image description

Dalton Historical Commission Locates Fire District Charter

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story
DALTON, Mass. — A long lost original copy of the founding charter of the Fire District was literally just filed away.
 
The Historical Commission said at its Wednesday meeting that it had located the charter in a file cabinet under the Fire Department section in an Annual Reports of The Dalton Fire District pamphlet from April 10, 1885.  
 
Although the Fire District was established in 1884, co-Chair Debora Kovacs said she wanted to look through the pamphlet and was excited to discover the Act of the Establishment of the Dalton Fire District included in the report. 
 
The commission is unsure where the original charter is located but suspected that it may have been sent to the state when it was first established. 
 
What happened to it after that is unclear due to how long ago it was but the state has accepted the archived one and is now allowing the Fire District to apply for grants. 
 
The commission has an extensive collection of historical documents and is still educating itself on where everything is, said co-Chair Debora Kovacs
 
Fire Chief James Peltier attended the commission's last meeting requesting assistance in locating the charter noting how the state's System for Award Management was not willing to accept dates and needed the original charter as proof.
 
Although having a copy of the charter might work in some areas it is very difficult to have one
when your department is one of the first in the nation, he said. 
 
During the period of 1873 through 1883, Dalton experienced rapid growth to the point its few wells could not keep up with the demand of drinking water and fire protection. 
 
Seven paper-making mills were lost to a fire so "Lt. Governor Byron Weston, Zenas Crane Jr. and other leading citizens examined the area for new sources and ways to supply water," according to the history posted on the fire district's website.

Tags: charter,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

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.
 
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories