Arrowhead Opens For The Season May 22
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Daniel Bianchi will cut the first of three ribbons at Herman Melville’s Arrowad, located at 780 Holmes Road, at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 22, officially starting the summer season at the museum that was Melville’s home when the author was writing his classic novel "Moby-Dick" throughout 1851.
The ribbon cutting will dedicate the new 1870’s porch, an exact replica of the one which graced the front of the house during the years when Allan Melville, Herman’s brother, lived at Arrowhead. This visual step back in time will be followed by two more ceremonies: the first at the entry to the historic 1830s barn which has been upgraded to allow for full access to motion challenged visitors and volunteers; the second to open the newest element of Arrowhead: Melville’s Arrowhead Farm.
The farm is officially a replica in style of the agricultural work Melville had in motion during the 13 years he and his family lived in Pittsfield. Heritage chickens will supply eggs to the CSA members and to the general public as well. Crops will become available as the season progresses, many of them the same varietals Melville planted for his family’s use.
Also on May 22, jazz takes over the barn as Jazz Bones takes the stage in the barn for a free concern at 7 p.m. Attendees will be accommodated on a first-come, first seated service.
The weekend celebration continues Friday, May 23, with free house tours for Pittsfield residents with proof of residency. Tours begin at 10 a.m. and the final tour of the day starts at 4 p.m. No reservations are necessary. Days at the Farm will offer two participatory events: Visitors may name a chicken and plant an eggplant in the newly restored farm field. Both of these are free events, but no offer of a donation will be refused.
Art in Industry, as part of Pittsfield’s Summer Theme, will expose a new frieze of straw statuary by Michael Melle. Melle’s neo-classic life-size figures will be factory workers through the ages heading into the red barn “factory” to start their day, logged by an overseer in the group called “Checking In for Work.” Visitors will be able to pose with the straw folks and may be able to visit with Melle who offers a workshop at Arrowhead on Saturday, June 21.
History dominates the day on Sunday, May 25 when guest curator Al DeMaio introduces this year’s principal exhibit in the small red barn: "Made in Berkshire: Papermaking at Eaton, Crane and Pike." A wonderful collection of photographs by Edwin Hale Lincoln and others will present Pittsfield and its workers in a very unusual visual way. Also in the exhibit are artifacts and worker’s clothing from the pre-World War I era. At 11 a.m., DeMaio will be personally introducing the exhibit to attendees. Regular house tour will be available all day beginning at 10 a.m.
The weekend wraps up Monday, May 26, with “A Whale of an Afternoon.” At 4 p.m. on the Piazza on the north side of the house, readers will present four chapters from "Moby-Dick" while just inside a whale of a sale will be taking place for that one hour: all whale items from the Arrowhead gift shop will be offered at reduced prices.
Looking ahead into June, on Saturday, June 7, author Marianna Poutasse and designer Donna Kittredge will introduce their new book, "Power of Place: Herman Melville in the Berkshires," a commissioned biography published by the Berkshire Historical Society, at 11 a.m. The author will read from the book and purchased copies may be autographed.
Regular tour activities will continue from Tuesday, May 27, through the end of the season at the close of October.
June, July and August hold a treasure-chest of events including four Country Fairs, writing workshops, an evening with Melville’s mentor and friend Nathanial Hawthorne, special exhibits, musical programs, a South Seas Luau and the play “Maids In the Mills” the first revival of the J. Peter Bergman “Sheeptacular” play about immigrant women in the woolen mills of Pittsfield during the post Civil War era.
