|
|
| (One intermediate revision by one other user not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | [[Image:lighterstill.jpg]] | + | [[Image:lighterstill.jpg]][[File:Berkshires-Summer.jpg|right|frame]] |
| | | | |
| − | [[Image:Berkshire ma highlight.png|300px|right|thumb|Berkshire region of [[Massachusetts]]]]'''The Berkshires''' (pronounced /ˈbɹkʃɹs/}} or ˈbɹkʃɪɹs/) is a region located in [[Western Massachusetts]] (with portions located in the adjacent states of [[Vermont]], [[New York]], and [[Connecticut]]). The region is also often referred to as the "Berkshire Hills" and Sir [[Francis Bernard]], the Royal Governor, named the area "Berkshire," to honor of his home county in England. Tourism is a principal industry, relying heavily on cultural art attractions and recreation. [[Mount Greylock]], 3,491 ft (1,064 m), is the highest point in the Berkshire region and in the state, but average regional elevation ranges from about 700 to 1,200 feet (213 to 365 meters). The [[Housatonic River|Housatonic]], [[Hoosic River|Hoosic]], and [[Westfield River]] watersheds primarily drain from the region. [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts|Pittsfield]], [[North Adams, Massachusetts|North Adams]], [[Adams, Massachusetts|Adams]], [[Great Barrington, Massachusetts|Great Barrington]], and [[Williamstown, Massachusetts|Williamstown]] are the largest municipalities in the Berkshires.
| + | The '''Berkshires''' (/ˈbɜrkʃərz/ or /ˈbɜrkʃɪərz/), is a highland geologic region located in the western parts of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts Massachusetts] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connecticut Connecticut], although the term "Berkshires" is normally used by locals in reference to the portion of the mountain range that lies within Massachusetts. The portion of the Berkshires that extends into Connecticut is commonly referred to by locals as either the Northwest Hills or Litchfield Hills. |
| | | | |
| − | ==Context==
| + | Also referred to as the Berkshire Hills, Berkshire Mountains, and Berkshire Plateau, the region enjoys a vibrant tourism industry based on [[music]], [[arts]], and recreation. |
| − | | |
| − | Depending on the application, "The Berkshires" may have several different meanings. Geographically, the Berkshire Hills are a southern extension of the [[Green Mountains]], but it is also generally applied to all highlands in Western Massachusetts. Politically, [[Berkshire County, Massachusetts|Berkshire County]] was a governing body formed in 1761 and mostly discontinued in 2000. Culturally, the Berkshire region is the extreme western region of [[Massachusetts]] including adjacent portions of southern [[Vermont]], eastern [[New York]] and northwestern [[Connecticut]] that is associated with tourism and the arts.
| |
| − | [http://Berkshires.ws][http://BerkshireFriends.com]
| |
| | | | |
| | ==Geology== | | ==Geology== |
| − | Over half a billion years ago [[Africa]] collided with [[North America]], pushing up the [[Appalachian Mountains]] and forming the Taconic [[bedrock]] of the Berkshires. Erosion over hundreds of millions of years wore these mountains down to the hills that we see today. ''See also:'' [[Taconic orogeny]].
| + | Geologically, the ''Berkshires'' are bordered on the west by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taconic_Mountains Taconic Mountains], the marble valleys of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoosic_River Hoosic River] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housatonic_River Housatonic River] and, further south, by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_Highlands Hudson Highlands]; to the east, they are bordered by the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metacomet_Ridge Metacomet Ridge] geology. They are on the average 1,000 ft (300 m) lower and less prominent than the Green Mountains of Vermont, and form a broad, dissected plateau punctuated by hills and peaks and cut by river valleys. The Berkshires topography gradually diminishes in profile and elevation from west to east and from north to south, except where rivers have cut deep gorges and sharp bluff faces into the Berkshire plateau. |
| − | | |
| − | ==Ecology==
| |
| − | As a framework for assessing environmental resources, the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] in Massachusetts (Griffith et al. 1994) has defined six different types of "ecoregions" within this area: Taconic Mountains, Western New England Marble Valleys, Lower Berkshire Hills, [[Berkshire Highlands]], Vermont Piedmont, and Berkshire Transition. Within each of the ecoregions topography, geology, soils and plant and animal habitats are relatively homogeneous. However each region is distinct from the others providing a unique habitat assemblage. Much of the Hoosic and Housatonic River Valleys have underlying bedrock limestone and marble which contribute to calcareous wetlands, unique to Massachusetts. The alkaline [[pH]] waters support a diversity of plants and animals intolerant of more acidic waters, some which are state-listed rare or endangered. Combined with the rich [[mesic forest]]s ranging from the [[Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests|northern hardwood]] to the [[taiga]] or sub-alpine, makes for a valuable, biologically diverse ecosystem.
