Berkshire County Historical Society Celebrates Plant a Tree Day

11:45AM / Wednesday, September 27, 2023Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Join the Berkshire County Historical Society on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 5:30 pm as they celebrate Plant a Tree Day with a ceremonial planting of a young American elm "Jefferson" on Park Square.

The tree will be planted to honor the Berkshires' first known environmentalist Lucretia Williams. Williams threw herself before the woodsman's axe to save a towering elm known as the Pittsfield Elm on Park Square in 1789.

"BCHS is very grateful to the Pittsfield Parks Department and George and Alice Wislocki for helping make this possible, said Executive Director Lesley Herzberg. "It is a fitting and lasting tribute to Lucretia Williams whose story resonates with us today over one hundred years after her efforts to save the Pittsfield Elm."

This free event is open to the public.

Tags: park square, trees,

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Summer Wrapping Up for Pittsfield, Berkshire Students

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:19PM / Sunday, August 23, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Students in Pittsfield and beyond are enjoying their last days of summer before classes begin.

Most Berkshire County teachers return to work this month, and students follow in late August and early September.

For Pittsfield Public Schools, staff returns on Aug. 26 and students' first day is Aug. 31; pre-kindergarten and kindergarten begin school on Sept. 2.

Labor Day is on Monday, Sept. 7.

"The summer is pretty much done, and we will be ready and excited to open the doors in about two and a half weeks,” Superintendent Latifah Phillips told the School Committee on Wednesday.

Phillips is returning this year as the permanent superintendent. She was appointed the interim superintendent last spring, and the School Committee voted to hire her permanently in June.

This year also brings the middle school restructuring, moving fifth grade to the middle school level, and the retirement of Morningside Community School.

Welcome night for Reid Middle School students new to the building is on Aug. 18 at 6 p.m.; Herberg will have a sixth-grade welcome night at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 25, and at the same time on Aug. 26 for fifth grade.

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