Melville in Scotland: From the Pacific to Glasgow, to Fife and Beyond
2026-03-01 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Herman Melville is one of the greatest writers in world literature and his own quest to understand more of his Scottish ancestry has been noted but rarely explored to any depth. The Scottish recognition of Melville’s ancestry was established by Hugh MacDiarmid in the 1920s and extends into present-day scholarship and evolving understanding of his significance as a world-traveler, ecological thinker and original initiator of geographical poetics.
For this presentation, Alan Riach, Professor of Scottish Literature at Glasgow University, draws on his reading of Melville’s original works and biography, as well as his own experiences studying and teaching Melville in New Zealand, his personal relationships with Glasgow and Fife, and his visit to Arrowhead. This accessible, illustrated talk is presented via Zoom and brings a new engagement with Melville’s life and work into vivid focus.
FREE, email melville@berkshirehistory.org to receive the zoom link
About Alan Riach
Alan Riach, Professor of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow, is a poet, critic, and one of the leading interpreters of Scotland’s cultural imagination. Born in Airdrie in 1957, he studied at Cambridge and Glasgow before spending over a decade in New Zealand, returning to take up his chair in Scottish literature. His publications span both poetry — This Folding Map, An Open Return, First & Last Songs, Clearances, Homecoming, The Winter Book, and The MacDiarmid Memorandum — and criticism, most notably as General Editor of the Carcanet Collected Works of Hugh MacDiarmid and author of Hugh MacDiarmid’s Epic Poetry and Representing Scotland in Literature, Popular Culture and Iconography. His work continually explores the intersections of literature with art, music, and national identity. Co-authored with Alexander Moffat, Arts of Resistance: Poets, Portraits and Landscapes of Modern Scotland (Luath, 2008), was described in the Times Literary Supplement as ‘a landmark book’ and Riach’s 734-page Scottish Literature: An Introduction (Luath, 2022) was described in The Times as ‘magisterial.’ Beyond his own writing, Riach has been a cultural leader: former Convener of the Saltire Society, he also served as President of the Association for Scottish Literary Studies (2006-2010) and remains active in literary and educational trusts. He has contributed widely to newspapers, debates, and public discussions, championing the role of the arts in shaping Scotland’s sense of self. Combining scholarship with a poet’s sensibility, and rooted in both family and community, Riach embodies the conviction that literature is a living conversation between people, place, and history.

Film: The Sea Beast
2026-03-04 19:00 - 21:00 | Beacon Cinema, 57 North Street, Pittsfield, 01201, United States
This special presentation of the first screen adaptation of Herman Melville’s epic novel Moby-Dick includes an introduction by Professor Richard Matturro. The iconic 1926 silent film stars John Barrymore and Dolores Costello and was directed by Millard Webb. The film, despite taking liberties with Melville’s source material, was a major commercial success and one of the highest grossing films of 1926. This is a rare opportunity to see this film on the big screen at the Beacon Cinema in downtown Pittsfield.
Visit https://berkshirehistory.org/events/ and click BOOK NOW to purchase tickets; $20 for BCHS members, $25 for non-members.

Poor in the Berkshires: Poverty and Public Relief Before 1935
2026-03-26 17:30 - 18:30 | Berkshire Community College, West Street, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
The Pittsfield Town Farm, or Poor Farm, now the site of Berkshire Community College.
In this lecture presented by the Berkshire County Historical Society and The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Cynthia Farr Brown examines questions related to related to poverty and public relief in the Berkshires before 1935. What happened two centuries ago when people had no food, no housing, or no fuel? Where did people go for support? How did they understand poverty? What did law and custom prescribe? What changed over time – and how quickly or slowly? This talk will examine being poor in the Berkshires, from the mid-18th century when Europeans settled in the region, until the depths of the Great Depression. Using primary records, newspaper accounts, and more, we can learn about who was among the poor and how communities both supported and at times chose not to support those in need.
This lecture takes place in the Susan B Anthony Center, room G-12 Berkshire Community College and will be available online. Register for this event here. $10
About Cynthia Farr Brown
Brown is President of the Board of Directors of the Berkshire County Historical Society at Arrowhead. She also serves on the board of the Non-Profit Center of the Berkshires and on the executive committee of Berkshire Educational Resources K12 (BERK12). Brown has a doctorate in United States history and her scholarly publications have included co-editing the institutional history, “Lesley University: Celebrating Excellence 1909-2009”; as well as other publications. She is currently Senior Associate Commissioner for Regulatory and Veterans Affairs at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education.
About OLLI
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College in western Massachusetts is a dynamic learning community with over 1,500 members that offers 200+ programs a year, including five terms of courses, lectures, special events and trips, shared interest groups, and more! Our programs meet both online, and in-person.

