com/northadamshistory Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge Route 183 in Stockbridge, Massachusetts 413-298-4100

Old Bennington Walking Tours Old Bennington, Vermont Old Bennington, located on and around Route 9 and Monument Avenue just west of downtown, contains the Bennington Battle Monument (but not the battlefield), a statue of Colonel Seth Warner, the Walloomsac Inn, the site of the Old Catamount Tavern, the Old First Church and its surrounding burying ground. Standing much as it did during its dedication in 1806, the Old First Church is a beautiful example of early colonial architecture. The cemetery adjacent to the church contains the graves of Robert Frost and approximately 75 revolutionary war patriots as well as British and Hessian Soldiers killed in the Battle of Bennington. The site of Ethan Allen’s home is on the border of the cemetery. Across the street from the church is the Walloomsac Inn, which is now private property. Built in 1764, the inn is the oldest in the state. Many great dignitaries, including Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, stayed there. About halfway up Monument Avenue on the right is a marker for the site of the Catamount Tavern, where a pivotal meeting between the patriots and Ethan Allen took place on May 3, 1777. http://www.bennington.com/chamber/walking/monumentdescription.html

Presenting the world’s largest collection of original Rockwell art, his original Stockbridge studio and changing exhibitions featuring current and past masters in the field of illustration. Highlights include enduring favorites from Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post covers, the powerful Four Freedoms and the nostalgic Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas. The Norman Rockwell Archive contains more than 100,000 photographs, letters and other rare mementos. Current exhibitions: A Day in the Life: Norman Rockwell’s Stockbridge Studio; The Art of �� Norman Rockwell: Highlights �� from the Collection; Norman Rockwell’s 323 Saturday Evening Post Covers; and Artists in Their Studios. Open daily, 10am-5pm through �� October. �� www.nrm.org ��

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Old Hopkins Observatory & Mehlin Museum of Astronomy Main Street (Rt. 2) in Williamstown, Massachusetts 413-597-2105 The Hopkins Observatory is the oldest existing observatory in the United States. In 1834, Prof. Albert Hopkins went to England, with the permission of the trustees of the college, to search for astronomical apparatus. On his return, he enlisted some of his students to build a permanent observatory, which they constructed by hand from 1836 to 1838. That building is now the planetarium. It was originally located in the center of the quad but was moved to the far end in 1908 and to its present location in 1961. Some of the original equipment from the 1834 trip to England still survives in this building. www.williams.edu Park-McCullough House Corner of Park & West Streets in North Bennington, Vermont 802-442-5441

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The Park-McCullough House, a 35-room Victorian Mansion, was completed in 1865 for Trenor and Laura Park. Trenor Park, a Bennington lawyer, had made a fortune in California successfully managing John C. Fremont’s Mariposa gold mines. Returning East, he commissioned architects Diaper and Dudley to design this “summer home,” a classic example of French Second Empire Style. The furnishings and decor are nearly unchanged. As you walk in the front door, you will find rooms with fourteen-foot ceilings opening onto a gracious central hall with a sweeping staircase. The fine interior details include oak and walnut paneling, parquet floors and bronze chandeliers (originally supplied with gas from an ingenious gas-making machine). The grounds feature a playhouse, rose gardens and a Carriage Barn, which houses a fine collection of horse-drawn carriages, buggies, sleighs and fire-fighting equipment. Open daily 10am-4pm to mid-October. Guided tours on the hour. The Park-McCullough House also plays host to theater and other events. www.parkmccullough.org

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Robert Frost Stone House Museum Historic Route 7A in Shaftsbury, Vermont 802-447-6200 The Robert Frost Stone House Museum opened in 2002 in the home where Frost lived in the 1920s and wrote one of his most famous poems, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” Frost came to live in Shaftsbury at the height of his career. He wrote two books of poetry during his first nine years at the Stone House and was awarded three of four Pulitzer Prizes during the time he lived in Shaftsbury. A small bookshop offers books, posters and postcards. Open to November 30, Tuesday through Sunday, 10am-5pm. Allow one hour for your visit. www.frostfriends.org/stonehouse.html Robert Todd Lincoln’s Hildene Historic Route 7A in Manchester, Vermont 802-362-1788

