"Charlemont is a valley town, described by its hillside borders," said Chris Burke, our tour guide. With his characteristic humor and a pack full of stories ("some of them may even be true!"), Chris spent several hours showing us the high points of this very interesting town, including his home, a whitewashed former Unitarian church (can you say "Alice's Restaurant?").

What Charlemont is today comes in great part from its past glories. Once the world capital of sulfur mining, the town was the first electrified community in Massachusetts. Davis mine workers were paid handsomely for their services ($12 to $15 a day, which in the late 1800s was good money indeed). The town was flush in those days, but when the mine house burned in 1911, Charlemont went into a decline. The history of the town's boom and bust can be traced through a series of coins that Chris found when first renovating the church. "The earliest coins, dating from 1881, show very little wear. The oldest coin, dated 1935, was completely worn down." An archeologist's perspective, no doubt, but an interesting way to look at the life cycle of a town.

Some Charlemont businesses endured, like Avery's General Store, which has been in the Avery family since 1861. Other businesses came and went. Today, the town is seeing the beginnings of a renaissance. The Charlemont Inn has more business than ever ("You've got a make a reservation for dinner now," says Chris). The Academy at Charlemont is a thriving private school. The Berkshire East ski area continues to expand and new condominiums are planned (although some may see that type of expansion as a curse, not a blessing). Zoar Outdoor is attracting kayakers from all corners of New England (and beyond) for its tours and trips.

And then there's the natural beauty of the place. Set in the lush river valley, Charlemont has some of the prettiest expanses of meadow and farm land you'll see anywhere. And the view from the hills is breathtaking. One of the finest views of the area is from The Warfield House, a restaurant and country inn just minutes from the center of town. From the dining room, while you're eating such elegant fare as rack of lamb, chateaubriand, wiener schnitzel and Alsatian cassoulet, you can look out over an expanse of rolling hills that is truly breaktaking. Owned by the Glaze family for four generations, The Warfield House is part of Valley View Farm, an operational farm that features beef cattle, llamas, and emu. They've also got a sugar house (who doesn't?), if you're into that sort of thing.

But our tour wasn't over yet. Chris took us up to the Hoosac Tunnel, the four-mile long wonder that crosses the Deerfield River from just outside of Charlemont (in Rowe) to North Adams (through Florida), providing crucial east-west rail access. Blasted out of solid rock in the late 19th century, the tunnel was built by two construction teams working on opposite sides simultaneously. When they met in the middle, their separate tunnels were less than an inch apart! A train was about to come through while we were there, as evidenced by the twenty or so train buffs who were waiting, complete with cameras, telephoto lenses and tripods. Many of these folks are there every day, just waiting to get the ultimate photo of a mighty train coming out of that famous tunnel.

Alas, all good things must come to an end. And so did our trip to Charlemont. But we'll be back. To sample the food at The Warfield House, perhaps to picnic by the Deerfield. Definitely to hang with Chris Burke, our tour guide extraordinaire.

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