Ghosts of Broadhall
2026-04-17 19:00 - 22:00 | Country Club of Pittsfield, 639 South Street, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
SOLD OUT

Robert Oakes, ghost tour guide and author of Ghosts of the Berkshires, will team up with paranormal investigator Drew Babineau, owner of The Haunted Raven, to offer a combined ghost tour and paranormal investigation of the Country Club of Pittsfield
At the start of the evening, Oakes will lead a walk by flashlight through this historic property, sharing accounts of spirit sightings and other strange encounters reported by those who work there. Babineau will then guide guests through an active paranormal investigation, using devices and methods meant to make contact with the spirits and document their presence. At the close of the evening, guests will gather in the Club’s barroom to share stories of their experiences and discuss any findings. Drinks will be available for purchase.
Once known as Broadhall, the Country Club of Pittsfield’s clubhouse is one of the oldest properties in Pittsfield with a long and storied past. During the nineteenth century, it was the home of writer Sarah Morewood, friend to Herman Melville. When the Moby-Dick author lived just next door at Arrowhead, he often stopped by to visit Mrs. Morewood, and some say he may still be calling. Indeed, both Melville’s ghost and that of Mrs. Morewood, as well as others yet unidentified, are said to haunt the house. Many have visited the property throughout its long history, including Alexander Hamilton, President John Tyler, famous literati, and formerly enslaved people. And many have died there, including Mrs. Morewood, as well as seventeen victims of a 1910 ice house explosion, described as the worst disaster in Pittsfield history.
Please be advised that there will be several levels of stairs to climb in dim lighting. Also, this event is not intended for children under 12 years old.
Robert Oakes writes books about ghosts and leads tours in haunted places. He has written three books, The Ghostly Tales of the Berkshires (2023), Ghosts of Northwestern New Jersey (2022), and Ghosts of the Berkshires (2020). Since 2010, Robert has led immersive ghost storytelling experiences at historic locations in the Berkshires, including Ventfort Hall, Edith Wharton’s The Mount, and Herman Melville’s Arrowhead. He encourages guests to step into the unknown, to follow imagination and intuition, and to open up to the many mysteries in our world.
Drew Babineau, owner of The Haunted Raven, is a photographer and paranormal investigator who hosts ghost hunts in some of the most haunted places in the country. He teaches real investigative techniques and strives to give a voice to forgotten spirits. Fascinated by haunted locations and the stories of the departed that reside in them, Babineau aims to bring a profound sense of respect and curiosity to these eerie places. By capturing their essence and narrating their histories, he strives to give the spirits the recognition they deserve.

