image description — This monument was installed in 1951 on West Main Street to mark the location of the North Adams Iron Co., which smelted iron for the Union's first ironclad ship.

North Adams Marking Monitor Anniversary

07:43PM / Friday, March 02, 2012Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Celebrations are being held all over the country in honor of the 150th anniversary of various Civil War battles and events. It is always nice to have a local connection.

The public is invited to attend when North Adams holds its own commemoration on Friday, March 9, at 1:30 p.m. for the sesquicentennial of the battle of the first ironclads the Monitor and the Merrimac.

The North Adams Iron Co. smelted pig iron from Furnace Hill and the Paul farm in the Notch and shipped it to a foundry in Troy, N.Y., to be used in making plates for the turret of the USS Monitor, the Union ironclad. The North Adams Historical Society will sponsor the laying of a patriotic wreath as well as pertinent readings by members at the Monitor Monument on West Main Street, the site of the former foundry.

Special guest will be Brian Ferris, who as a 5-year-old in 1951, was pictured in the North Adams Transcript when the plaque was completed and installed. His father ran Everybody's Market then close by at 19 West Main. The local monument was dedicated Dec. 10, 1951, because of the efforts of Clara Beckley, granddaughter of John Beckley of Canaan Conn., owner of the iron company in the 1850s and 1860s.

Robert Campanile will present the "Monitor vs. the Merrimac" as part of his regular weekly series of talks at the Visitors Museum at Western Gateway Heritage State Park on Saturday, March 10, at 3.

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North Adams Housing Authority Director Steps Down

Staff Reports09:16AM / Friday, October 09, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Jennifer Hohn, the longtime executive director of the North Adams Housing Authority (NAHA), has stepped down after 24 years with the agency.

The Berkshire Eagle reported that Hohn resigned from her position on Thursday. The NAHA Board of Commissioners is currently developing a transition plan.

Her resignation follows rising tension between Hohn and the tenants association. Residents—particularly at the Spring and Ashland Park apartments—have raised specific concerns regarding building security, drug activity, and trespassers.

This summer, Tenants Association President Corey Fortin posted a video on social media demonstrating that door alarms in some of the buildings were not functioning.

Shortly after the video was posted, the tenants association's office was locked. Members alleged Hohn locked the space in retaliation, while Hohn maintained it was a matter of tenant safety. Hohn also stated that NAHA does not officially recognize the association because it has yet to go through official channels for certification—a claim the tenants association disputes.

The dispute culminated in plans for a formal grievance hearing between Hohn and the association. Both sides agreed to hold a meeting on Oct. 3, but the hearing had not yet been scheduled at the time of her resignation.
During her tenure as director, Hohn oversaw significant changes at NAHA, including expansion and the dissolution of Housing Opportunities Incorporated, a program founded over 30 years ago to assist first-time homebuyers. Most recently, she led efforts to transition NAHA properties from traditional public housing models to the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. She also directed the rebuilding of a Greylock Valley Apartments building after it was severely damaged by a fire.

The NAHA Board of Commissioners meets monthly, typically on Mondays.

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