Shortly thereafter, Friends of Hildene, a nonprofit organization, was formed to oversee “the preservation of Hildene’s open land and the restoration of those buildings that best serve the public as an educational and cultural resource and as a memorial to the Lincoln family.” Today, Hildene welcomes thousands of visitors from around the world who arrive to enjoy this meticulously restored home with its elegant formal gardens, cutting and kitchen gardens and farm and to participate in the many special events held annually on the beautiful grounds of the estate. To enjoy the home, exhibits and grounds you should allow two to three hours. You may also visit the cutting and kitchen gardens, the observatory, the exhibit area and the Museum Shop. Grounds passes are available to visit the gardens and grounds but are not valid for admission into the Lincoln home. Open 9:30am to 4:30pm daily. www.hildene.org

In 1902, Robert Todd Lincoln, the eldest son of President Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, hired a Boston architectural firm to build a stately home on a promontory overlooking the Battenkill Valley in Manchester. The site he chose commanded sweeping views of the valley bordered by the Taconic Mountains to the west and the Green Mountains to the east. His magnificent Georgian Revival style home was completed three years later. Robert Todd Lincoln named his new home Hildene, meaning “hill” and “valley.” Hildene would be Mr. Lincoln’s summer home for the next 21 years and would be the only house in America where all of Abraham Lincoln’s descendants would eventually reside. Mary “Peggy” Lincoln Beckwith, a greatgranddaughter of Abraham Lincoln, was the last of the president’s descendants to live at Hildene. She occupied the home until 1975. Fall Guide 2010

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Slate Valley Museum 17 Water Street in Granville, New York 518-642-1417

Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum 67 East Road in Adams, Massachusetts 413-743-7121

The Slate Valley Museum is housed inside a restored 19th Century New World Dutch Barn. Through artifacts, photographs, videotapes, art, displays, immigrant histories and a quarry shanty, the museum presents the history, science and art of slate quarrying and its influence on Slate Valley culture and community life. Learn why the Slate Valley is unique in all the world and why slate from the Slate Valley has been used in national landmarks such as the White House. Open year-round. www.slatevalleymuseum.org

Susan B. Anthony was born on February 15, 1820 in the town of Adams, Massachusetts. Her birthplace, built in 1818, stands as an important symbol of the Women’s Suffrage movement in the United States. The new Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum, opening in early August, will preserve the birthplace and raise public awareness of the wide-ranging legacy of the great social reformer, Susan B. Anthony, who was a pioneering feminist and suffragist as well as a noteworthy figure in the abolitionist and temperance movements of the 19th century. As part of its mission, the museum will highlight the familial and regional influences which shaped Anthony’s early life, by displaying the textiles and furnishings of that period, as well as the literature and other memorabilia associated with her later career. Open Thursday through Monday from 11am-4pm. www.susanbanthonybirthplace.com

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Williamstown House of Local History David and Joyce Milne Public Library, 1095 Main Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts 413-458-2160 Williamstown House of Local History was founded in 1941 to promote knowledge of the town’s history by collecting and preserving materials, mounting exhibitions, presenting educational programs and facilitating research. The collection includes photographs, documents and artifacts from the 1700s to the present day, as well as published material on the town and genealogical material on local families. Open Monday through Friday 10am-noon and 1pm-3pm and Saturday 10am-noon and other hours by appointment. As it is staffed by volunteers and interns, it is best to call ahead. www.milnelibrary.org/hlh.html

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The Cabaret and Mainstage at Fort Salem Theater 11 East Broadway in Salem, New York 518-854-9200

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From church to fort, back to church and thence to theater—through war, fire and vicissitudes—the building now known as the Fort Salem Theater has endured

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for nearly two-and-a-half centuries. In 1972, Judge Whilliam Drohan of New York City purchased it and replaced the altar with a stage and produced the first shows. Starting October 10, cabaret artists, headlined by Broadway performers, inaugurate a season of Saturday night cabarets, including the performing return of former Fort Salem producer/performer, Kathy Beaver. www.fortsalemtheater.com Memorial Hall Center for the Arts Main Street (Route 9) in Wilmington, Vermont 802-464-8411 Located in Wilmington, Vermont, Memorial Hall Center for the Arts offers a professional cultural arts series from early July through Labor Day, as well as one community theatre production each summer. The season traditionally includes cabaret, Broadway, Motown, musicals, oldies, light opera and classical concerts. Memorial Hall Center for the Arts is named after the historic building that it calls home. Endowed with acoustics that rival halls of greater capacity and renown, Wilmington’s Memorial Hall is resplendent with the spirit of a time gone by. www.memhall.org