Arrowhead Opening Day
2026-05-16 11:00 - 16:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes, Pittsfield, MA, United States
Celebrate Arrowhead’s summer opening with free fun for the whole family. Activities include free wagon rides, story hour featuring children’s books based on classic Melville tales, silk screening demonstrations with Penny Arcade Press, and a book launch and signing for Herman Melville in the Berkshires by John Dickson, historian and BCHS volunteer.
FREE EVENT – tours of the historic house are available. Tickets are required, reserve your time by using the BOOK NOW button.
Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides, 11 am – 2 pm – A team from Four Seasons Stables in Lanesboro takes you around Arrowhead’s field.
Silk Screening, 1 – 3 pm – Pittsfield’s Penny Arcarde Press will be on site demonstrating silkscreen printing with water-based ink. Prints made using this traditional, hand-pulled method will be available for purchase in the museum shop.
Children’s Story Hour, 2 pm – Explore new children’s books based on works by Herman Melville – Call Me Moby by Lars Kenseth and Bartleby by Matt Phelan.
Herman Melville in the Berkshires with author John Dickson, 4 pm –The Berkshires have long attracted artists and writers, drawn to the mountains, rivers, forests, and lakes of Western Massachusetts. Herman Melville first came here as a young boy and was so inspired by the surroundings that he returned to live here for thirteen years during one of the most productive writing periods of his life. He finished his masterpiece, Moby-Dick, in his first year here, seated in his study with a view of Mount Greylock. “His first love,” is the way his cousin described his relationship to his adopted home. He wandered on foot and horseback to all corners of the county, tapping into the Berkshires in his art. The places he explored are sprinkled through the pages in his stories. Herman Melville in the Berkshires reveals the connections between Melville’s writing and the beauty of the landscape that inspired him. Sponsored by Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).
About John Dickson
John Dickson serves as Chair of the Pittsfield Historical Commission and is a board member of the Berkshire County Historical Society. He has authored a local history book, Berkshire County’s Industrial Heritage, on the 19th century mills in this corner of Massachusetts. He received a master’s degree in public history having completed a thesis on the Berkshire Athenaeum.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Author Talk – Gail Gelburd
2026-05-20 17:30 - 18:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
The Berkshire County Historical Society welcomes Gail Gelburd to Arrowhead for a talk about her new book, The Liberation of Sue Moody: Slaying Dragons. Based on the journals and letters of former Otis resident Sue Moody, the book is a gripping chronicle of a woman from the Berkshires who, as a journalist in 1939 Paris, endured war, hunger, and constant threats to her safety, yet refused to lose her voice or her sense of identity. Gelburd, a member of the Otis Historical Commission, scoured through boxes of Moody’s papers researching her novel resulting in an authentic telling of lived moments written with the weight of fear, exhaustion, and determination.
Gail Gelburd has a PhD and is an artist and author having written more than a dozen books, mostly about artists . It is their personal story that has inspired her in each of her manuscripts. She has also been a professor and museum director.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $5 for BCHS members, $10 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Author Talk - Barbara Viniar
2026-05-27 17:30 - 18:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Barbara Viniar, author of Little Bird, will discuss her unexpected path to writing historical fiction, inspired by an old photograph of her grandmother. She will talk about combining research and imagination to create the compelling story of a young immigrant who defies societal expectations to lead a fulfilling life.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $5 for BCHS members, $10 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Strange Fancies - Stories of Hauntings and Ghostly Inspiration at Arrowhead, Home of Herman Melville - May 29
2026-05-29 18:00 - 21:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
EVENT CANCELLED

Well-known ghost tour guide Robert Oakes, author of Ghosts of the Berkshires, will discuss the supernatural influences on the imagination of author Herman Melville, as well as the ghostly writings of Melville’s friend and frequent Arrowhead visitor Nathaniel Hawthorne. The talk will be followed by a lantern-lit ghost tour of Melville’s historic home.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets $20 for BCHS members, $25 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This 90-minute program is offered at 6 pm and 8 pm. Choose a time when purchasing your ticket.
About Robert Oakes
Robert Oakes is an author, teacher, storyteller, and performing songwriter. He has written three books, The Ghostly Tales of the Berkshires (2023), Ghosts of Northwestern New Jersey (2022), and Ghosts of the Berkshires (2020), all published by Arcadia Publishing. He has also released numerous recordings of original songs. Since 2010, Robert has led immersive ghost storytelling experiences at historic locations in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, including Ventfort Hall and Edith Wharton’s home, The Mount. He has appeared on Syfy’s Ghost Hunters, Jeff Belanger’s New England Legends series on PBS, and The Apple Seed show on BYUradio and has been featured in The Boston Globe, The Berkshire Eagle, and numerous other media outlets.
To enhance your experience, you may wish to read “The Piazza” by Melville and “Graves and Goblins” by Hawthorne prior to the program.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Author Talk - Julie Dobrow
2026-06-03 17:30 - 18:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Author, biographer and Tufts University professor Julie Dobrow’s new book, Love and Loss After Wounded Knee: A Biography of an Extraordinary Interracial Marriage, tells the complicated story of the lives and marriage of Elaine Goodale and Dr. Charles Alexander Eastman. In this talk, Dubrow will discuss her book and the fascinating way in which she first discovered this story.
Like many star-crossed lovers, it was amazing that Elaine Goodale and, Dr. Charles Alexander Eastman (Ohíye S’a), ever met in the first place. She was a white woman from Mount Washington, Massachusetts, who earned early fame as a childhood poet and was frequently mentioned as a “childhood poetic prodigy of the Berkshires.” Elaine travelled west in 1884 to teach Native American children. Charles was a Santee Dakota who had gone to Dartmouth College and the Boston University School of Medicine. Somehow, they both ended up at the Pine Ridge Agency in South Dakota in December of 1890 and fell in love at first sight. Three weeks later, they announced their engagement. Then the Wounded Knee Massacre changed everything.
About Julie Dobrow
Julie Dobrow is a writer, professor and researcher whose work focuses both on biography and history, and also on children and media. She teaches at Tufts University. Much of her writing and teaching focuses on telling untold and under-told stories and shining new light on them
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $5 for BCHS members, $10 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Melville in Downtown Pittsfield
2026-06-06 11:00 - 12:30 | Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Avenue, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Herman Melville didn’t just stay holed up in his study at Arrowhead. He went to the center of Pittsfield frequently, attended church there and lived off South Street for one year. Check out the places around Park Square that Melville frequented and even used in his writing. Join author and historian John Dickson for an engaging walk around the city center and learn about the places important to Melville. This approximately ninety-minute walk begins at the Berkshire Athenaeum, Wendell Avenue.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $15 for BCHS members, $20 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
About John Dickson
John Dickson serves as Chair of the Pittsfield Historical Commission and was a former board member of the Berkshire County Historical Society. He is author of Berkshire County’s Industrial Heritage, which chronicles the 19th century mills in this corner of Massachusetts. He received a master’s degree in public history having completed a thesis on the Berkshire Athenaeum.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Authors talk and book signing - Ye Trodden Path
2026-06-10 17:30 - 18:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
The Berkshire County Historical Society’s Melville Press celebrates the publication of Ye Trodden Path, a collaboration of local historians and authors Bernard Drew of Great Barrington; Gary Leveille of the Great Barrington Historical Society; Rob Hoogs, Monterey Historical Society; Ron Bernard, Sandisfield Historical Commission; and Tom Ragusa, Otis Historical Commission with a free authors talk and book signing.
Ye Trodden Path commemorates the 250th anniversary of Henry Knox’s epic 300 mile journey from Fort Ticonderoga, New York, to Boston, Massachusetts, delivering artillery to General George Washington to defeat British troops surrounding the city. It looks specifically at the sections of the Knox Trail that traversed the hills and valleys of the Berkshires and includes new scholarship by several historians that adds to and corrects previous accounts of the Noble Train of Artillery. The book details the road’s use before Knox came through, the taverns and people along the way, and how the road has been re-mapped through some of the towns providing a more precise route.
The fifty-six page book includes a a six-foot, color fold-out map considered the definitive route taken by Knox as researched by Tom Ragusa; it is available for purchase online or in the BCHS museum shop.
This event is sponsored by The Feigenbaum Foundation, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and Housatonic Heritage.

