Pittsfield to preserve house of black leader

By Bill SamplePrint Story | Email Story
Samuel Harrison (Submitted photo)
PITTSFIELD – City officials are predicting the Harrison house on Third Street can become a museum honoring a locally famous African-American leader, after successful overtures have been made to place it on the National Register of Historic Places and transfer its ownership. The house of Rev. Samuel Harrison, abandoned and falling into decay, was placed on a list of structures slated for destruction two years ago by a city committed to neighborhood revitalization. As a matter of routine, the city submitted the list to the Massachusetts Historical Commission for its review. The commission wrote back on Oct 21, 2002, stating that the house at 82 Third St. was a “historic and archaeological asset of the Commonwealth” and that it was eligible for the National Register of Historic Places under three separate categories of historic significance. “It’s like finding treasure in your back yard,” said Mark Amuso, the city’s community development director. “When we got that letter, I started reading about who Rev. Harrison was. I was surprised to find how courageous and outspoken he was, and how far he got after being born into slavery. This is a very important development for the city. We have found a figure we can be proud of that bridges social and racial divisions. We have pledged funds to immediately preserve and protect the site.” Linda Tyer, Ward 3 city councilor, in whose ward the house sits, has become involved in a group that has pledged to save and restore the homestead of the fiery preacher. “I am 100 percent sure we can get funding from several sources to preserve, protect and restore this historic house,” Tyer said this week. “We have a verbal agreement with the city for funding the first step, which is to stabilize and protect the property from further decay.” Born a slave in 1818, Harrison is not that well known by the general public, but those who know the story of his life have described him in terms of awe and greatness. In a life guided by integrity, humbleness, and a never-ending quest for social justice, Harrison took on the giant forces in 19th century America that were determined to continue the institution of slavery. At risk to his own safety, Harrison persevered and sacrificed from a young age so that he could become educated. For 10 years prior to the Civil War he was the pastor of the Second Congregational Church here. He raised a family and borrowed enough money to build the small house on Third Street. He became a commissioned officer of the Union Army in the capacity of chaplain for the Massachusetts 54th Regiment in 1863, the story of which is told in the movie “Glory.” He later railed against the unequal pay and discrimination heaped upon black Union soldiers who had fought and died to secure their families’ freedoms. He died in 1900 and is buried in Pittsfield Cemetery. Tyer is involved with a group of historians, public officials and clergy from the city who are rapidly moving to form a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission will be to guide the preservation and restoration project. “To receive funding from the federal, state and local levels for this type of project, it must be administered by a legal nonprofit organization, and we are forming that organization as we speak,” Tyer said. “The house is within the Morningside Community Revitalization zone, and we also can expect funding from the Massachusetts Historical Commission and from several sources at the federal level, including the National Park Service.” The house is owned by Boston resident Ruth Edmonds Hill, Harrison’s great granddaughter. She is the oral history librarian at Radcliffe University in Cambridge. She and her husband, entertainer Blue Hill, recently attended a meeting in Pittsfield with Mayor James Ruberto and other city officials to discuss a possible transfer of ownership, either to the city or to the nonprofit group tentatively named Friends of the Samuel Harrison House. Heather Eagan, a member of the Pittsfield Historic Commission who attended the meeting, said a verbal agreement with the Massachusetts Historical Commission will provide for a matching grant for preservation and restoration of the Harrison house once the nonprofit group is legally established. “Those grants can reach up to a total of $500,000,” Eagan said. “This property is something very important for the city of Pittsfield to preserve.” Ivan Newton, historian of the Second Congregational Church, described the life story of Harrison as a “cultural treasure.” He said that doing research for the project was difficult because there are few recorded documents and records of black history during that time period. He appealed to the public at large to bring forward any written or anecdotal records or artifacts of black history they may be aware of to fill in several large gaps of knowledge of black history in the Berkshires between the years 1800 and 1900.
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Senior Golf Series Returns in September

Community submission
PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- The Berkshire County Fall Senior Golf series returns in September with events on five consecutive Wednesdays starting Sept. 18.
 
It is the 22nd year of the series, which is a fund-raiser for junior golf in the county, and it is open to players aged 50 and up.
 
The series will feature two divisions for each event based on the combined ages of the playing partners.
 
Golfers play from the white tees (or equivalent) with participants 70 and over or who have a handicap of more than 9 able to play from the forward tees.
 
Gross and net prices will be available in each division.
 
The cost is $55 per event and includes a round of golf, food and prizes. Carts are available for an additional fee.
 
Golfers should call the pro shop at the course for that week's event no sooner than two weeks before the event to register.
 
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