Tekoa Mountain

Tekoa Mountain is a summit in Massachusetts with steep cliffs and rocky overlooks above the Westfield River Gorge. The peak sits along the eastern section of the Berkshire plateau.

During the American Revolutionary War, Richard Falley Jr. operated a hidden musket factory on the mountain. The location allowed him to watch British troop movements in the surrounding region.

The mountain carries a biblical settlement name, showing how early European settlers used religious references when naming places. This practice reveals how settlers embedded their spiritual beliefs into the landscape they inhabited.

The mountain sits within a protected wildlife area that prohibits motorized vehicles to preserve habitats. Hiking and hunting are allowed in designated zones.

Sparse plant growth results from regular fires that create conditions favoring pitch pine, scrub oak, and the rare New England cottontail. These fires maintain a specialized ecosystem found in few other places.