The 150 miles of Massachusetts that stretch inland to the west of Boston have always been obliged to play second fiddle to the state capital. Just ten years after the Revolution, the farmers who struggled to make a living from this indifferent soil so resented the imposition of taxes by the prosperous merchants of the east that they rose in Shay's Rebellion ; their pitchforks were no match for the guns of the new nation.

These days the citizens of the west are eager to promote themselves as cultural rivals of the big city, with the Berkshires hosting the celebrated Tanglewood music festival in summer. Amherst , the home of such diverse talents as Emily Dickinson and Dinosaur Jr, is a stimulating little college community, as is its larger neighbor, Northampton ; both have all the cafés, restaurants and bookstores you could want. Another delightful college town is Williamstown in the far northwest corner, set at the end of the incredibly scenic Mohawk Trail.

Central and western Massachusetts

• Central and western Massachusetts

Explore Central and western Massachusetts

• Berkshires
• Old Sturbridge Village
• Springfield
• Worcester

Massachusetts cities


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