The African American Heritage Trail has 48 sites in 29 Massachusetts and Connecticut towns that showcase the history and context of African Americans who played crucial roles in the region, United States, and world.
"You will experience the impact and contributions of ordinary, humble people of achievement, and you will meet others who emerged as leaders and activists of their times," the Housatonic Heritage website says.
Other Berkshire County locations featured on the trail include the W.E.B. Du Bois Boyhood Homesite, Samuel Harrison House, and more.
Once the Clinton Church Restoration Project is complete the W.E.B. Du Bois Freedom Center will also be included in the trail. More information on the project here.
Since the Fitch-Hoose House is one of the museums on the trail, Historical Commission members want to pique visitors' interest in the other locations on the trail.
It is clear that the Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage African American Heritage Trail flyers aid in this effort, so commission co-Chair Deborah Kovacs requested they send the museum some.
Someone who was traveling Berkshire County visited the Fitch-Hoose House from New Jersey after discovering it in one of the trail brochures, Kovacs said.
Although Kovacs knew of the existence of these brochures, she didn't know she was allowed to request some until the guidance of two other visitors — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts professor Frances Jones-Sneed and Empire State University professor Mary Nell Morgan-Brown.
The duo informed Kovacs that she could reach out to the trail's Executive Director Dan Bolognani to request copies.
Kovacs presented them during the meeting on Wednesday. She was especially excited to see the Fitch-Hoose House prominently displayed on one of the brochure's pages.
Not only did Bolognani send trail brochures, he also offered to help the commission update the Fitch-Hoose House brochure so it is more detailed and in the same style as the Heritage Trail brochure.
The 177-year-old two-story house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is believed to have been active on the Underground Railroad.
"I'm glad that the Fitch-Hoose House is getting the attention that it deserves … it's likely that we can support the creation of a Fitch-Hoose House brochure, perhaps designed similarly to the African American Heritage Trail series of brochures, if that's a consideration or goal," Bolognani said in the email to Kovacs.
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BRPC Committee Mulls Input on State Housing Plan
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Regional Planning Commission's Regional Issues Committee brainstormed representation for the county in upcoming housing listening sessions.
"The administration is coming up with what they like to tout is their first housing plan that's been done for Massachusetts, and this is one of a number of various initiatives that they've done over the last several months," Executive Director Thomas Matuszko said.
"But it seems like they are intent upon doing something and taking comments from the different regions across the state and then turning that into policy so here is our chance to really speak up on that."
The Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and members of the Housing Advisory Council will host multiple listening sessions around the Commonwealth to hear input on the Healey-Driscoll administration's five-year strategic statewide housing plan.
One will be held at Berkshire Community College on May 15 at 2 p.m.
One of Matuszko's biggest concerns is the overall age of the housing stock in Berkshire County.
"And that the various rehab programs that are out there are inadequate and they are too cumbersome to manipulate through," he explained.
"And so I think that there needs to be a greater emphasis not on new housing development only but housing retention and how we can do that in a meaningful way. It's going to be pretty important."
Non-commission member Andrew Groff, Williamstown's community developer director, added that the bureaucracies need to coordinate themselves and "stop creating well-intended policies like the new energy code that actually work against all of this other stuff."
Downtown Pittsfield Inc. proposed angled parking on North Street and was pleasantly surprised that the city responded with an in-depth study and new plans — even if they don't include angled parking.
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Officials celebrated Arbor Day on Friday by installing a commemorative plaque next to the American elm sapling. This is a tree that James McGrath, the city's park program manager, said Presutti would have been particularly proud of.
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Albert Ingegni III was applauded for four decades of service on the Zoning Board of Appeals during City Council. Mayor Peter Marchetti presented him with a certificate of thanks for his commitment to the community.
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