| |
| − | | |
| − | The classic study of the vegetation of the [[Berkshire Highlands]] was Egler's 1940 monograph,<ref>Egler, F. E. 1940. Berkshire plateau vegetation, Massachusetts. Ecological Monographs 10:147-192.</ref> covering the flora of an area stretching roughly from Pittsfield, MA in the west to Hatfield, MA in the east, and from Goshen, CT in the south, north to the [[Vermont]] border.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Today, efforts are being made on behalf of many organizations to preserve and manage this region for biological diversity and sustainable human development. Recreation directly related to this ecology is a popular area for trout fishing, and the area's relative pristineness contributes to the popularity of nature walks in the region. ''See also:'' [http://drm.williams.edu/nhb/index.htm Natural History of the Berkshires]
| |
| − | | |
| − | ==Sightseeing==
| |
| − | [[Image:Berkshires in Winter.jpg|right|300px|thumb|The Berkshires in winter]]
| |
| − | The Berkshires are a popular tourist attraction and vacation getaway, serving the same function in relation to [[Connecticut]] and [[Massachusetts]] that the [[Catskill Mountains|Catskills]] do in [[New York]] and [[the Poconos]] for [[Pennsylvania]]. With numerous trails, including part of the [[Appalachian Trail]], large tracts of wilderness, parks like Kent Falls, [[Berkshire Botanical Garden]] and [[Hebert Arboretum]] the Berkshires are very popular with nature lovers. The range includes [[Bash Bish Falls]], the tallest waterfall in Massachusetts.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Northwestern Connecticut features the covered bridges of Kent and West Cornwall, fly fishing, canoeing and spectacular fall foliage along the Housatonic River valley and the quiet woods and lichen-covered cracked granite hills of the Appalachian trail.
| |
| − | | |
| − | [[Tanglewood|Tanglewood Music Center]] in [[Lenox, Massachusetts|Lenox]] is the summer home of the [[Boston Symphony Orchestra]]. The Chapin Library at [[Williams College]] displays a wide selection of rare books and documents. The [[Norman Rockwell Museum]], [[Clark Art Institute]], [[Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art]] (MassMoCA), and [[Williams College Museum of Art]] (WCMA) comprise the region's diverse selection of art museums, and Gallery 51, [http://carriehaddadgallery.com/ Carrie Haddad Gallery] and [http://www.kolokgallery.com Kolok Gallery] are three of the Area's highly regarded private art galleries.
| |
| − | | |
| − | The area is also home to numerous summer stock theatre festivals, such as the [http://www.wtfestival.org/ Williamstown Theatre Festival] ([[Williamstown, Massachusetts|Williamstown]]), [http://www.berkshiretheatre.org/ Berkshire Theatre Festival] ([[Stockbridge, Massachusetts|Stockbridge]]), Shakespeare and Company ([[Lenox, Massachusetts|Lenox]]), and plays host to America's first and longest-running dance festival, [[Jacob's Pillow]]. The Berkshires are also home to dozens of summer camps, some of which date back to the turn of the 20th Century, the oldest being [[Becket Chimney Corners YMCA]]. Also, one of the most impressive camps being the all-boys camp [[Camp Greylock]] [http://www.campgreylock.com/].
| |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| | | | |
| | + | The average regional elevation of the Berkshires ranges from about 700 to 1,200 feet (213 to 365 meters). The geologic high point is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crum_Hill Crum Hill], 2,841 feet (866 m) of Monroe, Massachusetts; however, nearby [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Greylock Mount Greylock] of the Taconic Mountains, 3,491 feet (1,064 m), the highest point in the state of Massachusetts, is considered the high point of the Berkshires cultural region. |
| | ==External links== | | ==External links== |
| − | * [http://www.berkshirelinks.com/ Browse the Berkshires] | + | * [https://www.berkshirelinks.com/ Browse the Berkshires] |
| − | * [http://www.berkshires.org/ Berkshire Visitor's Bureau] | + | * [https://www.berkshires.org/ Berkshire Visitor's Bureau] |
| − | * [http://www.berkshirevisualarts.org/ Berkshire Visual Arts Guide to Galleries, Museums and Art Organizations] | + | * [https://www.berkshirevisualarts.org/ Berkshire Visual Arts Guide to Galleries, Museums and Art Organizations] |
| − | * [http://www.berkshirebiz.org/ Berkshire Chamber of Commerce] | + | * [https://www.berkshirebiz.org/ Berkshire Chamber of Commerce] |
| − | * [http://www.mass.gov/dcr/western.htm Massachusetts State Parks in the Berkshires] | + | * [https://www.mass.gov/dcr/western.htm Massachusetts State Parks in the Berkshires] |
| − | * [http://www.hidden-hills.com/ Explore the Berkshire Foothills of Western Massachusetts] | + | * [https://www.hidden-hills.com/ Explore the Berkshire Foothills of Western Massachusetts] |
| | | | |
| | [[Category: General Reference]] | | [[Category: General Reference]] |
The Berkshires (/ˈbɜrkʃərz/ or /ˈbɜrkʃɪərz/), is a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut, although the term "Berkshires" is normally used by locals in reference to the portion of the mountain range that lies within Massachusetts. The portion of the Berkshires that extends into Connecticut is commonly referred to by locals as either the Northwest Hills or Litchfield Hills.
Also referred to as the Berkshire Hills, Berkshire Mountains, and Berkshire Plateau, the region enjoys a vibrant tourism industry based on music, arts, and recreation.
Geology
Geologically, the Berkshires are bordered on the west by the Taconic Mountains, the marble valleys of the Hoosic River and Housatonic River and, further south, by the Hudson Highlands; to the east, they are bordered by the Metacomet Ridge geology. They are on the average 1,000 ft (300 m) lower and less prominent than the Green Mountains of Vermont, and form a broad, dissected plateau punctuated by hills and peaks and cut by river valleys. The Berkshires topography gradually diminishes in profile and elevation from west to east and from north to south, except where rivers have cut deep gorges and sharp bluff faces into the Berkshire plateau.
The average regional elevation of the Berkshires ranges from about 700 to 1,200 feet (213 to 365 meters). The geologic high point is Crum Hill, 2,841 feet (866 m) of Monroe, Massachusetts; however, nearby Mount Greylock of the Taconic Mountains, 3,491 feet (1,064 m), the highest point in the state of Massachusetts, is considered the high point of the Berkshires cultural region.
External links
