Pettibone Farm
Also known as: Camp Mohawk in the Berkshires
Why it's listed
Pettibone Farm is a former hill farm in Lanesborough, Massachusetts, on Old Cheshire Road below Savage Hill. Its core is a 2 1/2-story clapboard farmhouse built about 1789 by Jonathan Pettibone or his son Amos, along with a horse barn and cow barn from about 1828, a second cow barn and corn crib from the mid-1800s, and stone walls. The house keeps its central-chimney plan, wide pine floorboards and original woodwork, though sash and the kitchen were updated around 1870. The Pettibone family farmed here for generations, and the Jenks family continued agricultural use after 1865. Farming ended in 1926 when a New York buyer purchased the property, and a summer camp opened in 1936, reflecting the Berkshires' turn toward tourism. The listed area covers about four acres around the buildings, since the surrounding fields no longer read as a farm landscape.
Significance in brief: The farmhouse is a typical, well-preserved vernacular example of late Georgian/early Federal domestic architecture. The complex also shows Lanesborough's shift from an agricultural economy to one tied to the Berkshires as a summer resort. It is also associated with the Pettibones, an early farm family in the town.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 90001944, listed January 4, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Old Cheshire Rd. N of jct. with Nobodys Rd., Lanesborough |
|---|---|
| County | Berkshire County |
| Listed | January 4, 1991 |
| Reference number | 90001944 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1789-1940 |
| Architectural style | Georgian/Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operates as a summer camp (Camp Mohawk in the Berkshires); the horse barn holds dining, kitchen and dormitory space and the older cow barn holds craft studios. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 42.53365, -73.19987 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 90001944.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7179325
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.