Editing Berkshire County, Massachusetts (section)

== History ==
The [[Mahican]] (Muh-he-ka-neew) Native American tribe lived in the area that now makes up Berkshire County until the early 18th century, when the first English settlers and frontiersmen appeared and began setting up farms and homesteads. On April 25, 1724, "The English finally paid the Indians 460 pounds, 3 barrels of cider, and 30 quarts of rum" for what is today southern Berkshire County.<ref>David H. Wood, 'Lenox Massachusetts Shire Town', (For the town: Lenox, 1969), p. 5.</ref> This deal did not include modern [[Stockbridge, Massachusetts|Stockbridge]], [[Richmond, Massachusetts|Richmond]], and [[Lenox, Massachusetts|Lenox]], or any northern towns. Berkshire County was the western part of [[Hampshire County, Massachusetts|Hampshire County]] until separated in 1761.

In the 19th century, Berkshire County became popular with the American elite, which built what they called "cottages" throughout the countryside. The [[Gilded Age]] ended in the early 20th century with the income tax, World War I, and the [[Great Depression]]. In the 20th century, some of these cottages were torn or burned down, while others became prep schools, historic sites, or [[bed-and-breakfast]] inns.

Today Berkshire is known throughout the East Coast and the country as the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra at [[Tanglewood]]. It includes attractions such as the [[Clark Art Institute]], [[Norman Rockwell Museum]], [[Naumkeag]], [[Mass MOCA]], and [[Hancock Shaker Village]].