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…

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.  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…

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…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.  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…

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…

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…

From July 6 - 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.

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.  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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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.

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…

Celebrate Herman Melville's birthday with a rousing evening of sea shanties and street blades performed bu Arrowhead favorite Alex Harvey and Shinbone Alley.  You'll be encouraged to sing along and we'll celebrate with birthday cake. 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…

BCHS welcomes historian Ben Haley to discuss the fascinating, but not well-known story of the creation of the Knox Trail. The six-week endeavor by twenty-five year-old Henry Knox to haul artillery from Ticonderoga to Cambridge early in the Revolution is now a fairly well-known story, but was obscure until the early 20th century. In April 1925, the Massachusetts Legislature established a three-person commission to find and mark Knox's route. By the end of the year, the commission determined that they…

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.  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…

Join our friends from Crane Museum of Papermaking for free papermaking demonstrations, hands on papermaking and a Crane paper sale. Don't miss the lecture Crane Paper, A Legacy in Every Sheet on August 19. FREE EVENT This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

Join our friends from Crane Museum of Papermaking for free papermaking demonstrations, hands on papermaking and a Crane paper sale. Don't miss the lecture Crane Paper, A Legacy in Every Sheet on August 19. FREE EVENT This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.

$5, Silver Certificate, series 1899, on Crane paper. This talk Highlights the rich history of Crane papermaking in the Berkshires and beyond, from its origins in rag-based handmade paper production to modern machine manufacturing. Dennis Croughwell, a fourth generation Crane employee and Crane Museum of Papermaking Museum Educator, will share stories of papermaking from Crane paper connections to the American Revolution to the hidden features in modern currency paper, including Crane’s role in producing secure paper for United States currency.…

Join our friends from Crane Museum of Papermaking for free papermaking demonstrations, hands on papermaking and a Crane paper sale. FREE EVENT This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.