Fall Guide 2010

Paramount Theatre 30 Center Street in Rutland, Vermont 802-775-0570 Opened in 1914, The Playhouse Theatre of Rutland was considered by many to be one of the finest theaters in New England through the early part of the 20th century. The Paramount, as it has been known since the early 1930s, has been completely restored as the “Jewel of Downtown Rutland.” The Paramount Theatre is more than just a beautiful building that embraces the remarkable history of the area; it is a living performing arts venue that echoes with the voices of Sarah Bernhardt, Ethel Barrymore, Harry Houdini, Groucho Marx and others. The fall season offers a number of concerts. www.paramountvt.org

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South Mountain Concerts Performances at South Mountain Concert Hall, two miles south of downtown Pittsfield on Routes 7 and 20, Massachusetts 413-442-2106 Since its founding in 1918 by the woman described as “the fairy godmother of chamber music,” Mrs. Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, South Mountain has been sending the beautiful strains of great chamber music wafting over the Berkshire Hills. Distinguished musicians who have performed at this site include Leonard Bernstein, Leontyne Price, Alexander Schneider, Rudolph Serkin, the Beaux Arts Trio and such string quartets as the Borromeo, the Emerson, the Guarneri, the Juilliard, the Orion, the Tokyo and the Vermeer. Concerts on Sundays at 3pm in September and the first two Sundays in October. www.southmountainconcerts.com

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Vermont Symphony Orchestra Performing at Castleton State College in Castleton, Vermont 800-VSO-9293, extension 10 or 802-86FLYNN (for tickets) Seventy-one years ago, a small group of musical enthusiasts meeting in Woodstock, Vermont convinced each other that by working together, they could assemble the necessary musical and financial resources from across rural Vermont to create a statewide symphony orchestra. Whereas most other orchestras originate in a single town or city, performing there in one concert hall and touring occasionally, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra dedicated itself to traveling to any gymnasium, armory, racetrack or hillside where an audience could be found. The musicians, whose numbers included barbers, lawyers, mail carriers, doctors and farmers, came from all across the state to rehearse and perform. Before the advent of modern highways, this represented an extraordinary commitment. For 71 years, the orchestra has shuttled from town to town, overcoming geography with such energy and persistence that it has earned a national reputation. Autumn in Vermont signals the return of gorgeous foliage and also gorgeous music, as the Vermont Symphony Orchestra’s Made in Vermont Music Festival tour visits all corners of the state. On September 29 at 7:30 pm, Anthony Princiotti and the VSO present a program brimming with melodic riches: an arrangement of a Mozart string quartet; Bizet’s charming Jeux d’enfants (Childrens’ Games); and Haydn’s marvelous Symphony

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No. 82 (“The Bear”). This year’s world premiere commission is by Derrik Jordan, of Brattleboro, who pays tribute to the Lake Champlain Quadricentennial with a piece based on an Abenaki creation story. www.vso.org.

THEATER AND CINEMA

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The Albany Berkshire Ballet 116 Fenn Street in Pittsfield, Massachusetts 413-445-5382

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The Albany Berkshire Ballet was founded in 1960 by Artistic Director Madeline Cantarella Culpo. Nationally recognized for its versatility in performing both classical and contemporary dance works with excellence, the company’s classical repertory rivals that of any large company performing today. With works created by some of ballet’s greatest choreographers, including Igor Youskevitch, Michel Fokine and Antony Tudor, the Albany Berkshire Ballet performs such full-length ballets as Giselle, Cinderella, Coppelia, The Nutcracker, Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, delighting audiences of all ages. www.berkshireballet.org

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Barrington Stage Company Berkshire Music Hall at 30 Union Street in Pittsfield, Massachusetts 413-236-8888 Barrington Stage Company is a professional award-winning Equity theater now located in the crossroads of the Berkshires in Pittsfield. Co-founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, BSC is committed to presenting new productions of neglected musicals and plays, in addition to developing new works for the American Theater. BSC garnered national attention with William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin’s Tony Award-winning musical hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which began as a workshop at BSC. Performances are offered on its Main Stage and Stage II; it also offers youth theatre and special events. This fall’s selections include Freud’s Last Session, Songs by Ridiculously Talented Composers and Lyricists You Probably Don’t Know, But Should..., Memory is the Mother of All Wisdom and The Fantasticks. www.barringtonstageco.org Fall Guide 2010