Downtown Pittsfield Walk – Neighbors and Strangers
2026-06-13 11:00 - 12:30 | Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Avenue, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Led by Cynthia Farr Brown, Neighbors and Strangers links the “big story” of America’s rapidly changing population during the 19th and early 20th centuries, as European immigrants flocked to the United States to realize opportunities and escape oppression or catastrophe, to a series of sites in downtown Pittsfield. Learn about how Irish, German, French, and Italian immigrants came to Pittsfield, settled themselves and their families, and contributed to the Berkshire community.
This approximately ninety-minute walk begins at the Berkshire Athenaeum, Wendell Avenue.
About Cynthia Farr Brown
Brown is President of the Board of Directors of the Berkshire County Historical Society at Arrowhead. She also serves on the board of the Non-Profit Center of the Berkshires and on the executive committee of Berkshire Educational Resources K12 (BERK12). Brown has a doctorate in United States history and her scholarly publications have included co-editing the institutional history, “Lesley University: Celebrating Excellence 1909-2009”; as well as other publications. She is currently Senior Associate Commissioner for Regulatory and Veterans Affairs at the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $15 for BCHS members, $20 for non-members . Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Wine Tasting - Thomas Jefferson, Wine Lover and Collector
2026-06-17 17:30 - 19:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Thomas Jefferson’s passion for wine began early in his life, but it blossomed during his years in France (1784–1789) as United States Minister. He traveled through Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, the Rhône, and northern Italy, taking meticulous notes. His journals reveal a striking fact: many of the wines he admired some 250 years ago are still produced today!
Join WSET-3 Certified Sommelier Philippe Jeanjean in retracing Jefferson’s journey and experiencing his discoveries through a thoughtfully curated selection of eight wines. Accompanied by an elegant selection of artisanal cheeses and delightful pâtés, this experience promises a celebration of refined flavors and revolutionary spirit.
For this tasting workshop, we will follow Thomas Jefferson’s journey through the vineyards of France and sample some of the wines that shaped his vision. Jefferson hoped the young United States would develop its own wine industry and viewed that ambition as an act of patriotism.
Our journey begins in Burgundy, where Jefferson discovered how carefully tended vineyards could produce Pinot Noir wines that were both elegant and “strong enough to bear transportation [to America].” Traveling south to the Rhône Valley, he came to appreciate the profound influence of terroir, describing its reds as producing “the manliest of wines.” He also fell in love with the whites of the southern Rhône, calling them “the first wine in the world without a single exception.”
Following the Canal du Midi toward Bordeaux, Jefferson praised the wines of Tavel near the Pont du Gard as “excellent and well-priced,” and enjoyed the sparkling wines of Limoux, which he found “much to our taste.”
Seating for this event is limited.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $60 for BCHS members, $65 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by The Feigenbaum Foundation, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and Housatonic Heritage.

