WEEKLY UPDATE 9/26/08
The Tri-State Treasure Trail (Vol. 1)

Andrea—
“Summer in the Berkshires is like a drag race into a brick wall,” claimed Danny, my husband and writing partner. So very true, it seemed, for now the brick wall was here. But what lay on the other side, I wondered?

My quest as a newcomer is to discover the treasures of our wider region beyond the obvious summertime attractions. Does this area roll up and hibernate, like the elusive Great Barrington bears I’ve heard about? Certainly not, I suspected; there is much too much vibrancy in the people and this countryside. Besides, while some shops are reducing hours or even closing, others are preparing to brave the coming autumnal chill and celebrate grand openings and various seasonal events. For example, Great Barrington is about to see the long-awaited re-opening of 20 Railroad Street Restaurant, and Kent, Connecticut will be hosting opening merriment for Kent Kitchen Works all month long as well as a scarecrow contest and a “Pumpkin Run.”

Danny--
As a newlywed husband, I’ve accepted it as my important duty to familiarize Andrea with her new surroundings. Although we grew up together in western New York State, I am in fact a Berkshire native, and this area, more than anyplace else, feels like home to me.

Having experienced the excitement of our first Berkshire summer together— concerts in the shed, salads of locally-grown produce— I proposed that the two of us venture forth upon Labor Day’s mostly unoccupied roads to explore a wider realm, the small villages that surround the corner where New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts meet. This “tri-state trail” would take us west along Route 23 from Great Barrington to Hillsdale; south on 22 to Millerton and Amenia; into Kent, Connecticut along some narrow back roads, and then via 341 and then 202 to Litchfield. Routes 63 and 7 North would return us home by way of Canaan.

As we embarked on this loop, we decided, our Labor Day explorations would originate at the exact locus of the aforementioned three-state corner. But on-line aerial satellite photos revealed that this point lies deep in heavily forested and mountainous terrain, inaccessible by any road. The nearest trappings of civilization, our maps suggested, was the hamlet of Boston Corner, an unremarkable stretch of farmland with little to indicate that its mere thousand acres was once the refuge of outlaws or the site of a championship boxing match that prompted an historic secession of territory from one state to another.

As one views a map, the lower left corner of Berkshire County appears to have been dog-eared, like the page of a book. Indeed, Massachusetts originally came to a sharp point at its southwestern-most reach. But this arrangement, as arbitrary as any other border, left the triangle of acreage west of the Taconic mountain range beyond the convenient reach of Berkshire County lawmen, and criminals, gamblers, and other shady types naturally gravitated to the area.

Prize-fighting had been largely banned during the mid-1800’s, and so Boston Corner, easily accessible to Manhattan sports fans via the newly-built Harlem Railroad Line and yet without effective law enforcement, was a logical venue for an illicit big-purse bout. But when thousands of fans rioted and pillaged at the controversial conclusion of the 1853 title fight, authorities finally recognized that a reconfiguration of the border was in order. The inhabitants of Boston Corner, having already petitioned the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to be annexed to New York five years earlier, finally gained consent after the riot, and the United States Congress approved the change in January of 1855, effective two years hence.

The sudden jurisdiction of nearby policemen and judges succeeded in driving the more colorful elements from Boston Corner. John Morrissey, the young winner of the infamous bout, went on to amass a gambling fortune, eventually partnering with William Travers and others to establish the Saratoga Race Course. Having maneuvered his way with his wits as well as his fists into the favor of Tammany Hall, Morrissey was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1866 and served two terms. Today only a small historical marker beside Boston Corner’s Undermountain Road --with an incorrect date given for the bout— gives evidence of its ribald past.

This same Undermountain Road led us to County Route 63, a fairly direct path from Boston Corner to Millerton that mysteriously became Route 62 along the way. If indeed there is a unifying affinity among the villages in our tri-state loop, might Millerton be its de facto hub, a representative reflection of everything that draws visitors to the area? Perhaps. Recently voted one of the “Ten Coolest Small Towns” by BUDGET TRAVEL, Millerton has all of the usual indications of a town on the rise, a hot spot in the making. As we turned right from Route 62 onto Route 44, Millerton’s main drag, we found a hip-looking restaurant/wine bar (Manna Dew), a small (and eponymous) Movie House occupying a former grange hall, and Irving Farm Coffeehouse, an upscale caffeine merchant.

Continuing along our planned loop, I was delighted to observe Andrea taking in so many of the sights and delights for which our wider region is known and appreciated.

Andrea--
There was adventure around every corner. Route 7, the primary link between Berkshire and Litchfield counties, was filled with peaceful curves flowing along the Housatonic River, and the surrounding mountainsides were blanketed with lush greenery tinged with fresh autumn color. One minute we were in a deep valley with no cell service, and then before we knew it our ears were popping and we were on top of a mountain enjoying valley vistas. (Danny and I grew up in a very flat area, so altitude still seems like a special treat.)

As in the Berkshires, shopping seemed to be one of the finer sports everywhere we went. There were antique shops jam-packed with riches in every nook and corner or meticulously displayed. Jeffrey Tillou Antiques in Litchfield might well have been a museum, except that it offered a little bit of Americana to take home. We found art in galleries alive with color and, perhaps most surprisingly, landscaped into yard sculpture-- ten-foot bugs, herding elephants, monstrous rock piles. And not all of the sculpture was inanimate— driving by Kent’s Club Getaway, we spied daring young men displaying their well-chiseled torsos on the flying trapeze!

Back in my new home in Great Barrington, Karen Allen Fiber Arts was atop my list of shops to visit after the summer crowds disappeared. After all, it is not every day that you get a chance to meet a living legend (or Lego, for that matter, as Ms. Allen’s “Raiders” character is now immortalized in plastic.) Once inside, you realize that it really is more than simply seeing Ms. Allen, as perky and fresh-faced as ever. Her weavings are works of art, and I left with two gorgeous handbags and a pair of one-of-a-kind socks.

Asia Barong (on Route 7 in Great Barrington) intrigued me as I drove by, and so I patiently waited for them to open one morning, curious to see what was on the inside as compared to the gigantic Asian god and goddess sculptures that beckoned me into the parking lot. Indeed, the store was heaving with oddities, erotica, Tibetan singing bowls, and plenty of Ganesha statuary to help one over even life’s Mt. Everett-sized obstacles.

There was so much to see and appreciate along our tri-state route that Danny and I have decided to team up to explore and report our travels in words and pictures. We hope to introduce you to an abundance of outdoor events to kick up your cardio, delicacies to excite your taste buds, and shopping excursions to fill gift bags for the coming season. Potential day trips abound-- state parks cascading with waterfalls, ponds, rivers, and lakes, plus the Appalachian, Mohawk, and Rail trails. Oodles of restaurants, wineries, aromatic bakeries and cozy coffee houses await.Coming soon will be reports of our ongoing discovery of outdoor sports, museums, holiday decorations, wine tastings, and fun along this “tri-state trail” and beyond. We invite you to join us for our monthly explorations and send us information about some of your favorite tri-state treasures. Feel free to contact us at amhomestyle@aol.com.

Please welcome our new Berkshire HomeStyle Magazine distributors.
Stop in and grab your copy of at these fine businesses.
Canaan, CT
Stateline Wine & Spirits
Kent, CT
Backcountry Outfitters
The Dog Show & Sculpturedale
House of Books
Kent Coffee and Chocolate Co.
Kent Kitchen Works
Kent Market
Kent Wine
Organic Pantry
Surfaces
Litchfield, CT
Di Franco's Restaurant
Flora and Fauna
Jeffrey Tillou Antiques
Kitchen Works and Gourmet Gifts