|
The road has a long and rich history, parts of the route were Native
American trails running along the Westfield River, and during the Colonial
Period, more trails were added for the Westfield River Highway. In the
early years of the automobile, major improvements were made to Jacob’s
Ladder Trail, and it was known as the first of the great state mountain
crossovers and a state scenic automobile highway.
Top Ten Tour | Fairs,
Festivals, Music, Theater, Dance | Events | Golf
| Museums Artists &
Crafters | Skiing | State
Parks & Recreation Areas | Places to Eat Created and hosted by Gillanet |
The
Trail is a 33-mile stretch of Route 20, between Russell and Lee, Massachusetts.
We encourage you to drive more of the trail when you have time. Why is
this road called Jacob’s Ladder? There are conflicting stories behind the
name. One version attributes the name to a man, either by the name of Jacob
or who looked like the Prophet Jacob. He would use his team of oxen to
pull the automobiles of city folks up the steep grades of the highway.
Early automobiles of the 20th century had a hard time making it to the
top of the long, steep highway. In fact, in Becket, the hill is so steep
it was referred to as a ladder. The other version of the story, is taken
from the Old Testament story of Jacob. Jacob dreamed of a ladder placed
here on earth, which 