As workers extended the trolley line west of South Egremont, they encountered marble bedrock close to the surface. The present-day Old Mill Restaurant is shown in the background of this circa 1910 photo. Image courtesy Gary Leveille
Life In the Berkshires

THEN & NOW: The Egremont trolley

In 1910, the Berkshire Street Railway trolley line was extended from Great Barrington to the Congregational Church in South Egremont.

by Gary Leveille
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In 1910, the Berkshire Street Railway trolley line was extended from Great Barrington to the Congregational Church in South Egremont. Six months later, as the line was extended further west, workers encountered marble bedrock close to the surface, as shown in the foreground of the above photograph. The present-day Old Mill Restaurant is shown in the background. Originally a grist mill, the building was later home to Bliss Manufacturing Company, a blacksmith shop which made patented horse-hoof cutters, performed machine work, and even repaired early automobiles.

The first trolley car arrived in South Egremont in late December 1910. Photo courtesy Gary Leveille
The South Egremont trolley car shown here is ready to head east, bound for Belcher Square in Great Barrington as shown on the trolley sign. An unusual trolley stand remains at Belcher Square, but is in serious need of repair. Photo courtesy Gary Leveille
The trolley line ended at the Dalzell Axle Factory office. That building, shown on the right, is now the South Egremont Spirit Shoppe and Devine Cannabis Dispensary. The small structure on the left was a trolley stand which stood at the intersection of Main Street and Baldwin Hill Road. Photo courtesy Gary Leveille
The same view today offers no hint of the old trolley line, which was permanently shut down in 1919. Photo: Gary Leveille