Past Events

 Join author and historian Aaron Sachs for a free book signing and discussion of his latest book Up from the Depths: Herman Melville, Lewis Mumford, and Rediscovery in Dark Times (Princeton University Press) on Wednesday, September 28 at 5:30 pm. Sachs will be joined in discussion at Arrowhead by author and former University of Albany professor of literature Richard Matturro.  Aaron Sachs is professor of history and American studies at Cornell University. He is the author of The Humboldt Current: Nineteenth-Century…

Where can you find a personal friend of two U.S. Presidents, an attorney who invented a railroad brake, the Father of Archaeological Photography, two physicians who started a school and an eyewitness to President Lincoln’s delivery of the Gettysburg Address? Join veteran historian and guide Paul W. Marino for a walk through one of the historic cemeteries of northern Berkshire County. Children are welcome as a treasure hunt will accompany the tour. Please wear sensible walking shoes and meet at…

The Stockbridge Cemetery has been the burial site of Stockbridge residents for over 270 years. Join historian Elizabeth Dillman as we visit the headstones of notable residents and discuss their contributions to the town, the country and the world. And, of course, we’ll visit the Sedgwick Pie! (Rain date: Sunday, October 16, 2pm) Click here for tickets - $10 members, $15 non-members This event is sponsored by Greylock Federal Credit Union.

 Join us at Arrowhead on a crisp fall afternoon to celebrate the history of cider-making in Berkshire County.  During this walk you will learn about BCHS's new orchard and partnership with the Berkshire Cider Project. You will walk through the seedlings with orchardist Keegan Schelling and learn about the heirloom apple varieties, expected yields, and grafting practices utilized in the project. Kat Hand and Matt Brogan, owners of  the Berkshire Cider Project, will be on hand with a tasting of…

Join actress and Arrowhead docent Francine Ciccarelli as she portrays Herman Melville’s wife Elizabeth and leads a special virtual tour of her house sharing anecdotes about life at Arrowhead, her children, her gardens, and her work as Herman’s copyist. $10 for BCHS members; $15 for non-members.  Click here to reserve. This project is sponsored by the Mass Humanities Bridge Street Foundation and is sponsored by Greylock Federal Credit Union.  

We all probably remember grandmothers or aunts who had “Antimacassars” or lace crocheted covers that protected the arms of chairs and sofas from wear and tear. This lace is created by working chains and other tall stitches to create beautiful openwork patterns. During this two-day workshop you will learn about various stitches, tension, and work on two specific projects. In our first class, we will get acquainted with the stitches to be used and practicing tension. Crochet tension describes how…

Take a virtual tour of Arrowhead, with a focus on its architecture.  Themes will include how Arrowhead looked when Herman Melville and his family lived there, the changes over its 230-year history, and how the Berkshire County Historical Society has worked to preserve the site where Melville wrote Moby-Dick and three other novels, all of his short stories, and his initial works of poetry.  The tour will be lead by John Dickson, Arrowhead docent and Chair of the Pittsfield Historical…

In this second class of this two-part workshop, you will work with size 10 crochet thread and a steel size “1” crochet hook. The project will be a crocheted snowflake. We will be using some of the same stitches used in the first project in addition to learning some new ones.  Lace can be crocheted using any size yarn or thread. Once you’ve accomplished the second project, you can try smaller thread and crochet hooks to make even more intricate/delicate…