Beautiful and remote, New Salem is a town whose character has been formed in great part by its surroundings. Located in Franklin County just south of Orange, the Quabbin Reservoir forms much of its eastern, southern and part of its western border, making the lower part of the town a peninsula. Though it spans 58 square miles, only the northern half of town is occupied by its 900 plus residents. The area to the south is part of the vast Quabbin wilderness, inhabited only by deer, bear, birds and other forest dwellers.

We began our trip on route 2, taking the Route 202 exit and heading south through a small section of lower Orange into New Salem. Immediately, though you can't see it directly, you can feel the Quabbin's presence as you wind along the tree-lined highway. It was also immediately obvious that I was a tourist here. Route 202 is one of the main connectors from Route 2 into Pelham and Amherst, so though we were going the speed limit, we were passed by every car that came up behind us. Some of the speeders, we found, were headed to the town's most visible business, the New Salem General Store and Post Office. We stopped there, too. A small building offering the essentials (beer, milk, bread, etc.) as well as a deli counter, carafes of coffee, a rack of P.O. boxes and maps and guidebooks on the region, it serves as both meeting place for residents and starting off point for hikers in search of Quabbin adventures.

From the store, we took the short jaunt into the center of New Salem. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the town common is as serenely beautiful as it is unpretentious. One of the most striking buildings is the 1794 Meetinghouse, a house of worship until 1845 that today houses a thriving non-profit arts organization. During the summer months, the 1794 Meetinghouse association offers the Aspire to the Arts concert series; it also sponsors community and school programs throughout the year, including performances by the Quabbin Valley Pro Musica chorus.

Like many of the byways in New Salem, the road into town eventually dead-ends, so we headed back to Route 202, traveling it until we reached the border with Shutesbury before turning back. We were on a quest of sorts — to find Dean's Beans, the fair trade coffee company (and a founding member of Cooperative Coffees) that is headquartered in town. Alas, we discovered that this purveyor of such socially-responsible brews as Ring of Fire, Birdwatcher's Blend and Rattlesnake Gutter (try it, you'll like it!), is not open to the public, but you can buy their beans at selected locations (including the New Salem General Store) and on the web at www.deansbeans.com.

We turned northward again, this time venturing down a side road into the part of town known as North Prescott. In this remote area, dotted with a few houses and farms, we found curious evidence of the region's past — a town line sign dividing New Salem from Prescott, a town that no longer exists (Prescott was one of the four towns unincorporated and flooded in 1939 to form the Quabbin). Besides artifacts like this sign, New Salem keeps the memory of the lost towns through photographs, documents and a diorama of the valley as it existed in 1938 at the Swift River Historical Society, located just off 202 in the Whitaker-Clary House. It's open on weekends in the summer and early fall (for more information, call 978-544-6882 or 978-544-6207).

Back on 202, we stopped for sandwiches (and coffee, of course!) at the General Store, then took off up Wendell Road towards Nielson Road and the Bear's Den Reservation. Local legend maintains that it was in this 3.4 acre gorge carved from granite by the middle branch of the Swift River that Wampanoag sachem Metacom (called "King Phillip" by the English settlers) met with neighboring chiefs to plan the attack on Deerfield. Now, however, it is a tranquil spot for hiking and picnicking maintained by the Trustees of Reservations.

At the extreme northern end of New Salem, we took connecting roads over to Route 122, the only other major road in town for one last look at the majestic Quabbin. Our trip had uncovered a beautiful place where privacy is treasured but residents are more than willing to share their public spaces with respectful tourists and passers-by. Whether for a glimpse of a proud, truly New England town or a respite from the busier world beyond its borders, it's definitely worth a visit.

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