Past Events

Sold Out! Join historian Lorraine German for a tea and talk about the origins of Santa Claus. She will present her talk - How Santa Claus Came to Town - that tells the story of Santa Claus in America, tracing his journey from beloved European saint to New Amsterdam's St. Nicholas and finally to the jolly gift-giver we're all familiar with.  Included in the discussion will be the role that members of the New York Historical Society played in successfully marketing him…

Join us for a unique experience to record your own stories! In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the publication of Herman Melville's Billy Budd, we will collect stories of grandparents and grandchildren. Billy Budd was discovered and published by Herman Melville's granddaughter, Eleanor, who shared a special relationship with her grandfather. We will record special stories of grandparents and grandchildren, told throughout the Berkshire Athenaeum. Together with partners from the Housatonic Heritage Oral History Center at Berkshire Community College…

Enjoy a tasty holiday tea in the historic parlors at Arrowhead, with 19th century holiday readings and more!  USE THE BOOK NOW BUTTON TO RESERVE YOU SPOT - $15 for BCHS members, $20 for non-members Sponsored by Greylock Federal Credit Union

Saturdays, January 25 - March 1  Learn about researching your family tree during this six-session workshop led by Lisa Swigert. Swigert has over forty years of experience in genealogical research  and has been an instructor for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) for four years. The workshop begins on January 25 at the Berkshire Athenaeum from 2 - 3:30 pm and continues via Zoom on five consecutive Saturdays. Cost for the workshop is $100 for BCHS members, $125 for non-members.…

Bring the whole family for a fun winter adventure at Arrowhead! This 1-mile guided hike led by Taylor Staubach of Berkshire Natural Resources Council combines a family-friendly scavenger hunt with an introduction to the historic site by the Berkshire County Historical Society. Together we'll tramp through storied woodlands and catch a glimpse of Mt. Greylock’s snowy silhouette.  FREE event. Trail Details: Easy (gentle pace, minimal elevation gain)  What to Bring: Please remember to bring appropriate clothing (warm, non-cotton layers) and water.…

Enjoy a guided hike led by Charlotte Hood of Berkshire Natural Resources Council. We'll begin with an introduction to the site by the Berkshire County Historical Society. Learn about Melville’s sleigh rides, and see what Mt. Greylock looks in the winter – does it really look like a white whale?   FREE Event Trail Details: Easy (gentle pace, minimal elevation gain)  What to Bring: Please remember to bring appropriate clothing (warm, non-cotton layers) and water. Snowshoes will be available for…

This virtual talk by historian Cynthia Farr Brown will look at some of the stories of the Black men from the Berkshires who served in the Continental Army and as minutemen and militia during the American Revolution, as well as what happened to veterans living in the Berkshires after the war was over. You may have heard of Agrippa Hull, but perhaps not about his comrade in arms Frank Duncan; Bacchus Boardman, who came from the eastern part of Massachusetts,…

 Free event taking place at Hot Plate Brewery in Downtown Pittsfield. Reservations are not required. Pittsfield’s commercial brewing history was over 60 years in the making when, in 1886, Jacob Gimlich, one of the principals of the successful Pittsfield brewery firm Gimlich and White, declared people should “use beer for their refreshment and invigoration in a temperate, manly, proper way.” A part of Pittsfield and Berkshires culture since the English and Dutch came to the area in the early eighteenth…