Visiting Mohawk Trail and Tribute Monument in Western Massachusetts

'Hail to the Sunrise' is the official name of the eight-foot, bronze statue of the Mohawk, with open arms raised to welcome the Spirit of the East. The Improved Order of the Redmen erected the statue in 1932 as a tribute to the Mohawks, one of five Indian Nations that once populated the woods surrounding the Mohawk Trail. The 63-mile trail runs from Taconic Trail State Forest at the New York state line to the village of Millers Falls on the Connecticut River.

'Hail to the Sunrise' is located in tiny Charlemont, Massachusetts, a community comprised 1,300 residents, inhabiting 26 square miles in the Berkshire foothills. A stone pool with inscriptions from native tribes throughout the nation sits alongside 'Hail to the Sunrise.'

Points of Interest Along the Mohawk Trail

Points of interest along the Mohawk Trail include these:

Bridge of Flowers, a deserted trolley bridge, planted with 500 flower varieties
Old Deerfield, a pre-Revolutionary town
550 million year old Natural Bridge in North Adams and the nearby abandoned marble quarry open for touring
Haunted Hoosac Railroad tunnel
Shelburne Falls/Salmon Falls and their glacial potholes
Bissell Covered Bridge
Poet's Seat Tower, Greenfield
Arthur A. Smith, wooden bridge
William McKinley monument in Adams
Little Red Schoolhouse, Charlemont
Turner's Falls Fish Ladder
Quabbin Reservoir
Johnny Appleseed's birthplace, Leominster
Susan B. Anthony birthplace, Adams
Mt. Massamet Fire Tower
Quaker Meeting House, Adams

Small Town Massachusetts- a Step Back in History

When visiting the Mohawk Trail and the 'Hail to the Sunrise' Monument, take time to meander through the small towns and villages nearby to see typical New England vistas. Gill and Petersham with their white-washed town halls and churches and general stores, are charming examples of the genre.

Expect to see plentiful pre-revolutionary architecture, old markers and graveyards and testaments to history from the time the Native Americans met the Puritans through the French and Indian Wars up to the present.

Out and About

Hiking and climbing to the peak of Mt. Greylock, Massachusetts' highest mountain, are popular pastimes for Mohawk Trail visitors. Families with an outdoor bent might also enjoy trout fishing and white water rafting.

Williams College Museum of Art keeps company with several other respected art museums. In the summer, theater and craft shows pop up all over.

If you hope to catch a pow wow, consult the New England pow wow schedule when making your travel plans.

Where to Stay and Eat

For an authentic old New England experience, lodge at 215-year old Charlemont Inn or the 127-year-old Deerfield Inn. Both inns boast restaurants serving gourmet cuisine.

Sources: Embedded in text