Shadow Brook Farm Historic District

Shadow Brook Farm Historic District contains six former farm buildings arranged across grounds with traditional gardens and landscapes. A renowned landscape designer named Frederick Law Olmsted created the overall design of these outdoor spaces.

The property was built in 1893 for Anson Phelps Stokes and later came under the ownership of industrialist Andrew Carnegie, who held it until his death in 1919. Berkshire Country Day School acquired the campus from Stokes' family in 1963.

The site shows how farming life and landscape design evolved in the late 1800s through its layout and buildings. You can see how the structures and gardens work together to tell the story of rural Massachusetts during this period.

The grounds are now part of Berkshire Country Day School's campus, and you can walk through the outdoor areas. Since the property is on school grounds, it's helpful to check ahead if a visit is permitted.

The name comes from a reference by author Nathaniel Hawthorne to a small stream that flows along the western and southern edges of the property. This literary connection adds a hidden layer of history to the place.