Quick History Stops: Lee, MA

By -
A black, white, and dark blue striped header image with the text Quick History Stops Lee, MA

During my trip to the Berkshires in July 2023, I stayed in Lee, MA, a colonial era town with a population under 6,000. For many years, the town’s claim to fame was its marble quarry, with stones being brought as far as Washington, D.C. for use in the Capitol building. Today, the little town has plenty of classic quick history stops, including a diner, library, bank, town hall, and churches. Crosswalks painted in patriotic designs add to the nostalgic Americana.

Patriotic Crosswalk in Lee; a standard width crosswalk painted with a exterior white border, and interior red border, and a thick blue stripes with two lines of white, five-pointed stars in the middle.

Joe’s Diner

Made famous by the painting The Runaway by Norman Rockwell, whose museum is located in nearby Stockbridge, Joe’s Diner still has the famous lunch counter setup, along with a wall displaying prints of the painting. The Diner is no-frills and affordable, serving the same fare as Rockwell would have eaten in the 1950s.

Outside Joe’s Diner; a two-story wooden building divided into several shops on the bottom story. The middle storefront is painted red with the words Joe's Diner. Inside Joe’s Diner; a lunch counter with Norman Rockwell prints hung on the wall. Plaque for Joe's Diner; a stone plaque carved with the words Joe's Diner embedded in the sidewalk

Lee Library

Much fancier than your average small town library, Lee Library is a neoclassical or Corinthian style made of the town’s signature marble. Why so fancy? This building is “the only remaining Carnegie library building in the Berkshires” according to the library website. Andrew Carnegie, an American steel industrialist who lived in nearby Lenox, MA, donated $12,000 in 1907 (about $390,000 in 2023) to construct the original building. In 1977, the library tripled in size through a substantial expansion. A plaque on the side of the building near the main entrance demonstrates that this has been an important site to the town even before the library. The original building on the property was a log cabin owned by Peter Wilcox, a leader during Shays’ Rebellion in 1786. Several years prior, in 1777, locals used his house for the first town meeting.

Lee Library; a neoclassical marble building with a grand pediment over the main entrance half-hidden behind a tree. Plaque to the Log House of Peter Wilcox; description of the first town meeting in 1777

Lee National Bank

Now a branch of Greylock Federal Credit Union, Lee National Bank was established in 1823 and changed its name to First National Bank of the Berkshires in 1988. Because banking is heavily regulated in the modern United States, I could track thirteen acquisitions, mergers, buyouts, and name changes from 1997 to the present. Regardless of organizational changes, the red brick late Federalist style building is an adorable addition to the classic New England Main Street. I especially like the massive windows on either side of the entrance, which would have provided plenty of natural light in the era before electricity but also make the building look even smaller.

Lee National Bank; a single story, late Federal style red brick building with two massive windows on either side of the entrance.

Memorial Hall

According to a stone sign on the outside of the building, Memorial Hall was constructed during the American Reconstruction Period in 1873 “in honor of the martyrs who fell and the heroes who fought in defense of liberty and union”. The building appears French inspired with a Mansard roof over the red brick and stone walls. Today, Memorial Hall houses most town government offices.

Memorial Hall; a two-and-a-half story red brick and stone building with a Mansard roof

First Congregational Church of Lee

A church building has stood on the site since 1780, or just three years after the incorporation of the town. The first nice building for First Congregational Church of Lee was completed in 1780 but burned down in 1857. Parishioners completed the current building, a classic whitewashed New England church with a tall steeple, in 1857. The inside of the church was considered ornate by 19th century Protestant standards. Today, a virtual tour of the church is available on its website. This might receive its own future blog post.

Lee Congregational Church; a classic whitewashed New England church with a tall steeple Sign for Lee Congregational Church; a white wooden sign with black text reading Lee Congregational United Church of Christ The Meeting House

Spectrum Playhouse

Formerly St. George’s Episcopal Church, the Berkshire chapter of the national organization College Internship Program (CIP) purchased the property in 2011 and transformed the space into Spectrum Playhouse. According to the official website, the mission of CIP is “assisting young adults on the Autism Spectrum, ADHD, and other learning differences to find success in college, employment, and independent living”. The space allows them to host arts events and lectures, along with renting out the space for other community gatherings such as weddings. During the transfer twelve years ago, the congregants at the church were happy that their building was going to a good cause. They had first constructed a church on the site in 1858 but had to rebuild twice after fires. While the current marble building from 1863 was fire resistant, it was not well-constructed. According to the website of Grace Church, the current iteration of this congregation, “a stone wall at the back of the exterior altar wall collapsed” at the site in 2008, forcing the parishioners to move. CIP restored the building, preserving an important piece of Berkshires history.

Front View of Spectrum Playhouse; a marble 19th century church with a four story tall square steeple at the front. Side View of Spectrum Playhouse; a marble 19th century church with a four story tall square steeple at the front and a two-story sanctuary in the back.
Location: Lee, MA, USA