Revolution in the Berkshires- Lecture by Carole Owens
2026-06-24 17:30 - 18:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
In Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, twelve of the thirteen colonies voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence (New York abstained). As the colonies declared themselves free and no longer part of the British Empire, what was life like in the Berkshires?
How wide was a road, how long did it take to get from Stockbridge to Philadelphia, how fast could a horse go, and were there any sidewalks? What was life like? How were privileges and responsibilities different for men and for women? Who got married, who was tried for fornication, who was excommunicated, who was jailed, enslaved, and foreclosed upon? In Pittsfield, why was court held in a tavern? Around what issue did the population divide? What were the stats and the stories of this momentous time in our history.
In this free lecture, historian Dr. Carole Owens answers questions about daily colonial life and the Berkshire stories of this momentous time in our history. Free event,
About Dr. Carole Owens
Carole Owens received her doctorate in individual and family therapy. She worked for three decades designing and acting as chief operating officer of mental health programs as well as providing individual clinical services.
After retirement, Owens taught at Berkshire Community College, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and Elderhostel (now Olli). She has lectured all over the country at libraries, museums, and conferences. She is a regular columnist for The Berkshire Eagle and author of 12 published books, 3 in the works. After moving to the Berkshires 50 years ago, she, as so many others, fell in love with Berkshire County. Almost all her books and articles are concentrated on local history.
This event is sponsored by The Feigenbaum Foundation, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and Housatonic Heritage.

Bird Banding - June 25
2026-06-25 07:00 - 10:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Bird banding at Arrowhead allows visitors an up-close opportunity to see birds and watch the process of bird banding. Bird banding allows researchers the opportunity to study a wide array of wild birds in their natural habitat. Arrowhead’s woods, fields and shrubland make it an ideal site to monitor a broad range of breeding bird species. Join the Berkshire Bird Observatory researchers as they leverage the wonder of a bird in the hand to spark a curiosity about the natural world while showcasing ecological interactions that connect us all.
Free, drop in event, weather permitting
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Strange Fancies - Stories of Hauntings and Ghostly Inspiration at Arrowhead - June 26
2026-06-26 17:00 - 21:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Well-known ghost tour guide Robert Oakes, author of Ghosts of the Berkshires, will discuss the supernatural influences on the imagination of author Herman Melville, as well as the ghostly writings of Melville’s friend and frequent Arrowhead visitor Nathaniel Hawthorne. The talk will be followed by a lantern-lit ghost tour of Melville’s historic home.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets $20 for BCHS members, $25 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This 90-minute program is offered at 6 pm and 8 pm. Choose a time when purchasing your ticket.
About Robert Oakes
Robert Oakes is an author, teacher, storyteller, and performing songwriter. He has written three books, The Ghostly Tales of the Berkshires (2023), Ghosts of Northwestern New Jersey (2022), and Ghosts of the Berkshires (2020), all published by Arcadia Publishing. He has also released numerous recordings of original songs. Since 2010, Robert has led immersive ghost storytelling experiences at historic locations in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, including Ventfort Hall and Edith Wharton’s home, The Mount. He has appeared on Syfy’s Ghost Hunters, Jeff Belanger’s New England Legends series on PBS, and The Apple Seed show on BYUradio and has been featured in The Boston Globe, The Berkshire Eagle, and numerous other media outlets.
To enhance your experience, you may wish to read “The Piazza” by Melville and “Graves and Goblins” by Hawthorne prior to the program.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Bird Banding - July 2
2026-07-02 07:00 - 10:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States

What a Glorious Crash They Made: Musick of New England’s Revolution
2026-07-08 17:30 - 18:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Join Richard Franklin Donohue (tenor & harpsichord) as he features a collection of “New Songs” and Hymns published in New England during the American Revolution. From the time of the Stamp Act through the British surrender at Yorktown, New England’s seditious colonists used these works to foment rebellion, commemorate victory, and give thanks for preservation.
Donohue will share his original research and explore this fiery repertoire that, in the words of John Adams, “cultivated the sensations of Freedom.” The program spans the Revolutionary War years with selections like John Dickenson’s Liberty Song, William Billings’ Chester, Thomas Paine’s Liberty Tree, and several popular British tunes with “new” texts reflecting the cause of freedom.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $15 for BCHS members, $20 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by The Feigenbaum Foundation, Massachusetts Cultural Council, and Housatonic Heritage.

