Berkshire County Historical Society Awarded Grants

02:47PM / Thursday, May 16, 2024Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire County Historical Society has received a $10,000 historic preservation grant from Preservation Massachusetts in association with the 1772 Foundation.

In addition, BCHS has received a $15,000 grant from the Jane and Jack Fitzpatrick Trust.

These grants will be used to replace lost historic louvered shutters to Herman Melville's historic home Arrowhead. Restoring these important architectural elements is in keeping with BCHS's mission to preserve and interpret Arrowhead returning the house to its Melville-era (1850s-1860s) appearance.

This project has grown out of information learned from a Historic Structure Report completed in October 2022. The earliest sketches and woodcuts of Arrowhead from the 1850s depict the house with louvered shutters, as would be appropriate for a farmhouse built in the eighteenth century. As time passed, however, the shutters appear to have been removed – the last known photographs that show the house with shutters are from the late 1960s. By the time the BCHS purchased Arrowhead in 1975 and opened the house to the public in the 1980s, the shutters were gone.

"We are thankful to Jane and Jack Fitzpatrick Fund, Preservation Massachusetts and the 1772 Foundation for their support of restoration projects at Arrowhead," said Lesley Herzberg, BCHS Executive Director. "Because of their support, and the support of other donors, we are able to create a more authentic experience of Herman Melville's home for visitors from all over the world."

Preservation Massachusetts, in partnership with The 1772 Foundation, has announced the recipients of a historic preservation matching grant program in Massachusetts. Preservation Massachusetts is the statewide non-profit historic preservation organization dedicated to preserving the Commonwealth's historic and cultural heritage and The 1772 Foundation plays a leading role in promoting historic preservation nationwide.

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West Nile Virus Confirmed in Mosquitoes From Pittsfield

Staff Reports 02:51PM / Friday, August 14, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) announced today that West Nile virus (WNV) has been detected in mosquitoes collected from Pittsfield.

The City of Pittsfield has confirmed two isolations at the Pittsfield-Richmond town line on Route 41 and the other at Garland Avenue.

WNV is most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. The mosquitoes that carry this virus are common throughout the state and are found in urban as well as more rural areas. While WNV can infect people of all ages, people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe infection.

At the time, there are no confirmed human cases of WNV, but residents are encouraged to take the following actions:

Avoid Mosquito Bites

Apply Insect Repellent when you go outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30 percent or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age. Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear and should not be applied to skin.
Clothing Can Help reduce mosquito bites. Although it may be difficult to do when it’s hot, wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.
Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours - The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. When risk is increased, consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning. If you are outdoors at any time and notice mosquitoes around you, take steps to avoid being bitten by moving indoors, covering up and/or wearing repellant.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home

Drain Standing Water – Many mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or getting rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools and change water in birdbaths frequently.
Install or Repair Screens - Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all your windows and doors.

While the City of Pittsfield and Berkshire County Mosquito Control project continue to work closely with the MDPH and other agencies, locally we are taking the following actions: larvicide application, conducting targeted education programs, distribution of fact sheets on WNV and on reducing exposure to mosquitos and treating catch basins.

Additional information about WNV and reports on current and historical WNV virus activity in Massachusetts can be found on the MDPH website at: www.mass.gov/dph/mosquito.

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