>> IT’S A RETURN TO LIFE AND IT’S REALLY JUST VERY JOYFUL TO
HEAR THE BIRDS AGAIN.
IT’S ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER.
>> THERE’S ANOTHER RESTORATION PROJECT GOING ON IN GREAT
ARRINGTON AT THE CENTURY-OLD MY HAYWOOD THEATER.
>> IT WAS A VAUDEVILLE HOUSE FOR OVER 25 YEARS, BUILT IN 1925.
A LANDMARK DESTINATION FOR PEOPLE TO COME FROM ALL OVER TO
SEE SHOWS ALMOST EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK.
IN THE 1930’S IT BECAME A FILM HOUSE.
THIS RESTORATION WAS OVERSEEN BY HARDY AND IT IS BEING DONE BY --
WITH GREAT ATTENTION TO DETAIL, BRINGING IT BACK TO THE 1905 AND
THE 1930 PERIODS, 21ST CENTURY SOUND AND LIGHTS BUT THE COLOR
AND BEAUTY OF PREVIOUS DECADES.
AND THIS LOCAL LANDMARK THAT EVERYONE RECOGNIZES WHEN THEY
DRIVE-BY WILL BE RESTORED IN 2006 AND THE FRONT OF THE
BUILDING WILL LOOK HOW IT DID BACK IN THE OLD DAYS.
WE HAVE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC.
WE HAVE LOCAL TALENT.
WE HAVE THEATER, DANCE, OPERA.
EVERY TYPE OF FIRST-CLASS PERFORMING ART IS PERFORMED
HERE.
>> SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE COUNTY, THE TOP OF MOUNT EVERETT ONCE
SPORTING A FIRE LOOKOUT TOWER.
RECENTLY THE OLD TOWER WAS REMOVED AND SOLD ON EBAY.
BUT YOU DON’T NEED THE TOWER TO ENJOY THE SPECTACULAR VIEWS FROM
THE SUMMIT.
YOU JUST HAVE TO HIKE.
>> IT’S BEEN A COUNTY PARK FOR MANY YEARS AND THE STATE TOOK IT
OVER IN 1975.
GELDER POND DOWN BY THE PICNIC AREA IS BEAUTIFUL.
THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL COMES IN FROM SHEFFIELD TO THE NORTH OF
US AND COMES RIGHT OVER THE TOP OF MOUNT EVERETT AND DOWN INTO
CONNECTICUT.
THERE IS A LOT OF RARE SPECIES ON TOP.
BECAUSE THE WEATHER IS SO SEVERE UP HERE, THE PITCH PINE IS
DWARFED.
IT COULD BE UP TO 150 YEARS OLD AND IT STAYS LOWER THAN I A
YOU CAN SEE OUT TO NEW YORK STATE AND SEE ALL THE WAY OUT.
SEE TO MOUNT GREYLOCK.
300 AND 60 DEGREE VIEWS, IT’S BEAUTIFUL.
>> JUST A FEW MILES TO THE WEST, ANOTHER BERKSHIRE TREASURE.
>> PROBABLY THE MOS POPULAR WATERFALL IN MASSACHUSETTS, WE
GET THOUSANDS OF VISITORS EVERY WEEKEND.
IT’S BEAUTIFUL, THE WATER CASCADES DOWN FROM THE UPPER
GORGE, TO THE TOP OF THE FALLS AND THEN SEPARATED BY A ROCK IN
THE MIDDLE WITH TWO CATARACTS THAT FALL DOWN 60 FEET INTO A
GREAT BIG POOL OF WATER ON THE BOTTOM.
AND THEN IT CONTINUES CASCADING DOWN INTO NEW YORK, WHERE THERE
ARE LOTS OF LITTLE POOLS.
SWIMMING A LOT, BUT IT’S BEAUTIFUL.
>> SOUTHERN BERKSHIRE COUNTY IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND
PEACEFUL PLACES IN MASSACHUSETTS.
CAN YOU IMAGINE THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS GIVING IT AWAY TO
NEW YORK?
LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE MISSING SOUTHWESTERN CORNER OF THE
STATE.
A VALLEY SO INACCESSIBLE FROM MASSACHUSETTS THAT NO LAWS COULD
BE IMPOSED THERE.
IT ATTRACTED SO MANY CRIMINALS, IT WAS ONE STUB HELLS ACRES --
ONCE DUBBED HELLS ACRES.
>> INITIALLY IT WAS CALLED BOSTON’S CORNER, MEANING
BOSTON’S PROBLEM, MEANING THE INEPTITUDE OF THE POLITICIANS AT
THE TIME TO BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
THE GREATEST SINGLE BUSINESS THERE WAS PROBABLY THIEVERY.
HORSES WOULD BE TAKEN FROM THEIR OWNERS IN NEW YORK STATE,
BROUGHT TO BOSTON CORNER AND DYED A DIFFERENT COLOR AND
SHIPPED BACK TO NEW YORK AND SOLD.
IN THE 1850 CENSUS, THERE WERE 70 TO 75 LAW-ABIDING PEOPLE WHO
LIVED THERE.
THEY PETITIONED THE GENERAL COURT TO VIENNA TO NEW YORK
STATE SO THAT THE LAW COULD BE ENFORCED -- TO BE ANNEXED TO NEW
YORK STATE SO THAT THE LAW COULD BE ENFORCED.
CONGRESS HAD TO ACT AND THEY DIDN’T ACT ON IT UNTIL 1855.
SO, BETWEEN 1853 AND 1855, THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO, NOT EVEN
MASSACHUSETTS LAW, THAT APPLIED TO BOSTON CORNER.
IT WAS A LAWLESS AREA THAT WAS NOT NEXT TO ANY KIND OF CIVIL
GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION.
IT WAS A NO MAN’S.
>> TO THIS DAY THERE IS STILL NO ROAD FROM MASSACHUSETTS INTO
BOSTON’S CORNERS.
OUR LOSS WAS NOW -- WAS DEFINITELY NEW YORK’S GAIN.
IT EVEN HAS ITS OWN PEACEFUL RAIL TRAIL.
WHETHER YOU HAVE COME TO FIND A LOST CORNER OF MASSACHUSETTS OR
THE BEAUTY OF BERKSHIRE HILLS, SPRING IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE
BEST TIMES TO BE HERE.