Bascom Lodge Celebrates its 75th Anniversary
Events from June 1 through October 20
By: Greylock - Apr 22, 2013
In celebration of its 75th anniversary this year, Bascom Lodge, the iconic Berkshire landmark at the summit of Mount Greylock, has planned a series of special events and programs related to the rich history of the Lodge, the mountain, the 1930s, and local history and folklore.
In honor of the anniversary, the Bascom Lodge Café will tip its hat to the classic roadside diners, truck stops and cafés that were once found on the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine with a season-long series of 1930s classic "blue plate" lunch specials. The menu will include Maryland crab cake salad, salmon croquettes, Philadelphia cheese steak sandwiches, "Miles Standish" club sandwiches, Carolina pulled-pork sandwiches, New England clam chowder, Georgia peanut soup, and Maine lobster rolls.
Bascom Lodge officially opens for the season on June 1, serving three meals daily at its breakfast and lunch café and dinner restaurant operations, and will offer lodging accommodations and dining through Sunday, October 20. The Lodge’s Café will open earlier, during the last two weekends in May: May 18 and 19, and May 25 through 27 (Memorial Day Weekend) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, please visit bascomlodge.net
The Lodge has come a long way in 75 years. Built in the 1930s during the Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) to provide a rest stop and rustic accommodations for hikers, nature enthusiasts and vacationers, in recent years the Lodge has been transformed by its current operators, the Bascom Lodge Group, comprised of brothers John and Peter Dudek and Brad Parsons, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Historic Curatorship Program. Through the program, state-owned historic properties like Bascom Lodge are rehabilitated, maintained, and reused by outside parties in return for a long-term lease.
Under the management of the Bascom Lodge Group, the restored and dramatically upgraded Lodge has become a go-to destination for locals and visitors alike for mouth-watering meals with a focus on fresh, locally sourced foods and regional American cuisine, and comfortable overnight accommodations in a beautiful and unique location. The Lodge has also rapidly become a highly desirable spot in the Berkshires for weddings, special events, and retreats.
Bascom Lodge is the recipient of two Yankee Magazine Editors Choice awards: “Best Mountaintop Lodging” (2012) and “Best Meal with a View” (2011).
After a long day on the trail or just to take cover from an afternoon cloudburst, the relaxing ambience of Bascom Lodge's lobby, with its wood paneled walls, box-beamed ceiling, mica-glass lamps and leather-cushioned furniture, is a welcoming sight. The Lodge has a large dining room with high ceilings, hand-cut oak beams and a stone fireplace. An enclosed porch with wraparound windows overlooks what many consider the most breathtaking vista in the Berkshires. Its lofty location, perched atop the mountain at 3,491 feet, offers spectacular, 100-mile views of the Taconic, Catskill and Housatonic mountain ranges, as well as glorious sunsets and impressive stargazing.
Mount Greylock State Reservation, which surrounds Bascom Lodge, encompasses more than 12,500 acres with 50 miles of hiking trails over a variety of terrains, including a segment of the ”Georgia-to-Maine” Appalachian Trail. A paved road, that opens in mid-May, reaches the summit.
75th Anniversary Program Highlights
JULY
July 13 & 14 Bascom Lodge’s 75th Anniversary Celebration Weekend
The festivities kick off on Saturday, July 13, with the raising of a Native American tipi, a mountain blessing, and drumming, from 12 to 4 p.m.
On Sunday, July 14, the celebration continues with Bascom Lodge’s first annual Jazz Festival, in collaboration with Topia Arts Center. Hours TBD. The events are free and open to the public. For more information: http://bascomlodge.net/Events.html
July 24 The Civilian Conservation Corps and Bascom Lodge
Alec Gillman, a Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Interpretive Ranger at Mount Greylock State Reservation, presents an illustrated talk about the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) on Mount Greylock and the building of Bascom Lodge. Held in the lobby from 6 to 7 p.m. Free. For more information: http://bascomlodge.net/Events.html
AUGUST
August 11 America Eats! On the Road with the WPA - the Fish Fries, Box Supper Socials, and Chittlin' Feasts That Define Real American Food
Pat Willard explores the regional nooks and crannies of American cuisine: Places where Works Project Administration (WPA) writers such as Eudora Welty, Saul Bellow, Ralph Ellison and Nelson Algren, among countless others, were dispatched in 1935 to document the roots of America’s diverse culinary cuisine. Held in the lobby from 6 to 7 p.m. Free. For more information: http://bascomlodge.net/Events.html A prix fixe dinner based on menus from the book will be offered after the talk and book signing. For reservations, contact mail@bascomlodge.net
August 21 The WPA and CCC in Massachusetts
Max Grinell discusses the projects done by the WPA and CCC in Massachusetts during the 1930s. Held in the lobby from 6 to 7 p.m. Free. For more information: http://bascomlodge.net/Events.html
In addition to 75th Anniversary programs and events, Bascom Lodge presents a diverse and lively schedule of weekly talks and presentations relating to nature, history, science, cuisine, and music from June through October. A complete schedule of programs, events, special activities for families and children, and dining menus is available online at http://bascomlodge.net
In conjunction with IS183 Art School of the Berkshires, the Lodge will offer eight art and photography workshops on Sundays in June, July and August. For more information: http://bascomlodge.net/Workshops.html
About Bascom Lodge
Bascom Lodge is a landmarked historic building in Adams, Mass. The Lodge was constructed between 1932-1938, using native materials of Greylock schist and red spruce. It was a project of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a federal jobs program during the Depression, and is a classic example of the rustic Arts and Crafts-style design of period park structures. The Lodge was named in honor of John Bascom, a Greylock Reservation Commissioner and Williams College professor, who had a strong association with the mountain during his lifetime.
Bascom Lodge is open daily from June 1 through October 20, 2013. The restaurant and café provide a varied and changing menu inspired by regional American cuisine, emphasizing fresh, organic, locally produced foods. Breakfast is served from 8 to 10 a.m.; lunch from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and a prix fixe dinner is served at one seating at 7 p.m., for which reservations are required. A Sunset Beverage Hour is offered Wednesday through Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m. with wine and beer available for purchase. The Lodge has six private guest rooms and two shared co-ed rooms with bunk beds and can accommodate 34 overnight guests. Bascom Lodge also hosts weddings, private events and retreats.
Each Wednesday evening at 6 p.m., Bascom Lodge presents free, hour-long talks on nature and culture in collaboration with the Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area, in additional to other weekly programs and events.
For reservations and more information, please visit bascomlodge.net or email mail@bascomlodge.net