Innkeepers /
Chef-owner
Kandy & Erhard Wendt
Route 41
West Stockbridge, MA
01266
(413) 274-6118
Fax: (413) 274-3539
Email: Thewilliamsville@aol.com

History

The Inn sits at the foot of Tom Ball Mountain. Tom Ball was a Native American who owned most of the land including the mountain in Williamsville. He anglicized his name when he converted to Christianity at John Sargent’s Stockbridge Mission in the mid-1700’s. He is said to be the last Mahican to sell his land in the Berkshires.

In April, 1776, Christopher French, a Revolutionary War soldier, began purchasing property in this area, eventually owning parcels running from the Williamsville River to the crest of Tom Ball Mountain. In 1797 French completed his property with a 300 acre parcel on which he built a large plank house. Here he and his wife, Margaret, raised 11 children. French sold the house and farm to his son, Peter, in 1838 with the following stipulation in the deed, “I reserve for life the use of the south front room, the room above it and attic, also the cellar under it and use of the hallway.” He resided here until his death in 1845.

This working farm became known as The Williamsville Inn in 1952.