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Berkshire Theatre Festival Main Street in Stockbridge, Massachusetts 413-298-5576 The Berkshire Theatre Festival is the oldest performing arts venue in Berkshire County and one of the oldest in the United States. This year marks its 80th anniversary season. www.berkshiretheatre.org Colonial Theatre 111 South Street in Pittsfield, Massachusetts 413-997-4444 Pittsfield’s refurbished Colonial Theatre is a living time machine, transporting visitors to a resplendent Gilded Age theater in its prime. Designed by noted theater architect J.B. McElfatrick, the Colonial was of a class above most playhouses of the day. Noted London theater consultant Louis Flemming called the Colonial “one of the greatest acoustical houses in the entire world.” McElfatrick designed about 350 theaters around the country—66 in New York City alone—but the Colonial is one of only a dozen still standing. An extensive and meticulous restoration brought the majestic 1903 the-

atrical masterpiece back to life. The 810-seat historic theater will once again host leading performers from around the country. www.thecolonialtheatre.org Dorset Playhouse Cheney Road off Route 30 in Dorset, Vermont 802-867-5777 The historic Dorset Playhouse has been in continuous use since its construction in 1929. This playhouse is the site of the Dorset Theatre Festival, which received the Moss Hart Award for Outstanding Theatre in 1995 and 1997. Some of the plays and authors first produced with the Dorset Theatre Festival or written at the Dorset Colony have gone on to major openings in New York, Miami and elsewhere. This fall will feature a special musical review and Arsenic and Old Lace. www.dorsetplayers.org Hubbard Hall Projects, Inc. 25 East Main Street in Cambridge, New York 518-677-2495 This community arts center, dedicated to bringing the best of theater, music, dance and the visual arts to the region, is housed in a restored 1878 rural opera house. Hubbard Hall offers plays, concerts, classes and local art. Among this season’s offerings are A Doll’s House, Chamber Music and Bambouk: A Clown Theatre Extravaganza. www.hubbardhall.org

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Images Cinema 50 Spring Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts 413-458-5612 One of the few remaining single-screen, independent theaters still in operation, Images Cinema is a historic part of the Northern Berkshires, offering an exceptional variety of independent, foreign and classic films year-round. Images has shown independent cinema for independent minds for over 80 years. www.imagescinema.org Oldcastle Theatre Company Performing at the Bennington Center for the Natural and Cultural Arts at the junction of Gypsy Lane and Vermont Route 9 in Bennington, Vermont 802-447-0564 Company members have played in theaters from local Hubbard Hall in Cambridge, New York to Broadway. This fall, Wendy Wasserstein’s Third will be presented from October 2-11. www.oldcastletheatreco.org

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Shakespeare & Company 70 Kemble Street in Lenox, Massachusetts 413-637-1199 Launching its 32nd season, Shakespeare & Company is a company that performs as the Elizabethans did—in love with poetry, physical prowess and the mysteries of the universe. With a core of over 150 artists, the company performs Shakespeare and a number of other theatrical works. www.shakespeare.org The Weston Playhouse 703 Main Street in Weston, Vermont 802-824-5288 The Weston Playhouse Theatre Company, a nonprofit regional theater dedicated to excellence in a unique Vermont setting, serves a community of artists and audiences through a broad spectrum of dramatic works and educational programs. The playhouse is Vermont’s oldest professional theater, now in its 72nd year, and the Weston Playhouse Theatre Company is one of the oldest summer stock theater groups in America. Fall offerings include The Musical of Musicals, (The Musical!) and A Raisin in the Sun. Fall Guide 2010

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TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum and the Gateway to the Gilded Age: A Museum of Berkshire History Housatanic Street and Willow Creek Road in Lenox, Massachusetts 413-637-2210 On summer weekends and holidays, the museum offers two 90-minute round-trip excursions from Lenox Station to Stockbridge and a 45-minute round-trip excursion from Lenox Station to Lee narrated by a uniformed conductor using a diesel locomotive from the 1950s and vintage standard gauge coaches from the 1920s. The museum collects, restores, preserves, operates and displays railroad equipment and artifacts in addition to providing a repository for information of an educational and historic nature relating to the history of railroading in the Berkshires. A vintage railway coach houses The Gateway to the Gilded Age: A Museum of Berkshire History, a permanent exhibit where visitors are introduced to the rich history of Berkshire County and 24 important Gilded Age sites. Open weekends and holidays 9:30am-4:30pm through October. www.berkshirescenicrailway.org

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Equinox Skyline Drive Off of Route 7 in Sunderland, Vermont 802-362-1114 or 802-362-1115

