Pittsfield

by Susan Eisley, The Berkshire County Historical Society

Pittsfield is truly the heart of the Berkshires. The Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts have long been a cultural mecca and an area of exceptional natural beauty, and Pittsfield, the area's largest community, has always been at the center. The town was the adopted home of such literary luminaries as Oliver Wendell Holmes and Herman Melville, who wrote his classic novel Moby-Dick at his home, Arrowhead. The common at the center of town, now known as Park Square, was the site of the first agricultural fair ever held in the United States. The town's commerce and industry have fueled the region from the early days when Arthur Scholfield operated the only wool-carding machine in America, to the city's more recent role as an innovator in the electrical industry. Pittsfield celebrates the scenic beauty, the cultural heritage, and the inventiveness of the people and places of the town using nearly two hundred vintage images. Inside find Pittsfield's famous sons and daughters, scenic novelties like Balance Rock, the diving horses that performed at Pontoosuc Lake, and the famous trolley wreck that almost killed Pres. Theodore Roosevelt. Also see images from 1850 to 1950 that document life in Pittsfield and illustrate the town's pivotal role in the cultural and economic life of the Berkshires.