Berkshire County Historical Society

CSA Farming 101 Class
2015-05-23 16:00 - 17:30 (America/New_York) | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes, Pittsfield, MA, United States
The farm at Arrowhead, now in its second year, is officially a replica in style of the agricultural work Melville had in motion during the thirteen years he and his family lived in Pittsfield. Crops will become available as the season progresses, many of them the same varietals Melville planted for his family’s use. This free CSA.101 event is for anyone interested in what a CSA (Community Supported Agricultural project) is and how it works. Led by Farm Manager Kristen Laney it is the first of ten special farm oriented events this season, the Year of the Farm.
Saturday, May 23 | 4pm | Arrowhead | 780 Holmes Road | 413-442-1793 | FREE Arrowhead CSA Members; $10 Other CSA Members; $15 Non-Members

Opening Day of the Summer Season
2015-05-23 09:30 - 17:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Arrowhead will open for tours! A Touch of Melville Gold – En Plein Air painting event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Berkshire County Historical Society purchasing Arrowhead. The painting event is all day long with artists including Robert Selkowitz, Julie McCarthy, Keith Emerling, Karen Arp Sandel, and Diane Firtell. FREE to participate, and FREE to watch. House tours will be the usual $13/adult; free to Society members.

Annual Meeting
2015-05-06 18:00 - 21:00 | Country Club of Pittsfield, 639 South St., Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Annual Meeting of the Berkshire Historical Society will be held on May 6, 2015 at the Pittsfield Country Club. Enjoy a fabulous buffet dinner, learn what’s going on and hear Farmer Kristen Laney talk about growth and success at the Arrowhead Farm. Cost $30 per person – make your reservations early!

Come Volunteer at Arrowhead!
2015-04-30 13:30 - 15:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
For all past and future volunteers, there is a reception on April 30 at 1:30. Learn about all the volunteer opportunities at the Historical Society and Arrowhead. Bring a friend! Call 413/442-1793 x10.

Exhibit: Close to the Skin: A Revealing Look at Lingerie
2015-04-06 | MA
Exhibit open 11am to 3pm, Friday through Monday from February 13 through May 4.
From the collections of the Berkshire Historical Society come 200 years of Berkshire Lingerie. See “what your GrandMama wore” when she was courted by your GrandDad; learn the truth about the undergarments of the generations that created the community we live in, the difficulties, the beauties and the grandeur of clothing not meant to be seen by anyone else.
At Arrowhead. $12 admission.
Guest Curator: Ned Lazaro, Associate Curator for Textiles, Historic Deerfield, Inc.

Exhibit: Close to the Skin: A Revealing Look at Lingerie - closed today
2015-04-05 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Sorry – Arrowhead is closed Sunday, April 5.

Winter Exhibit: "Close to the Skin: A Revealing Look at Lingerie"
2015-04-03 - 2015-04-04, 2015-02-13 - 2015-02-16 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States

Writing Workshop
2015-03-27 13:30 - 17:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Writing workshop led by Arrowhead writer-in-residence Jana Laiz. Sorry – sold out! For information about future workshops, please contact us.

A "Revealing" Fashion Parade
2015-02-14 16:30 - 18:00 | Shire City Sanctuary, 40 Melville St., Pittsfield, 01201, United States
A Revealing Lingerie Parade – 10 women wearing 10 lingerie outfits from 10 different eras by 10 different designers. Under the guiding eye of designer/historian Joan Degusto ten models will parade the exotic, erotic
and often cumbersome outfits of the period 1780 through 1920.
See what not even most husbands were allowed to see as our local ladies provide a glimpse into the part of life that made women beautiful and attractive and often subsumed with pain. Admission $25 ($30 at the door). Includes refreshments.
At Shire City Sanctuary, 40 Melville Street, Pittsfield, MA. Dinner and dance to follow (purchase tickets separately).
Saturday, February 14th, 2015 at 4:30; $25 in advance ($30 at the door).
To make reservations, e-mail lingerie@berkshirehistory.org

Stay after the show for a dinner party and dance – sponsored by Shire City.
6:30 Dinner Party – $25 (reservation required)
8:00 Dance Party w/ DJ BFG – $10 (pay at the door)
For more info about the dinner and dance go to www.ShireCitySanctuary.com

Melville Trail
2014-10-26 08:00 - 2014-11-30 20:00 | MA
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.

Poets Wanted!
2014-10-21 08:00 - 20:00 | MA
J. Peter Bergman, author, poet, playwright and critic will be hosting a monthly poetry workshop at Herman Melville’s Arrowhead, beginning in late November. The group will meet once a month through June, 2015 for poetry challenges. A chapbook of new poetry may result from the work. Bergman ran a similar, successful workshop for six years at Edna St. Vincent Millay’s Steepletop which resulted in six books in the “zephyr” series. Public readings will follow in June.
Applicants should send three poems(no author’s names on them) for a blind selection along with a cover letter from the author. deadline for the applications is Wednesday, November 5th. Fee for the workshop is $55. All sessions will be mid-week evening gatherings. For more information contact Peter Bergman at 413.442.1793 × 14.

Made in Berkshire: Papermaking at Eaton, Crane and Pike
2014-05-25 11:00 - 2014-10-31 17:00 | MA
On the 2014 theme of“Art & Industry”, a new photographic exhibit, “Made in Berkshire: Papermaking at Eaton, Crane and Pike” will open in the small barn. Once again, Al DeMaio has created a striking display using glassplate negatives done by Edwin Hale Lincoln and others. This collection of photographs from July, 1918 (can you spot the calendar?) shows workers and machinery at Eaton, Crane and Pike, then housed in the Clock Tower Building. Join us at 11:00 am on Sunday , May 25th, as Mr. DeMaio opens the exhibit to the public and talks about the photos and his selection process. Free.
