It’s that most wonderful time of year when local nonprofits offer holiday house tours as fund-raisers. But not everybody can afford to attend these events, so the newly formed Southern Berkshire Hysterical Society is offering a free online tour of some unusual homes and buildings in our area. Fasten your seat belts…
Char-fire Lodge (see above): This charming hideaway atop Three-Mile Hill in Great Barrington offers an aromatic atmosphere of pine boughs and charcoal. A favorite of animal lovers, guests are often entertained by visiting wildlife.

Blueroof Café: A subsidiary of the Red Roof motel chain, the Blueroof Café in Hartsville offers fine dining for a discerning clientele. Possum biscuits are a speciality. Late-night customers are always welcome–they’ll leave the light on for ya!

Breezy Acres: This rocky retreat is located near the dumpster at Four Brothers restaurant, so guests may enjoy free leftovers and a romantic, star-lit rendezvous. Three-night minimums required during full moons.

Mount Airey Lodge: Sadly, this Victorian carriage house on South Main Street in Great Barrington is no longer with us. Formerly a B&B (Broken & Battered), guests often raved about the cool evening breezes that wafted through the building. It has now been replaced by a solar-panel field.

Shipshape B&B: A cheerful sign at the entrance of this Monterey vessel reads “Don’t come knockin’ when this ship is rockin.” A check of the guest registry reveals such prominent former visitors as “Loveboat” Captain Stubing and Popeye the Sailor Man. Seasick guests enjoy an imaginary view of Lake Garfield.

Bittersweet Inn: Alas, the Bittersweet Inn on Division Street in Great Barrington has been torn down. Former guests still speak fondly of berry picking while relaxing in their room. It seems nobody loves invasive species any more.

Picker’s Pub: This sturdy brick structure was once a welcome home for the homeless. Several episodes of the popular TV show “American Pickers” have been filmed here. It is rumored that an antiques dealer named Peter Piper found a pickle jar worth $167,000 in the junk pile to the left of the building.

Shady Porches Inn: This historic guest house in Monterey is legendary for the wild parties that often brought the roof down. It is said that President James Garfield stayed here while visiting his ne’er-do-well brother Hymie Garfield, for whom a nearby lake is named.

Mountainside Tavern: According to reliable sources, this former Great Barrington dynamite shack was recently purchased by comedian Jimmie “Dy-no-mite” Walker. When asked what his plans for the structure are, Walker said, “Nothing is cast in concrete.