back to Bear Haven main page
room
availability
driving and parking directions
Guest Room (Den 2) Virtual Tour
Sitting Room Virtual Tour
New! 'Bearadise' Found,
Springfield Sunday Republican, May 2001
Bear Haven by Single Source Photography, October 2000
Bear
Haven by Kimberly Knox, about.com, May 2000
Your hosts
 Chris and Deane |
 Laura Walker 1908-2005 |
| Truth in Advertising: | |||
| Due
to wide angle camera, rooms are not as large as they appear in these photos! See also the August 1998 photos (Web links below). |
|||
 Pookie 1983-2000 |
 Puzzle 1991-2010 |
 Koshka 1998-2009 |
 "26" 2000-2011 |
 front stairway Stained glass and portraits of ancestors who lived here (look out for ghosts!) |
 Den 1 Small room with double bed. Private full bath (Bath 1) ten steps down the hall. |
 sitting room Here you can curl up with a good book. You may have to share the space with a cat or two. |
 Den 2 Queen bed. Toilet and sink in room. Shared full bath (Bath 2) across hall. Private porch. |
 dining room Here you will enjoy a Continental breakfast featuring goodies from the local bakery. |
 Den 3 Queen bed. Toilet and sink in room. Shared full bath (Bath 2) across hall. |
 Bath 1 Private bath for Den 1, ten steps down the hall. |
 Bath 2 Shared by Den 2 and Den 3, across the hall. |
 fireplace room If you get bored you can try to count the bears. Chris has been collecting them most of her life. |
 a bathtub of bears A satisfied guest from Australia, down under some of his friends at Bear Haven |
| The home at 22 Mechanic Street was built by my great-great-grandfather Moses W. Merrill (1817-1859) around 1852, and extensively remodeled by my great-grandfather Cordeanio Merrill (1840-1908) in 1897-98. Moses and Cordeanio were both members of the renowned Shelburne Falls Military Band. The home passed out of the family after the death of Cordeanio's widow Jennie in 1940. Through a lucky chance and the alertness of my brother Jon, we were fortunate enough to repurchase 22 Mechanic in March 1997. Today Moses and his family occupy a prominent gravesite near the entrance of Arms Cemetery. Their ghosts, fortunately benign, have returned to 22 Mechanic and are happy to be among family members again. |
| My wife Chris and I (with a lot of help) installed eight bathrooms, replaced the front porch and electrical wiring and 70 (!) windows, repaired the roof, restored the beautiful wood floors, and (with regrets) removed a 100-plus year old tree. The Victorian "Painted Lady" exterior was completed and new trees were planted. The B&B opened to guests in Fall 1998. |
| Shelburne Falls and vicinity: | |
| Franklin County Chamber of Commerce | Berkshire East Ski Area |
| Spend a Day in Shelburne Falls by Kimberly Knox | Crabapple Whitewater, rafting and kayaking |
| Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism | Historic Deerfield, museum and 17th century houses |
| Hiking in Shelburne Falls | Moxie Outdoor Adventures, Deerfield River rafting |
| Shelburne Falls Page, Shelburne Falls Area Business Association | Lamson and Goodnow Cutlery, founded 1837 |
| Franklin County Tour by Single Source Photography | Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory and Gardens |
| Mohawk Trail Association | Yankee Candle Company Flagship Store |
| Massachusetts Maple Producers Association | Zoar Outdoor, rafting and kayaking |
| The charming little village of Shelburne Falls is off Interstate Route 91 in Western Massachusetts, eight miles west of Greenfield on the scenic Mohawk Trail (Route 2). Tourists come to see the magnificent fall foliage, the famous Bridge of Flowers, and the unusual Deerfield River Potholes. Historic Deerfield, Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory and Gardens, and the Yankee Candle Company Flagship Store, are 12-15 miles to the southeast. Berkshire East Ski Area, Crabapple Whitewater and Zoar Outdoor are 10 miles to the west. |
back to Bear Haven main page
updated 9/16/11
Audio provided by CMB Jukebox
(for audio use Internet Explorer)
