Saturday, June 20, 2009



I was driving the back road to Pittsfield last night and passing the gates and wrought iron fence of Eastover Resort I notice that the black plastic is around the tennis court. For the locals we all fondly refer to this as the coming of summer and the arrival of nudist weekend.


Most of the resort extended far back from the road so there it lots of privacy and the black plastic is really the only indication of what is going on. Finally after 13 years of living here I did some quick research and it is actually the eastern gathering of the naturalist society.

http://www.naturistsociety.com/NEWWebPages/ENG09Page.htm

Unfortunately Eastover is in the process of closing and up for sale. A victim of the economy perhaps and of the cost of maintaining older building and extensive grounds and vying for business from many other more upscale competitors. The buffalo that for decades grazed the vast meadows and coraled area by the road have been sold off as is the huge civil war memorabilia collection that Eastover was famous for in the process of auction.

So we will miss this beacon of summer next year, the black tarps around the tennis court and wonder where they will now go.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jeff - I'm terribly sad to learn about Eastover resort closing. As a 12 time guest, I can't believe it's really gone. Where else can adults, young and old, as well as families have such all inclusive fun?

Jeff- in the Berkshires said...

yes it is sad - much of what is around here seems to be geared to the higher end tourist. Eastover always seemed to be a good neighbor. On a busy weekend we could hear the partying in the distance (we live down pasture from them). Our kids took swimming lessons there and it was a place for many school outings but you could also tell that the facility was tired and worn around the edges which doesn't attract tourists that don't have some warm past connection to it. As a local I can't say I know much about what is happening there. It is now closed and I see their van with a for sale sign but there are still a few buffalo graving in the coral. Its a big property with alot of land.