Tucked in the northwestern corner of Massachusetts and just a few miles from the New York state border, Great Barrington is a quintessential Berkshire County town with a long history as a summer resort and a bright future as one of the top choices for homebuyers in the second home market.
Known for its sophisticated array of restaurants and Gilded Age-era estates, Great Barrington offers year-round activities, a beautiful geographic setting, and cultural amenities that appeal to all ages. Here’s our top five reasons why Great Barrington is so great.
Location, Location, Location
For second homebuyers who focus on weekends and seasonal stays, drive time can often be a factor in where to choose a property. The good news: Second homeowners from the Boston area can reach Great Barrington in less than a 2 1⁄2 hour drive. The drive from New York City takes just under 3 hours.
A Town Steeped in History
Settled by colonists in 1726, Great Barrington is connected to American history in several key ways. The railroad came to town during the Gilded Age of the late 19^th century, bringing wealthy families looking to escape the heat of the city. The great civil rights leader and historian W. E. B. Du Bois was born in Great Barrington in 1868. And Great Barrington entered into 1960s counterculture music history when famed folk musician Arlo Guthrie wrote “Alice’s Restaurant,” based on real-life events in Great Barrington and the nearby towns of Lee and Stockbridge. Today Great Barrington is home to the Guthrie Center at the Old Trinity Church, once the home of Alice from the song and now an interfaith church and folk music performance center.
Small-Town Charm in the Great Outdoors
Did you know that Smithsonian magazine ranked Great Barrington number one on its 2012 list of the best small towns in America? Living in Great Barrington gives residents access to amazing restaurants, food co-ops, and farmers’ markets—including the farmers’ markets hosted by Berkshire Grown, an organization that supports local agriculture.
Culture buffs flock to the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center to see performances by such artists as banjo masters Belá Fleck and Abigail Washburn, folk icon Arlo Guthrie, and music legends Stephen Stills and Judy Collins.
Great Barrington offers hiking on Appalachian Trails in the summer and skiing at Ski Butternut in the winter. In fact, as pointed out by the Boston Globe, there are more acres of state forest in Great Barrington than residents!
“Main Street Great Barrington, Massachusetts” by Anc516 is licensed under CC BY 3.0