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Corner of Church & John Streets Hoosick Falls, New York

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The Mount Equinox Skyline Drive is the longest privately owned paved toll road in the U.S. Begin your adventure at the Toll House on Historic Route 7A in Sunderland at an elevation of 600 feet. As Skyline Drive winds and twists its way up the mountain, it provides panoramic views of lakes, rivers and valley communities below. There are many vistas and areas for picnicking along the 5.2-mile drive, which has a vertical gain of 3,248 feet to the summit. The serenity and beauty of the world famous Battenkill River may be seen meandering through town, farm and woodland below. There is so much natural beauty that the drive to the summit is half the experience. However, the view from the summit is truly breathtaking and an experience you’ll not soon forget. It offers incredible sunsets and panoramic views of the Green, White, Adirondack, Berkshire and Taconic Mountain ranges. The drive offers picnic areas, many of which have marble picnic tables made from marble quarried on neighboring Dorset Mountain. There is a fireplace for grilling at the first area located 1/4 mile from the entrance of the drive. Open 9am to dusk, through October 31st, weather permitting. www.equinoxmountain.com/skylinedrive

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Hemmings Motor News 216 Main Street in Bennington, Vermont 800-447-9580 Located in the town of Bennington, Vermont, for over 50 years, Hemmings Motor News publishes the world’s largest collector-car magazine, affectionately known as the “bible” of the collector-car hobby, as well as their more recent titles, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines and Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car. Their free vehicle display features a selection of their collector vehicles and an automobilia collection. The collector-car display also includes panel trucks, pickup trucks, bicycles, marine engines and vintage porcelain signs showcasing the automotive industry through the decades. The Car Lover’s Oasis Shop contains a huge collection of automotive items: over 150 unique reproduction porcelain signs, dozens of die-cast models, pedal cars, auto artwork, clothing, books and more. At the old-fashioned Sunoco filling station, attendants will clean your windshield and check your oil. The Filling Station and Gift Shop are open daily from 7am-7pm (closed holidays); its Caffeine Alley coffee shop is open in the mornings. The vehicle display is open on weekends daily from 10am-3pm June through October, and the gas pumps are on 24 hours a day. www.hemmings.com Mohawk Trail Route 2, Western Massachusetts 413-743-8127 or 866-743-8127 The Mohawk Trail is the first scenic road in New England. National Geographic Traveler selected the Mohawk Trail as one of 50 of the most scenic routes in the United States. The American Automobile Association also chose “The Trail” for scenic recognition, as has the federal government in one of its national programs. The Mohawk Trail has gained a world-wide reputation for its scenic beauty, both natural and man-made. It carries on its ancient trade route heritage via over 100 unique shops, attractions, public and private camping areas, inns and villages that line its path. With 63 miles of unsurpassed splendor and 50,000 acres of state parks and forests, it’s an excellent vacation choice for fun and adventure for all ages during any season. It extends from Williamstown to Shirley. www.mohawktrail.com

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Cozy up to Redecorating and Prepare Your Home For Indoor Entertaining (ARA) - After months of sunshine, cookouts, beach-going and outdoor entertaining, it can be a little disappointing to realize the cool bite of fall is on its way. But warding off those cold-weather blues can be as simple as redecorating a room (or a few) to create a hideaway that you can enjoy until spring arrives. With a little time and creativity, you can create a fresh space that will outlast the dreary weather of the coming months. Preparing a home for the coldest months of the year - whether you expect to host company for the holidays or to simply spend more time indoors - can seem daunting. But professional designer and television personality Danielle Hirsch says there is no need to fret. Hirsch, featured on Dutch Boy’s new Restore My Decor. com decorating web site, says there are many ways to minimize the time and expense you might associate with refreshing your home’s interior. Here are just a few of her easy and affordable tips that can help bring new life to your decor. It might sound like a cliche, but a fresh coat of interior paint can truly do wonders to renew a space. Dutch Boy’s Restore My Decor.com web site features advice from Hirsch to help you decide what color and design scheme is right for your room. She also offers tips to help your project run smoothly. Gathering valuable inspirational ideas from the site will ensure your interior turns out right the first time, saving you valuable time and money. Don’t stop with wall color, though. As the weather turns bleak, heat up your home design by bringing a bit of color inside. Are you conservative when it comes to design? Try accenting a neutral room with a few pieces of the same color family. If you’re more daring, play with a variety of warm, bright colors. “Take cues from Mother Nature and pull colors you