Staged Reading of Plays in Progress
2026-07-10 19:00 - 20:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
From July 5 – 9, Playwright, performer and great, great, great granddaughter of Herman Melville, Elizabeth Doss has been working with a group of writers to generate new works for the stage. Join with the workshop participants, their families, and friends for a staged reading of these new plays in progress. A reception will follow.
Free event
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Strange Fancies - Stories of Hauntings and Ghostly Inspiration at Arrowhead - July 11
2026-07-11 18:00 - 21:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States

Bird Banding - July 16
2026-07-16 07:00 - 10:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States

Do You Need to Read the Confidence Man - July 16
2026-07-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Performer, playwright and great, great, great grand daughter of Herman Melville Elizabeth Doss returns to Arrowhead to “talk back” to The Confidence Man, the last published and completed novel by Melville in his lifetime. Set on a steamboat cruising down Mississippi, Doss jumps aboard, probing this text to grapple with her own encounters with “Confidence Men,” not to mention her own flagging confidence, and what the hell Melville is really getting at in his perhaps strangest, most provocative and perplexing text. Still early in its inception Doss asks you, “Do you need to read The Confidence Man?” This one-person performance (hopefully) offers a healthy mixture of insight, ignorance and some stabs at hilarity. Come cheer her on (or boo her off) for at Arrowhead. Directed by Kristin Osborn
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $20 for BCHS members $25 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.
About Elizabeth Doss
Elizabeth Doss is a writer, performer, director and playwright based in Austin, Texas. She is a Co-artistic director of the theatre collective Paper Chairs, which has produced world premieres of her original plays Murder Ballad Murder Mystery, Hillcountry Underbelly, Mast, Poor Herman and Catalina de Erauso. Paper Chairs has also produced her translation/ adaptations of Federico Garcia Lorca’s, The Audience and The Divine Narcissus by Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz. Her play Slumber Party, was featured as part of the UTNT new theatre festival in March 2017 and Theatre En Bloc produced her play Severe Weather Warningat the Long Center in May 2019. Doss holds a BA in Spanish and an MFA in Playwriting, both from the University of Texas at Austin. She played herself and Herman Melville in Mark Blumberg’s film, The Act of Reading. And her personal essay, “What Poor Herman Means to Me” was published in Leviathan in 2022. Most recently, Paper Chairs co-produced Poor Herman at Arrowhead 2024 which played to sold-out audiences. As a performer she performs with Austin companies including Salvage Vanguard (Cry Pitch Carols, Americamisfit), Rude Mechs (Dionysus in ‘69, B Beaver Animation, Fixing TImon of Athens) Theatre en Bloc (The Totalitarians.) She’s currently developing a new solo work, Do You Need to Read the Confidence Man?, which will premiere in Austin and the Berkshire summer 2026.
About Kristen Osborn
Kristen Osborn is an Austin-based director and creative producer who creates immersive stories that nurture human connection and spark wonder, curiosity, and joy. Her work spans film, theater, magic and live performance, blending narrative, interactivity, and community engagement. Currently, Kristen collaborates with Texas film company Sailor Bear on film development and production, most recently contributing to the soon-to-be-released Mother Mary with A24. Her live work includes projects such as In & Of Itself (Daryl Roth Theatre, The Geffen Playhouse, Hulu), Dear Dickies (Mi Casa Es Tu Teatro Festival, Hyde Park Theater), Group Therapy (American Dance Festival, Fusebox Festival), and A Recipe for Action (Rainwater Innovation Grant Recipient, University of Texas at Austin). Her most recent immersive work was showcased at SXSW in collaboration with Whole Foods and Food Tank. She is an ensemble member of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble in Chicago, holds a BA in Theater from UCLA, an MFA in Directing from UT Austin, and is a graduate of the Texas Immersive Institute.

