Berkshire Hills Trolley on Main Street

Bennington was a trolley hub from 1895 into the 1920s. At their height in the 1910s, trolley cars carried around 10 million passengers annually between Bennington, Hoosick Falls, and towns in western Massachusetts. The Bennington and North Adams trolley line was dedicated June 27, 1907, with service to Williamstown, North Adams, Pittsfield, and Great Barrington. This image was taken during the celebration and shows the Berkshire Hills car parked on Main Street (you can see the Methodist Church tower under construction in the background). The Berkshire Hills was elegantly appointed with mahogany woodwork, plush blue carpeting, dark blue velvet drapes, and 28 upholstered wicker chairs. The 60 mile trip from Bennington to Great Barrington, cost $1, plus an additional 25 cents if you wanted a chair, with daily round trips available.