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see from the foliage around you,” Hirsch says. “Rich oranges, chocolate browns, vibrant reds and ambers - these colors bring energy as the days get darker earlier.” To create the perfect atmosphere for your cozy escape, appealing to all senses is a must. Give your entire home a warm, inviting aroma with seasonal scented candles. Liven up a dining room with a visually stimulating centerpiece or wall hanging. Or make a casual den more comfortable with overstuffed throw pillows or a faux fur rug. Adding small accents and finishing touches can completely change the ambiance of a room and turn it into an area where you’ll actually enjoy spending time. You can also take pleasure in the changing of the seasons by incorporating natural outdoor elements into your decor. “Nothing says fall like a pumpkin, and if you hollow it out, it makes a great vase,” Hirsch says. She also suggests accenting a room with seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers, colorful leaves and pinecones for quick and easy ways to bring the natural beauty of autumn indoors.

“To round out your fall decorating remember that with the days getting shorter, warm lighting is essential,” Hirsch says. Do a quick audit of the lighting to ensure you’re making the most of your room’s natural and artificial light. Introducing a new light source, whether it’s a standing or table lamp, can transform the overall feel of a room and fight off the dreary gray outside your window. Hirsch goes onto say, “This fall, don’t be lulled into hibernation. Take the time you have indoors and put it to good use. Tackling interior projects now will leave your home looking beautiful and ready for family and friends for years to come.” Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Hersam Acorn Newspapers

Fall Guide 2010

Social Media: The Best Advertising Money Can’t Buy For Your Small Business (ARA) - Used to be, a diligent small business owner with a great idea and plenty of gumption could grow a business through word of mouth alone. In many ways, that’s still true. Yet today, much of the “word of mouth” conversations and recommendations, which can make or break a business, are happening online, not face to face. Small business owners still recognize the value of word of mouth 63 percent say it remains the most effective way to market their business and find new customers, according to a recent survey by Citibank. Yet that same survey found that 81 percent of small business owners do not use social media - word of mouth in the technology-driven world. “Many small businesses have yet to really harness the marketing and communication power that online tools can provide them,” says Raj Seshadri, head of small business banking at Citibank. “Our survey of 552 small business executives throughout the country reveals a huge opportunity for many businesses to begin using some of the basic online tools, such as e-mail marketing, to drive their sales.” Moreover, business owners should utilize a variety of social media and online platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, their Web site’s homepage and even blogs, experts say. Profiles on multiple networks expand your business’ reach and help engage current and potential customers. Studies show that after a purchase, online shoppers “friend” or follow businesses more than 50 percent of the time. Reasons include an affinity for the business, allegiance to a company, and the opportunity to receive invitations to special events and/or exclusive offers and promotions through social media. Here are some tips for using some of the top social media options to help grow your small business: Blog about it Short for “weblog,” a blog allows you to speak directly to customers and establish yourself as an expert in your industry. You can use your blog as the main source for information about your business, to feature customer testimonials, answer frequently asked questions, or even to resolve problems. Blog posts are usually short and pithy - you don’t have to write the great American novel for each post. Just make each interesting, useful and brief. Facebook is your “friend” Facebook is the largest social network, with more than 450 million users around the world, and another 100 million logging on from mobile devices. Create your free Facebook account and begin inviting customers (through direct e-mail, signs posted in your store and other communications) to “friend” your page. Use it to interact with your community of customers, offering them specials and deals. You can also share customer reviews online, feature a “customer of the month” and even chat directly with customers during scheduled chat times.

You should know YouTube Smart companies use this online video library to distribute news of their products and services to a broad community. Create a quick video that spotlights what’s special about your product or service, new products or to highlight your product in the context of current events. The buzz about Twitter Twitter accounts are also free. More than 105 million users post in excess of 50 million “tweets” daily - short posts about current events or what’s going on in their lives at that moment. Use Twitter to relay stories of positive customer experiences, mentions of your company in other media, product announcements and updates, links and photos from your blog, or even to directly thank a specific customer in a public way. Linking up with LinkedIn Think of LinkedIn as the professional version of Facebook. The networking site allows you to post information about your qualifications, your work experience and your business, and to connect with other professionals. To learn more about Citibank small business services that can help your company grow, visit www.citibank.com. Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Fall Guide 2010

Hersam Acorn Newspapers

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Hersam Acorn Newspapers

Fall Guide 2010