Remembering Will Knight, the Spider Web Guy [SIV516]

Willet (Will) Knight was known to the thousands who visited his Spider Web Farm in Williamstown over the last four decades, as the Spider Web Guy. Always handy with a joke and happy to chat, Will tended to his spiders and captured their one-of-a-kind webs on blocks of wood which he sold to tourists who drove up Spider Web Farm Road to visit.

The success of the roadside attraction was partly thanks to the spider web artwork but mainly due to Will’s vibrant personality. He regaled you with stories of his life in the Merchant Marines (he had the tattoos to prove it), his time in the Navy during WWII and the Korean War, teaching vocational education classes at Spaulding High School and being the town appraiser on Barre for 10 years. And of course, Will could talk about his beloved spiders for hours, he especially liked to educate children about his eight-legged friends. Will loved people, and people loved him back.

Eva visited Will and Terry in August of 2015 and experienced the magic of the Spider Web Guy for herself. You can watch that Stuck in Vermont video here.

In October of 2016, the old barn that housed the Spider Web Farm burnt down. The community rallied around Will and Terry Knight, a local elementary school raised funds to help them rebuild. But for the Spider Web Guy, the loss was too much. Will passed away in June of 2017, surrounded by his beloved family. He was 91 years old.

Terry, Will’s wife of 59 years, and their son Will Jr, have rebuilt the barn and are hoping to reopen the Spider Web Farm by spring. Will Jr will be in charge of capturing the spider webs and Terry will do the socializing up front. They hope to carry on Will’s legacy and welcome the many visitors who have made the Spider Web Farm such a success over the years. Keep an eye on their website for details.

Read Will’s obituary: Willet Knight, 1926-2017