Old Curtisville Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Old Curtisville Historic District
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Former Bancroft-Curtisville Hotel
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Stockbridge, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 170 acres (69 ha) |
| Built | 1834 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Second Empire, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000250 |
| Added to NRHP | October 29, 1976 |
The Old Curtisville Historic District is a special area in the village of Interlaken. This village is part of Stockbridge, Massachusetts. It's an important place because it was home to the very first paper mill in the United States that made newsprint from wood. The district also has many old buildings from the late 1700s and early 1800s that are still in great shape. Because of its history, the district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Exploring Old Curtisville
The area we now call Interlaken is in the northern part of Stockbridge. It sits between two lakes: Stockbridge Bowl (which used to be called Lake Mahkeenac) and Lake Averic. Lake Averic is also known as Echo Lake and provides water for the town of Stockbridge.
A Look Back in Time
In the 1700s, the area around Larrywaug Brook became a busy industrial spot. This brook flows out of Stockbridge Bowl. By the 1820s, there were at least seven mills here. There was also a foundry, which made metal items, and a distillery. This made the village a lively center.
However, the railroad was built in a different location. This meant trains didn't come through the village. Because of this, many businesses struggled and eventually closed down.
After the American Civil War, the village saw a short period of growth. This was when the Pagenstacher Paper Mill opened. It was the first mill in the country to make paper from wood pulp. But like the earlier businesses, it also left the village because of the lack of good transportation.
Around the early 1900s, people started to see the village differently. It became a popular spot for summer vacations in the Berkshire Mountains. In 1902, the village post office was renamed from Curtisville to Interlaken.
What You Can See Today
The historic district is shaped a bit like a triangle. Its main roads are Interlaken Road (which is also Route 183), Train Hill Road, and Averic Road. The district covers about 170 acres. It has 53 buildings that are important to history. You can also see the remains of more than twenty old water-powered mills.
Some of the notable buildings include the Interlaken Congregational Church, built in 1824. There's also the Citizens Hall, built in 1870. The Bancroft-Curtisville Hotel is another important building. It was once home to St. Helen's Home.
Today, the church and hotel are private homes. Citizens Hall is now the IS 183 Art School of the Berkshires. St. Helen's Home was part of the "Fresh Air Fund" in the early 1900s. This program helped children from poor areas of New York City. It gave them a chance to spend a few weeks of summer in the countryside. They could enjoy fresh air in places like upstate New York and New England.
Gallery
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Citizens Hall (1870), which used to be a school and community center
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Lake Averic (also called Echo Lake) and West Stockbridge Mountain
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