There is a scenic stretch of Stockbridge Road (Route 7) in Great Barrington often referred to as the Housatonic Flats. Various views have been captured by photographers over the years. The photograph above shows the road when it flooded in 1949. Back then, there was still a dam on the Housatonic River near the Great Bridge (aka Red Bridge). Excessive rainfall caused the river to back up and flood lower portions of road. Flooding was greatly reduced after the dam was removed in the early 1960s. Photographs below feature Stockbridge Road earlier in the 20th century. In the 1950s, a portion of Route 7 was rerouted from present-day Barrington Brewery to Dempsey Auto Sales. The old route, shown in the “NOW” photo below, is presently being revamped as a walking/biking trail.
