Peddler's Pack of Spooky Tales at the Bidwell House Museum

04:00PM / Tuesday, October 01, 2024Print Story | Email Story

MONTEREY, Mass. — While researching various topics in town records, journals, and old newspapers, Dennis Picard has been surprised at finding numerous stories of the supernatural.

Tales of witches, vampires and weird occurrences are mixed in with otherwise mundane daily records. Picard has saved these stories in his files and will share some of his favorites during this hour-long program, taking place on Saturday, Oct.5 at 4:30 pm.

Members $15, Non-members $25.

Dennis D. Picard has been a museum professional in the living history field for over forty years. He began his career at Old Sturbridge Village in 1978 and also served on the staff of Hancock Shaker Village, Fort Number Four, the Sheffield Historical Society and Storrowton Village Museum in West Springfield, MA, from which he recently retired. Dennis, with his background and museum experience, has authored many articles on the lifestyles and folkways of New England and has also served as a consultant for many Historical Societies and Museums.

Space is limited for this program and pre-registration is required. Tickets can be reserved on the Museum website, https://www.bidwellhousemuseum.org/event/peddlers-pack-of-spooky-tales-with-dennis-picard/

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South County Celebrates 250th Anniversary of the Knox Trail

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
06:18PM / Sunday, January 11, 2026

State Sen. Paul Mark carries the ceremonial linstock, a device used to light artillery. With him are New York state Sen. Michelle Hinchey and state Sen. Nick Collins of Suffolk County.

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. —The 250th celebration of American independence began in the tiny town of Alford on Saturday morning.

Later that afternoon, a small contingent of re-enactors, community members and officials marched from the Great Barrington Historical Society to the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center to recognize the Berkshire towns that were part of that significant event in the nation's history.

State Sen. Paul Mark, as the highest ranking Massachusetts governmental official at the Alford crossing, was presented a ceremonial linstock flying the ribbons representing every New York State county that Henry Knox and his team passed through on their 300-mile journey from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston in the winter of 1775-76.

"The New York contingent came to the border. We had a speaking program, and they officially handed over the linstock, transferring control of the train to Massachusetts," said Mark, co-chair of Massachusetts' special commission for the semiquincentennial. "It was a great melding of both states, a kind of coming together."

State Rep. Leigh Davis called Knox "an unlikely hero, he was someone that rose up to the occasion. ... this is really honoring someone that stepped into a role because he was called to serve, and that is something that resonates."

Gen. George Washington charged 25-year-old bookseller Knox with bringing artillery from the recently captured fort on Lake Champlain to the beleaugured and occupied by Boston. It took 80 teams of horses and oxen to carry the nearly 60 tons of cannon through snow and over mountains.

Knox wrote to Washington that "the difficulties were inconceivable yet surmountable" and left the fort in December. He crossed the Hudson River in early January near Albany, crossing into Massachusetts on what is now Route 71 on Jan. 10, 1776. By late January, he was in Framingham and in the weeks to follow the artillery was positioned on Dorchester Heights.

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