Blythewood Associates

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The History of Blythewood Drive

Wirt Dexter Walker, a successful Chicago attorney, retired in the 1880’s and established Blythewood Farms, which was a combination of the Chapman, Jordan, Parker, and other farms to create a 470-acre estate. When he died April 14, 1899, he left Blythewood Farms to his wife “so long as she shall remain a widow” by the terms of his will. In 1904, she remarried, and the property reverted to the Wirt D. Walker Art Gallery of Chicago. The gallery sold the estate a year later to John Alden Spoor, a capitalist and president of the Chicago Stockyards for $150,000.

In 1922, Mr. Spoor sold the property to Onota Lake Associates, Inc., a group of local investors who wanted to preserve the western shoreline of Onota Lake. Onota Lake Associates recorded a building lot development plan on December 24th, 1927. The homes along Blythewood Drive and Appletree Point were built on these lots.

Since the formation of Onota Lake Associates in 1922, the properties on Blythewood Dr. and Appletree Pt. have been governed by four incorporated associations and one club. Blythewood Dr. and Appletree Point roadways are currently managed by Blythewood Associates per a May 5th, 1964, deed from West Shore Onota Associates. In the Blythewood Association Inc. bylaws, it states that anyone who owns property on Blythewood Drive or Appletree Pt. can become a member if they pay the assessed dues.
Since the formation of Onota Lake Associates in 1922, the properties on Blythewood Dr. and Appletree Pt. have been governed by four incorporated associations and one club. Blythewood Dr. and Appletree Point roadways are currently managed by Blythewood Associates per a May 5th, 1964, deed from West Shore Onota Associates. In the Blythewood Association Inc. bylaws, it states that anyone who owns property on Blythewood Drive or Appletree Pt. can become a member if they pay the assessed dues.

On January 27th, 1993, the Mayor of Pittsfield approved an order to construct a public sewer system on Blythewood Dr and Appletree Pt. As part of this betterment agreement, 50% of the cost of this sewer system was to be paid for by individual property owners of Blythewood Associates Inc.

On May 21st, 2010, the Berkshire Superior Court approved a settlement between Blythewood Associates Inc and a property owner on Blythewood Dr., who had proposed building condominiums. The settlement established a 100-year land-use commitment allowing the construction of a single-family dwelling and preventing the installation of docks for commercial purposes.

The Gladys Allen Brigham Center Inc., formerly known as the Pittsfield Girls Club, signed an agreement on November 12th, 2010, with Blythewood Associates Inc. In the agreement, five residential building lots, off Churchill St., that the Gladys Brigham Center sold to a developer, are allowed to connect to the Blythewood Dr. sewer system for a connection fee. In addition, the Gladys Brigham Center agreed to surrender easement rights over Blythewood Dr.

One of our residents photographers caught this thrilling site of a juvenile Bald Eagle in flight.