Learn about two very different people who fought for freedom and liberty—and changed our nation’s history.
Once the center of white political and social life in Colonial Sheffield, today the Ashley House is remembered for its connection to Elizabeth Freeman, who was enslaved there before winning her freedom and dealing a deathblow to the institution of slavery in Massachusetts.
Read Her StoryThe Colonel John Ashley House—an anchor site of the Upper Housatonic Valley African American Heritage Trail—was one of the first European-style dwellings built in what is now the Berkshires. Colonel Ashley became a wealthy and powerful man, whose success relied largely on slavery. As the American Revolution dawned, Ashley hypocritically joined calls declaring mankind “equal, free, and independent of each other.”
In 1781, Elizabeth put the Revolutionary rhetoric to the test, leaving the Ashley House and suing for emancipation. Elizabeth not only won her own freedom, her case set a judicial precedent that ended slavery in Massachusetts. She never returned to the Ashley House, but today you can visit an outdoor exhibit (open seasonally) to learn more about her incredible life and legacy.
The Ashley House is open for scheduled tours throughout the summer, and by appointment year-round.
Learn about the life and legacy of the remarkable woman who helped end slavery in Massachusetts at the Elizabeth Freeman Exhibit, open seasonally, sunrise to sunset. Grab a map to follow the Elizabeth Freeman Trail to other sites in nearby Sheffield, Great Barrington, and Stockbridge that are connected to her life and story.
Follow the trail across Ashley Field to our adjoining property, Bartholomew’s Cobble, and hike this National Natural Landmark.
Guided tours of the historic house are offered seasonally. Preregistration is required.
Learn More & RegisterOpen daily, sunrise to sunset. House accessible by guided tour only.
FREE to all.
Guided tours of the historic house are offered seasonally. Preregistration is required.
Learn More & Register
For information on school visits and group tours, contact kknisley@thetrustees.org.
117 Cooper Hill Road, Ashley Falls
Sheffield, MA 01257
Telephone: 413.298.3239
Email: westernhills@thetrustees.org
From Mass Turnpike (I-90), Exit 10 for Rt. 20 East. Follow 4.6 mi., then take first right onto Rt. 102 West/Pleasant St. Go 6.6 mi. Turn left onto Rt. 7 South. After 8.5 mi., turn right onto Rt. 7A and follow for 0.5 mi. Turn right onto Rannapo Rd. and follow for 1.5 mi. Turn right onto Cooper Hill Rd. to entrance and parking (10 cars) on left. Please do not park along Cooper Hill Rd.
An exhibit about the life and legacy of Elizabeth Freeman is located near the Ashley House. It is open daily, sunrise to sunset.
The Ashley House is on the National Register of Historic Places and open by guided tour only. A private residence is attached to the rear of the building. Please respect the privacy of the residents.
There are no public restrooms at this site. A trail leads to our adjoining site, Bartholomew’s Cobble, where restrooms are available when the Ranger Station is open. There is also a trail link to Upper Housatonic Valley African American Heritage Trail.
In 1735, at the age of 25, Colonel John Ashley built this house – the oldest house still standing in Berkshire County – for his Dutch bride, Hannah Hogeboom. The cause for abolishing slavery in America was strengthened in the celebrated 1781 Massachusetts state court battle that freed the Ashleys’ slave, Elizabeth Freeman (formerly known as Mum Bett). The famous Sheffield Resolves, a petition against British tyranny and a manifesto for individual rights, was drafted in the upstairs study of the house and published in 1773.
Since we were in the area and are members of The Trustees of Reservations, we discovered this wonderful house and the fascinating story of Elizabeth "Mumbet" Freeman, a black slave who sued for her freedom in 1780 and won (with a jury of 12 white men).
– Bcnett, Trip Advisor Review
