Melville Trail

The Melville Trail is officially open. Pittsfield Mayor Daniel Bianchi dedicated the plaque at Pontoosuc Lake. A collaborative project funded in part by Housatonic Heritage, Executive Director Dan Bolignani spoke about our rich literary heritage. Partnered with Berkshire Historical Society at Arrowhead, The City of Pittsfield, Berkshire Athenaeum and The Trustees of Reservations, the intent of The Melville Trail is to deepen the public’s understanding of Herman Melville’s connection to and love of many places in Berkshire County. As a start, four of his most beloved places now have permanent interpretive panels. You can find them at Arrowhead, Pontoosuc Lake, Berkshire Athenaeum and Monument Mountain.

Included on the trail are eight more places that Melville loved. Park Square, Hancock Shaker Village, Crane Museum of Paper Making, Balance Rock, Lenox Court House, Tanglewood/Hawthorne Cottage, October Mountain and of course Mount Greylock.

Although Melville’s work belongs to the world, it was the Berkshires that inspired him.
For information on each of these special places, please go to the homepage and click on the whale tail.