LENOX - The story of Hitty – her discovery, purchase, rise to fame and eventual home in Stockbridge, will be told by Barbara Allen, curator of the historical collection at the Stockbridge Library Association, on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 4 p.m., at Ventfort Hall, followed by a Victorian tea.
Hitty, a nickname of Mehitabel, is a 6 1/4-inch, peg-jointed antique wooden doll that was purchased by author Rachel Field and artist Dorothy Lathrop in an antique shop in the 1920s. The two wrote the award-winning 1929 book "Hitty, Her First Hundred Years," detailing the imaginary adventures of the doll they had acquired. Hitty's travels and adventures have been an inspiration to readers for generations.
Hitty was made in the mid-1800s of white ash and painted similar to an old china doll. In a rare off-site appearance, Hitty will be on view during the lecture and tea event.
Allen has been the curator of the historical collection in Stockbridge for nine years and has been involved in museums and curatorial endeavors for 25 years. She received her master's degree in library information science from the State University of New York at Albany.
Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum programs are partially underwritten by the Lenox and the Richmond cultural councils, members of the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Admission for the lecture and tea is $15 per person, members $12. For more information or reservations, call 413-637-3206. Ventfort Hall is at 104 Walker St.
A project of Save America’s Treasures, Ventfort Hall offers tours of the historic mansion, as well as lectures, concerts, teas, theater and other programs. This Elizabethan-revival Berkshire cottage, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is open to the public year-round and is available for private rental. Built in 1893 for George and Sarah Morgan (sister of the financier, J. P. Morgan), Ventfort Hall has undergone substantial restoration.
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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths.
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
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