Do You Need to Read the Confidence Man - July 17
2026-07-17 19:00 - 20:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Performer, playwright and great, great, great grand daughter of Herman Melville Elizabeth Doss returns to Arrowhead to “talk back” to The Confidence Man, the last published and completed novel by Melville in his lifetime. Set on a steamboat cruising down Mississippi, Doss jumps aboard, probing this text to grapple with her own encounters with “Confidence Men,” not to mention her own flagging confidence, and what the hell Melville is really getting at in his perhaps strangest, most provocative and perplexing text. Still early in its inception Doss asks you, “Do you need to read The Confidence Man?” This one-person performance (hopefully) offers a healthy mixture of insight, ignorance and some stabs at hilarity. Come cheer her on (or boo her off) for at Arrowhead. Directed by Kristin Osborn
An audience talkback with Elizabeth Doss immediately follows the program.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $20 for BCHS members $25 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.
About Elizabeth Doss
Elizabeth Doss is a writer, performer, director and playwright based in Austin, Texas. She is a Co-artistic director of the theatre collective Paper Chairs, which has produced world premieres of her original plays Murder Ballad Murder Mystery, Hillcountry Underbelly, Mast, Poor Herman and Catalina de Erauso. Paper Chairs has also produced her translation/ adaptations of Federico Garcia Lorca’s, The Audience and The Divine Narcissus by Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz. Her play Slumber Party, was featured as part of the UTNT new theatre festival in March 2017 and Theatre En Bloc produced her play Severe Weather Warningat the Long Center in May 2019. Doss holds a BA in Spanish and an MFA in Playwriting, both from the University of Texas at Austin. She played herself and Herman Melville in Mark Blumberg’s film, The Act of Reading. And her personal essay, “What Poor Herman Means to Me” was published in Leviathan in 2022. Most recently, Paper Chairs co-produced Poor Herman at Arrowhead 2024 which played to sold-out audiences. As a performer she performs with Austin companies including Salvage Vanguard (Cry Pitch Carols, Americamisfit), Rude Mechs (Dionysus in ‘69, B Beaver Animation, Fixing TImon of Athens) Theatre en Bloc (The Totalitarians.) She’s currently developing a new solo work, Do You Need to Read the Confidence Man?, which will premiere in Austin and the Berkshire summer 2026.
About Kristen Osborn
Kristen Osborn is an Austin-based director and creative producer who creates immersive stories that nurture human connection and spark wonder, curiosity, and joy. Her work spans film, theater, magic and live performance, blending narrative, interactivity, and community engagement. Currently, Kristen collaborates with Texas film company Sailor Bear on film development and production, most recently contributing to the soon-to-be-released Mother Mary with A24. Her live work includes projects such as In & Of Itself (Daryl Roth Theatre, The Geffen Playhouse, Hulu), Dear Dickies (Mi Casa Es Tu Teatro Festival, Hyde Park Theater), Group Therapy (American Dance Festival, Fusebox Festival), and A Recipe for Action (Rainwater Innovation Grant Recipient, University of Texas at Austin). Her most recent immersive work was showcased at SXSW in collaboration with Whole Foods and Food Tank. She is an ensemble member of Rivendell Theatre Ensemble in Chicago, holds a BA in Theater from UCLA, an MFA in Directing from UT Austin, and is a graduate of the Texas Immersive Institute.

Do You Need to Read the Confidence Man - July 18
2026-07-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States

Bird Banding - July 23
2026-07-23 07:00 - 10:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States

The Mastheads Lantern Party
2026-07-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
From July 7-July 28, five writers across disciplines, from throughout the country, have been invited to live in Pittsfield and work in The Mastheads studios at Arrowhead. BYO picnic to Melville’s lawn for a performance by the five residents, followed by drinks, oysters, and lantern-lit studio walks.
$10 suggested donation
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

