Stockbridge, Mass – It’s not my first trip to the Berkshires (read about some of our previous trips here). And I am a travel writer, a so-called expert in New England and its history. But I still learned something while traveling in the Berkshires to update the Lonely Planet guide to New England. Something significant, in fact: the Mohican history of Stockbridge.
The earliest European settlers in Stockbridge were British missionaries, who set aside this land for indigenous Mohican people. In 1734, a group of Mohican sachems agreed to move their families to the so-called Indian Town, where they were expected to adopt Christianity and assimilate to European ways. Reverend John Sergeant lived here from 1734 until 1749, learning the Mohican language and defending native interests. His house – now called Mission House – contains a collection of 18th-century furniture and Mohican-made household items, with a native medicinal garden out back.
The local library also displays a small exhibit of Mohican documents and artifacts, while the town cemetery contains Sergeant’s grave, as well as a memorial to Mohican Chief Konkapot.
Eventually, the Mohicans were driven from this land (as almost all indigenous peoples were driven from their land). Their descendants now call themselves the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians. Many reside in Wisconsin, but their connection to the land around Stockbridge and the Housatonic Valley does not diminish.
The Stockbridge-Munsee Band has created a walking tour in Stockbridge, sharing the indigenous connection to 11 sites on Main Street. There’s also a driving tour of heritage sites around the region. It’s a whole new way to explore the Berkshires, which I thought I knew so well.