When we were in Massachusetts, my lovely traveling pal wanted to spend a chunk of time in a local quilt shop. She found one in Lee, a sweet little town where I had a fun afternoon exploring and she had a good time finding goodies for her projects.

Lee has an interesting downtown with plenty to see and places to shop and eat. Known as the “Gateway To The Berkshires;” it feels like a quintessential New England town. People were friendly and helpful, there’s some interesting buildings to see, and it feels rich with history.

It was incorporated in 1777 so Lee IS rich with history. Mahican Indians once lived here. Paper making was a longtime industry and the area is known for its world class marble. In fact, Lee marble can be found in many famous places including New York’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral and a wing of the US Capitol in Washington DC.

Lee is charming and inviting enough that I even enjoyed wandering around in the rain.

As much as I enjoyed my stroll through town, I actually spent most of my time chatting with someone at their library.

That’s because I came to a dead stop at this sight.

It’s a Carnegie Library and it’s the only Carnegie in the Berkshires. It is clearly well loved and maintained and a source of pride for the community.

Come back and I’ll tell you about the warm welcome I received here!