Karen's Library History Blog: Hel'en Winter Club in Bobbin Hollow

In the late 19th century, the water commission was already talking about flooding the valley at the turn of the century. It’s no wonder Shutesbury went into decline and became the butt of a joke when Carrie Pratt supposedly told the judge, “Your honor, is summer we raise blueberries and in winter we raise hell,” in answer to the question “just what do you people DO up there in Shutesbury?” Did you know about the group of prominent Boston men who formed the Hel’en Winter club? There were no dues or fees, no bylaws or minutes taken. Rear Admiral Byrd was one of the lawyers, bankers, and judges who gathered for hunting, fishing, and drinking at the tavern at Bobbin Hollow beginning in 1927, the year the legislated voted in the Swift River Act appropriating money to build a reservoir. The clob originated, according to an identified story in the town clerk’s files, that says the club began with an order by Raymond Kenny, State director of fisheries and game to game warden Dennis P. Shea, and his son Anthony who were to act as official escorts to a party of me which included several news writers, Capt. Ben Pines of the famous ship Gertrude Thibault, Medical Examiner George Burgess McGarth. William Thatcher of the Boston American, Thomas Morgan, Associated Press writer, and others.” Meets in the spring when the trout brooks start to run and ‘hot toddies are bubbling’. The fall meeting is called when the game is running in the ‘Squabble hollow” section and the same hot toddies, etc etc. The final session of the year takes place in deer week when the ‘clan’ gathers equipped with guns and licenses and the only restriction placed on members is that they cannot leave camp. The same hot toddies prevail, in fact one member remarked they prevail a bit more than usual in cold weather." The town’s population shrunk from 2,500 to 300 the second half of the 19th century as people headed west across the Eerie canal to seek their fortune.

A club known as the Hel'en Winter Club was subsequently formed, and headquartered in "a 200 year old farmhouse, located deep in the hills of Bobbin Hollow, nicknamed "Squabble Hollow," in Shutesbury. Described as "one of the strangest organizations in the country" it consisted of members from every station of life with Boston newspapermen in the majority. Entrance into the club was "as difficult as in any college fraternity, yet the club atmosphere is 100 percent informal and frequently burlesque"....

..."The members of the club meet there four times each year, there are no bylaws or other rules, no dues, no officials, and no written records of the events which have taken place since the club was organized eight years ago."

..."The club meets in the spring, when the trout brooks start to run and "hot toddies are bubbling"
and in the summer when corn is ready for the annual clambake and the same "hot toddies are bubbling".
The Fall meeting is called when the game is running in the "Squabble Hill" section and the same hot toddies etc etc,
The final session of the year takes place in deer week when the "clan" gathers equipped with guns and licenses and the only restriction placed on members is they cannot leave the confines of the camp to hunt the deer. Incidentally the same toddies prevail, in fact one member stated they prevail a bit more than usual in the cold weather."

Governor Curley as well as the 3 preceding Governors were members of the Hel'en Winter Club. In later years a banquet was held in a Boston hotel every February ("These are hilarious affairs with the presence of some noted traveler or prominent speaker The last one had Rear Admiral Byrd as a chief guest.)