A new book about the Knox Trail, Ye Trodden Path: A History of the Knox Trail & Examination of the Longest Original Section of the Trail in Berkshire County, Mass, will be published soon by the Berkshire County Historical Society and the Knox Trail 250th Committee.

The work is the collaboration of five local historian-authors: Bernard Drew of Great Barrington, a foremost authority on both Berkshires history and the Knox Trail; Gary Leveille of the Great Barrington Historical Society; Rob Hoogs, Monterey Historical Society; Ron Bernard, Sandisfield Historical Commission; and Tom Ragusa, Otis Historical Commission.

The book was underwritten by the Society in conjunction with the semiquincentennial anniversary of our nation's founding.

Two chapters of the book concentrate on the seven-mile, mostly undeveloped segment through Otis State Forest in Sandisfield, extending into the town of Otis. This is the longest surviving original stretch of the one-time colonial "military road" that connected Boston and Albany.

The impetus for the book was a true map of this unspoiled section compiled by long-time DCR employee Tom Ragusa. Tom devoted more than two decades of meticulous research including early documents he discovered in State archives together with modern survey techniques. The result is a definitive map of the road as it was in the 17th and 18th centuries.

A chapter is devoted to Tom's fascinating journey and why what he did is important. His map will be included in the book, in color, as a six-foot fold-out.

Ron Bernard writes about the history of the former Indian trail before it was a military road and its many colloquial names. Also included are his original research findings about five Sandisfield taverns along the "Great Road" which welcomed the Knox teamsters as they passed through on January 12-13, 1776.

Watch for announcements about the book's availability. For more information contact Lesley Herzberg, Berkshire County Historical Society, at berkshirehistory.org.