It’s that most wonderful time of year when local nonprofits normally offer holiday house tours as fundraisers. But with the cursed COVID-19 virus preventing these gala events, the Southern Berkshire Hysterical Society bravely brings you an all-new, online, free frolic of some unusual homes and habitations in our area. Although the stories are a stretch of imagination, each location is truly located in the Southern Berkshires.
Col. John Ashley’s First Home: Located due east of the Ashley Falls section of Sheffield, this house was built in 1734 by Col. John Ashley. Most folks are not aware that Col. Ashley had a troublesome twin brother named Ignatz Ashley. Young Ignatz was a problem child who did not play well with others. Known for fits of anger, he often smashed his toys, and earned the nickname “Smashley Ashley.” As a young adult, in a fit of jealousy, he smashed a horse-drawn carriage into his brother’s newly built home. Shortly thereafter, Col. Ashley abandoned the damaged structure and built a new house that remains famous today. Amazingly, the first house damaged by young Smashley still survives — but just barely.
Cold War Hideaway: During the 1950s, a nondescript house in the town of Lee was converted by the United States Air Force into a secret radar facility. Equipment installation began in 1954, and $13 million later, the discreet outpost was activated, providing early warning signs to the Strategic Air Command. But the functional life of the facility was brief. Costs to keep it up and running were skyrocketing. Then advancing technology made it obsolete. Nosey neighborhood children relentlessly rang the doorbell on Halloween, eventually short-circuiting the electrical system. Today, all that remains of the spy equipment is a vintage antenna bowl on the roof.
Sanford and Son Hideaway: This rickety house on the border of Sheffield, Massachusetts, and Canaan, Connecticut, was once home to legendary junk dealer Fred Sanford. It was here that he and his wife, Elizabeth, first lived with their young son, Lamont. Sanford’s argumentative Aunt Esther and pals Grady, Bubba and Rollo lived near-by. Hollywood beckoned, with family and friends moving to California to appear in a popular TV sitcom. Rumor has it that Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz of the “American Pickers” TV show recently purchased the house (and junk pile) with plans to expand to this location. In the meantime, a “No Picking” order is strictly enforced.
Dorothy Gale/Wizard of Oz House: For years, locals have repeated a fictitious tale to tourists that this Egremont tree house tilts left or right depending on which political party controls the State House. But truth is stranger than fiction. In the late 1800s, the property was owned by L. Frank Baum, future author of the popular “Wizard of Oz” books. A windy microburst dropped the small structure into a sturdy tree in Baum’s yard, inspiring the now-famous story of Dorothy Gale’s house dropping onto the Wicked Witch of the West. In fact, Baum’s nasty next-door neighbor — Almira Gulch — was inspiration for the witch character. The woman was so miserable that Baum left Egremont and moved to Chicago, where he wrote his legendary story.
Possessed Piazza: Author Herman Melville first visited the Berkshires in 1832. Although many are aware of the friendship kindled here decades later with Nathaniel Hawthorne, few know of Melville’s visit with Edgar Allan Poe. Even fewer know that in the mid-1840s, Poe summered at this now-dilapidated house in West Stockbridge. Sitting on the front piazza, Poe told Melville that he felt inspired to write one of his more macabre stories here. Melville, on the other hand, felt unnerved sitting on Poe’s porch. “I couldn’t wait to leave,” Melville later explained, “It felt like the porch was haunted.” Some Poe scholars believe, however, that it was this porch conference that inspired Melville to later write, on his own veranda, a popular book entitled “The Piazza Tales.” But what of Poe’s porch inspiration? Was Melville right? Is the porch haunted? Look closely.
Gnarly Glen: Few folks are aware that the sport of snowboarding was invented at a ski slope in Glendale, a village just west of Stockbridge. Known as Gnarly Glen, the modest ski area was famous locally for its most challenging trail — known as “Psycho-Path.” A mysterious daredevil skier known only as “Stan” swiped a wide pine board from a nearby stack of lumber and bravely surfed down the slope to the amazement of all on that historic day in 1947. Because of this, Glendale can rightfully claim to be the birthplace of snowboarding. Sadly, Gnarly Glen closed a year later after Stockbridge denied the operators a permit to install a rope tow. The ramshackle ski lodge shown here is all that remains at the site. The original snowboard is on display at the Stockbridge Library History Museum.
Otto’s Grotto. This modest building is located near the Clayton, Massachusetts/Canaan, Connecticut, state line. According to the National Association of Air Conditioner Manufacturers, the structure was the home of Frederick “Chilly” Jones, inventor of the portable air conditioner. (His original prototype still survives and is indicated by the arrow shown in the photograph.) The association has nominated the structure as a national historic site, claiming that Jones was beloved by his many friends and neighbors. They offer as evidence a clipping for a local newspaper with the headline “Inventor of air conditioner dead: Thousands of fans attend funeral.”
This claim, however, has been the subject of “heated debate” for several years. Others challenge the air conditioner assertion and have nominated the structure for an entirely different reason. Apparently it was also the birthplace of Otto Preminger, who played Mister Freeze in season two of the 1960s Batman TV series. A spokesperson for the Otto Preminger Fan Club disparagingly pointed out that an air conditioner has one thing in common with a poor quality computer: They both lose efficiency as soon as you start opening windows.
Tyringham’s Twilight Tavern: The quiet village of Tyringham is home to one of the best-kept secrets in the Berkshires. Retired ship captain James T. Kirk, proprietor of Twilight Tavern, doesn’t advertise anywhere. “I mentally just put it out to the universe,” he explained. “And somehow the guests find us and beam aboard.” Stargazers enjoy a clear view of the night sky, although a three-night minimum is required during full moons. Although the tavern is not air conditioned, guests don’t seem to mind as cool evening breezes gently waft through the building. Kirk admitted, however, that he is ready to retire, and recently put his tavern up for sale. “My five-year mission was to boldly go where no hotelier has gone before, and I’ve accomplished that goal. It’s time for the next generation to take over this enterprise.”
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To explore previous house tours, click for the first, second, third and fourth.
