In a lot of ways, folks in the Hilltowns have it right. There’s just something about the slow Internet and intermittent cell phone service that helps foster an appreciation for life’s simple things — something about that gorgeous view and fresh breeze in your nostrils that makes a dropped call feel like fate.
We live in the age of the fast lane, when such realizations are hard to come by. More and more of human interaction is being replaced by screaming screens, and we venture out into nature less and less. Hilltown residents, however, are surrounded with all the natural beauty and quietude they could want, and then all they have to do to get back to “civilization” is coast down the hill.
It’s a different lifestyle that we believe — in at least these five ways — is worthy of love.
There’s less pollution
Environmental pollution, light pollution, noise pollution — you name it, there’s less of all the noise associated with humanity when you’re out in the Hilltowns of Western Mass.
The air is cleaner, and that’s not only more pleasant to the senses, but also better for your body. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, “the pollution in urban environments can decrease lung growth and function by narrowing the airways,” leading to asthma. So when you’re in the Hilltowns, your lungs thank you.
Plus, no light pollution means a front-row seat to all things cosmic without all the glare from city lights. And no noise pollution means all of the peace and quiet you could ever dream of, without all of the honking horns, beeping crosswalk signals, drunken shouting, and emergency sirens.
In the Hilltowns you can have life on your terms — you rarely bump into anyone you didn’t set out to. You might even take a long walk and not encounter a single soul, and sometimes that’s just what the doctor ordered.
The roads (when the weather’s good) with their scenic views
You may curse ’em when it’s wintry, but most of the time the back roads make for the best driving. They wind around hills and cross over streams that sparkle in the sunlight, like that spot where Route 66 meets 112 in Huntington. They take you past freshwater springs and up into high places with the sweetest views, around gorges, and past waterfalls. From the hilltops of Montgomery to Chapel Falls in Ashfield, driving down Hilltown roads makes you happy to be alive and in Western Mass, in the secret heaven that exists west of Springfield, Northampton, and Greenfield, but east of the land explicitly named for its Berkshire beauty.
Quirky country shops like nowhere else
Many of these stores have been around for years, hearkening back to the horse and buggy days when shops sold a variety of necessities under one roof. Now, these shops still help locals avoid taking trips into the urban centers. Plus, they’re super fun for folks just passing through.
Take Ashfield Hardware, for example — where else can you get ice cream at a hardware store? Their slogan is “Anything practical, practically anything.” A.L. Avery and Son in Charlemont is a general store with everything from clothing to custom sausage — “If Avery’s doesn’t have it, you don’t need it.” Pat’s Package store in Williamsburg boasts booze, clothing, and exotic animal food. Yummy baked goods at Huntington General Store and tasty sandwiches at the Cummington Creamery are experiences central to their communities and to visitors alike. And who knew a back-road shop like Granville Country Store would sell such fancy cheeses!
The charming characters
Walk into any Hilltown bar or gathering place and you’ll find a unique type of person. There’s a certain sensible charm that thrives in the Hilltowns of Western Mass. It’s part backwoods independence, part earthy-crunchy, and a whole lot of irreverent ‘this is how I live my life, so let me be.’ The results make for a personality type that errs toward beautifully forthright, accepting, and always down for fun.
And at any trip to the bar, by default you’re hanging with your neighbors and friends, which is something you certainly can’t say for their more urban counterparts.
Hilltown families
Founded in 2005 by Chesterfield’s Sienna Wildfield, Hilltownfamilies.org is a blog with a mission: to help build a strong sense of place within the Hilltown communities. Helping Hilltown residents feel more connected to their neighborhoods, says Wildfield, means they’re more likely to lead sustainable lives and operate in ways that make the community stronger, more resilient. By keeping families in the know about everything from happenings at the local schools to places to get great hot chocolate, the award-winning nonprofit has a reputation that extends beyond the Hilltowns. •
What did we miss? Comment online and let us know, or email your additions to editor@valleyadvocate.com.
