Past Events

Join historian Robert Hoogs as we explore the historic Woods Cemetery. Take a walking tour of the oldest cemetery in Monterey where Rev. Adonijah Bidwell and two of his wives are buried along with many of the early settlers of what was once Township #1 (modern day Tyringham and Monterey). Meet at the Bidwell House Museum parking lot at the end of Art School Road. We will carpool from there to the cemetery as parking is limited on Beartown Mountain…

Join licensed leader Kathleen Schoenberg on a new adventure in ecotherapy. Start your Sunday with a guided, gentle stroll on the peaceful nature trail at Arrowhead. Forest bathing can elevate your mood, reduce stress and improve your health. The walk will be less than a mile and includes several breaks for meditation and mindful activities. The term “forest bathing” emerged in Japan in the 1980s as a physiological and psychological exercise called shinrin-yoku (“forest bathing” or “taking in the forest…

Continue celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a first-of-its-kind Dia De Los Muertos event in the heart of the Berkshires! Hot Plate Brewing, a local Latina-owned brewery will host The Community Ofrenda event in partnership with Latinas413 and the Berkshire County Historical Society. The community will come together to honor the history of Dia De Los Muertos and our shared experiences. The event will be held at Hot Plate’s taproom, located 1 School Street in Pittsfield. Doors open at 3:30 pm.…

Join us at the historic Country Club of Pittsfield for a talk about the house, its famous residents and visitors including Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, John Tyler, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Elkanah Watson, General Benjamin Lincoln, and more. Also hear the ghost story of Sarah Morewood’s haunting. Refreshments will be served. $30 BCHS and Country Club of Pittsfield members, $35 non-members Use the BOOK NOW button to reserve tickets.  This event is sponsored by Greylock Federal Credit…

Join us online to learn about the fascinating history of whaling captains of color with author, Skip Finley. In his fascinating book Whaling Captains of Color, America’s First Meritocracy, Mr. Finley covers such topics as Ambergris and rats, while intertwining the individual stories of more than fifty whaling masters of color, their adventures, successes, and struggles. Whaling was the first American industry to exhibit any diversity, and the proportion of men of color was high. A man got to be…

Celebrate the winter season at Arrowhead with a cozy tea in the historic house. Traditional tea with all the accompaniments provided by Kate Baldwin, with readings by local author Kevin O’Hara. $25 BCHS members, $30 non-members Use the BOOK NOW button to reserve tickets. About Kevin O’Hara O’Hara is the author of Last of The Donkey Pilgrims, about his travels with Missie the donkey around Ireland; A Lucky Irish Lad, about his boyhood; Ins and Outs of a Locked Ward,…

Country Club of Pittsfield, Collection of BCHS Join us at the historic Country Club of Pittsfield for the Berkshire County Historical Society annual meeting. The meeting will include an overview of 2023 BCHS activities by Executive Director Lesley Herzberg as well as election of directors and officers for 2024. The meeting is free and open to the public; no reservation  required. A reception immediately follows the meeting from 5 - 6 pm.  Hot and cold appetizers will be served and…

Shop the Berkshire County Historical Society museum shop and get great gifts for family and friends while supporting the work of BCHS. Can't wait for December 16? Shop the online store here. Don't forget - Members receive a 10% discount on all purchases. Not a member yet?  Click here to join, or sign up on December 16.  Got writer's block? Looking to make a fashion statement? Need to wake up your morning coffee routine?   Looking for books by local…