Northern Berkshires is replete with monuments commemorating the loyalty, endurance, and self-sacrifice of the local men and women who served their country.
The monuments transcend time and remind us of the people or events that shaped our history. They are permanent reminders of the sacrifices made by so many people to preserve our security and freedom.
While memorials are found throughout Adams, North Adams, and Williamstown, the most iconic structure to me is the Veterans War Memorial Tower. The 92-foot, granite-faced Tower rests majestically atop Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts at 3,489 feet. The summit is in Adams, Massachusetts, my hometown.
The Tower’s translucent globe of light on top was dedicated in 1932. Its base has several different inscriptions, including “they were faithful unto death” and “Of those immortal dead who live again in the minds made better by their presence.”
Three structures atop the mountain are listed in the National Register: the War Memorial Tower, the Bascom Lodge, and the Thunderbolt Ski Shelter. The lodge, ski shelter, and the winding road leading to the mountain top were all constructed in the 1930s and 40s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. On Greylock’s eastern slope, facing Adams, is the famous Thunderbolt ski trail, which was frequently used in national ski races during the 1930s and 1940s. Today, it is still used and proudly maintained by area citizens.
A memorial plaque to honor Rudy Konieczny is in a warming hut near the summit. Rudy, as a young skier, raced competitively on the Thunderbolt. He was killed in action serving with the 10th Mountain Division in Europe and is known locally as the “Hero of the Thunderbolt.” (Rudy and his exploits are featured in my book “Berkshire Patriots-Stories of Sacrifice.”)
I have visited the Tower several times and experienced a sense of solemnity when standing inside its base. It seems a little like being in church, a time of reflection and contemplation. The exceptional 360-degree view outside the Tower allows visitors to see portions of New England and eastern New York. On a clear day, guests can see up to seventy miles.
Some of the mountain’s early visitors were writers and artists, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Herman Melville, and Henry David Thoreau. Hawthorne and Melville are said to have been inspired by their visits and wrote books they attribute to Greylock’s majesty.
Mount Greylock, part of the Taconic Mountains, has miles of hiking trails and is traversed by 11 miles of the Appalachian Trail.
For those visiting the northern Berkshires, Mount Greylock should be number one on your list of places to visit.