Town of Lee 250th Anniversary Project
Lee, Massachusetts
in progress
In the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, amidst the Housatonic River Valley and its tributaries, sits the town of Lee. Lee was incorporated in 1777 and soon became the center of the paper-making industry in the United States. By 1857, the small town boasted 25 paper mills. Around this time, Lee marble was recognized for white color, strength, and lack of impurities, and was used in several construction projects including the new wing of the United State Capitol building in Washington, DC. Even as industrial fortunes haved ebbed and flowed, Lee has proudly preserved its heritage and celebrates its evolution as a vibrant Berkshire town.
In the first phase of this project, Katie and Cassandra gathered existing texts, reports, photographs, and maps to develop a narrative of Lee’s history, a timeline, and compelling vignettes illustrating Lee’s history. In the second phase of the project, these components will be incorporated into a public-facing ArcGIS Story Map and history-based community activity to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Lee’s founding in 2027.
