by Beth Luey
University of Massachusetts Press, 2019
Paper: 978-1-62534-465-6 | eISBN: 978-1-61376-709-2 | Cloth: 978-1-62534-464-9
Library of Congress Classification F65.L838 2019
Dewey Decimal Classification 974.40074

ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS
ABOUT THIS BOOK
With its rich history of prominent families, Massachusetts is home to some of the most historic residences in the country. In the central and western half of the Commonwealth, these include Edith Wharton's The Mount, the Salisbury Mansion in Worcester, Herman Melville's Arrowhead in Pittsfield, and the Dickinson Homestead and the Evergreens in Amherst.

In At Home: Historic Houses of Central and Western Massachusetts, Beth Luey examines the lives and homes of acclaimed poets and writers, slaves who won their freedom, Civil War ­enlistees, socialites, and leading merchants. Drawing on architectural and genealogical texts, wills, correspondence, and diaries, Luey situates the stories of these notable homes and the people who inhabited them in the context of broader economic, social, and political transformations. Filled with vivid details and fresh perspectives, each chapter is sure to inspire first-time visitors and seasoned travelers alike. All the homes are open to the public.