"The Berkshires"

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Geology | Marketing 

 

 

Geology

 

"The Berkshires Hills" (as they are often called) is a shorthand for the hills of Berkshire County, the furthest west county in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  Geologically speaking, even "The Berkshire Hills" is not accurate because there is no range with that name.  The fact is that there are two geologic ranges... The Taconic and the Hoosic which comprise "The Berkshire Hills." 

 

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Marketing

 

However, in the 1930s, the idea of marketing the location as "The Berkshires," a la The Catskills/Adirondack/Poconos was initiated.  Seemingly odd timing since this was during The Depression, it was not without merit, for Tanglewood (classical music)  — home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra — and Jacob's Pillow (modern dance) — founded by Ted Shawn — "opened their doors."  Today, these two enduring productions remain major attractions in The Berkshires. 

 

Even before the formal branding of The Berkshires, the Berkshire area was well known and respected by wealthy families during The Gilded Age at the turn of the 20th Century.  "Mansions" in renowned places such as Newport RI were called "Cottages" in Lenox, MA

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Through twists and turns too numerous to mention here, and because of the natural beauty as well as accessibility from major metropolitan areas such as Boston and New York City, The Berkshires developed as a "go-to" location for artists and tourists.

There are over 30,000,000 people within an approximate 3-hour drive from The Central Berkshires.

 

Of course, this proximity to millions of "city" people, whose incomes were far greater than the Berkshire farmers', owners of thousands of acres of land which were fallow due to the loss of the dairy industry, created a real estate buyer's dream-come-true.  Southern Berkshire Country developed BIG TIME, with BIG properties bought with BIG wallets.

 

Today, The Berkshires more than holds its own against other well-respected living and vacation locations:  In 2009, National Geographic Magazine placed The Berkshires in a group ranked 7th in the world with The Berkshire being ranked 14th overall.  Recently, People Magazine sighted The Berkshires as do The Boston Globe and New York Times in feature Sunday articles.

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The above and more,

INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO

"THE GREAT ESCAPES FROM BIG CITIES,"

have created a panoply of great properties 

with as many prices whose true values

remain the sole purview of the buyer.

And, based on the recent closings,

many are over the asking price.

Cash deals are no longer rare.

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"THE BERKSHIRES"

 ARE HOT! 

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The Choice Is Yours!