The Ghosts of Broadhall: Ghost Tour and Paranormal Investigation of the Country Club of Pittsfield
2026-07-25 19:00 - 23:00 | Country Club of Pittsfield, 639 South Street, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Robert Oakes, ghost tour guide and author of Ghosts of the Berkshires, will team up with paranormal investigator Drew Babineau, The Haunted Raven, to offer a combined ghost tour and paranormal investigation of the Country Club of Pittsfield.
This will be the second combined ghost tour and paranormal investigation at the Club. The first one in April yielded some very intriguing experiences and evidence, including a compelling image captured in one of the second-floor rooms. We’re excited to see what the next one brings!
At the start of the evening, Robert will lead a walk by flashlight through this historic property, sharing accounts of spirit sightings and other strange encounters reported by those who work there. Then, Drew will guide guests through an active paranormal investigation, using devices and methods meant to make contact with the spirits and document their presence. At the close of the evening, guests will gather to share stories of their experiences and discuss any findings. Refreshments will be served and are included in the $60 ticket price.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets.
About Broadhall
Once known as Broadhall, the Country Club of Pittsfield’s clubhouse is one of the oldest properties in town with a long and storied past. During the nineteenth century, it was the home of writer Sarah Morewood, friend to Herman Melville. When the Moby-Dick author lived just next door at Arrowhead, he often stopped by to visit Morewood, and some say he may still be calling. Indeed, both Melville’s ghost and that of Mrs. Morewood are said to haunt the house, as well as others yet unidentified. Many have visited the property throughout its long history, including Alexander Hamilton, President John Tyler, famous literati, and formerly enslaved people. And many have died there, including Mrs. Morewood, as well as 17 victims of a 1910 ice house explosion, described as the worst disaster in Pittsfield history.
About the Presenters
Robert Oakes writes books about ghosts and leads tours in haunted places. He has written three books, The Ghostly Tales of the Berkshires (2023), Ghosts of Northwestern New Jersey (2022), and Ghosts of the Berkshires (2020). Since 2010, Robert has led immersive ghost storytelling experiences at historic locations in the Berkshires, including Ventfort Hall, Edith Wharton’s The Mount, and Herman Melville’s Arrowhead. Robert encourages guests to step into the unknown, to follow imagination and intuition, and to open up to the many mysteries in our world.
Drew Babineau, owner of The Haunted Raven, is a photographer and paranormal investigator who hosts ghost hunts in some of the most haunted places in the country. He teaches real investigative techniques and strives to give a voice to forgotten spirits. Fascinated by haunted locations and the stories of the departed that reside in them, Drew aims to bring a profound sense of respect and curiosity to these eerie places. By capturing their essence and narrating their histories, he strives to give the spirits the recognition they deserve.
Explore this unfolding mystery, and discover for yourself whether Melville or Morewood—or others unknown—are haunting Broadhall.
Please note: There will be several floors of stairs to climb in dim lighting. Also, this event is not intended for children under 12. Please arrive 10-15 minutes early to check in.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Bird Banding - July 30
2026-07-30 07:00 - 10:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States

Alex Harvey and Shinbone Alley
2026-08-01 19:00 - 20:00 | Arrowhead, 780 Holmes Road, Pittsfield, MA, 01201, United States
Celebrate Herman Melville’s birthday with a rousing evening of sea shanties and street ballads performed by Arrowhead favorite Alex Harvey and Shinbone Alley. You’ll be encouraged to sing along and we’ll celebrate with birthday cake.
Come early and picnic on the grounds and step into the tavern and warm up those swashbuckling vocal chords with a selection of hard ciders from Berkshire Cider Project and beer from Hot Plate Brewing for sale during the event.
Alex Harvey is an old-world folklorist who performs street ballads and songs of the sea in a project he calls Shinbone Alley. At his performances listeners learn to celebrate the haunting intercultural exchange of 18th and 19th century maritime music – whose ingredients travelled from the furthest corners of the globe to be remade and stitched anew by sailors of every shade and shape at port and at sea. By encouraging the audience to join in on most of the tunes in his concerts, Harvey and his Shinbone Alley build bridges of time through communal singing. From Sea Shanties to Broadsheet ballads to Come-All-Ye’s to Last Good Nights to Hard Luck Satires to Lovesick Dirges to Whaling Serenades – this music was meant as the earliest form of group therapy. And so it is again – a sepia-toned balm for our topsy-turvy time.
Use the BOOK NOW button to purchase tickets, $15 for BCHS members, $20 for non-members. Become a member and start receiving discounts on event tickets.
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Monument Mountain Hike
2026-08-02 09:00 - 11:30 | Monument Mountain, Rte 7, Great Barrington, MA, United States
Celebrate the day (August 4, 1850) Melville met Nathaniel Hawthorne on a hike up Monument Mountain by joining BCHS for a similar hike and reading of local poet William Cullen Bryant’s Monument Mountain. The guided hike takes approximately 2 ½ hours and is appropriate for families.
Hikers should meet at the Monument Mountain Reservation Parking lot on Route 7 in Great Barrington and should be prepared with their own water, proper footwear, hiking gear and bug repellent. Parking is free for members of The Trustees of Reservations.
FREE event
This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.
