DALTON, Mass. — The State Historical Commission has received the preliminary documentation required in the process of establishing the town's second historical district.
The proposed district starts at Park Avenue, where Main Street Cemetery is, and goes down to Depot Street. It then goes up High and North Streets.
Based on photos and by following the district subdivision plans or other development patterns, the state will determine whether there is enough historical significance to be considered a district.
If they deem there is, the State Historical Commission will request an area form that they will use to evaluate the area for National Register eligibility, National Register Director Ben Haley in an email update to the commission.
"After we review the photographs, we may have questions about boundaries and may do a site visit," he said.
The email did not include a timeline of this process, said town Historical Commission Secretary Nancy Kane.
When the commission sent the files to the state, there was a request to define the area, Kane said.
Kane said she defined it as a classic New England mill town characterized by residential areas, such as mill worker housing and homes of prominent citizens.
Additionally, she demonstrated how the district had all the basic services and needs they would need to provide, such as schools, businesses, banks, and churches.
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Toys for Tots Bringing Presents to Thousands of Kids This Year
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
Volunteers organize toys by age and gender in the House of Corrections storage facility.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Plenty of toys are on their way to children this holiday season thanks to Toys for Tots.
Christopher Keegan has coordinated the local toy drive for the Berkshire Chapter of the Marine Corps Reserve since 2015 and said he has seen the need rise every year, last year helping more than 6,000 kids.
"This is 11 years I've been doing it, and the need has gone up every year. It's gone up every year, and I anticipate it going up even more this year," Keegan said.
On Thursday, the Berkshire County House of Corrections storage facility was overflowing with toys making it the county's very own Santa's workshop.
Keegan said Berkshire County always shows up with toys or donations.
"This county is outstanding when it comes to charity. They rally around stuff. They're very giving, they're very generous, and they've been tremendous in this effort, the toys for pride effort, since I've been doing it, our goal is to honor every request, and we've always reached that goal," he said.
Keegan's team is about 20 to 25 volunteers who sort out toys based on age and gender. This week, the crew started collecting from the 230 or so boxes set out around the county on Oct. 1.
"The two age groups that are probably more difficult — there's a newborn to 2s, boys and girls, and 11 to 14, boys and girls. Those are the two challenging ages where we need to focus our attention on a little bit more," he said.
Toys For Tots has about 30 participating schools and agencies that sign up families and individuals who need help putting gifts under the tree. Keegan takes requests right up until the last minute on Christmas.
"We can go out shopping for Christmas. I had sent my daughter out Christmas Eve morning. Hey, we need X amount of toys and stuff, but the requests are still rolling in from individuals, and I don't say no, we'll make it work however we can," he said.
Community members help to raise money or bring in unopened and unused toys. Capeless Elementary student Thomas St. John recently raised $1,000 selling hot chocolate and used the money to buy toys for the drive.
"It's amazing how much it's grown and how broad it is, how many people who were involved," Keegan said.
On Saturday, Live 95.9 personalities Bryan Slater and Marjo Catalano of "Slater and Marjo in the Morning" will host a Toys for Tots challenge at The Hot Dog Ranch and Proprietor's Lodge. Keegan said they have been very supportive of the drive and that they were able to collect more than 3,000 toys for the drive last year.
Volunteer Debbie Melle has been volunteering with Toys for Tots in the county for about five years and said people really showed up to give this year.
"I absolutely love it. It's what we always say. It's organized chaos, but it's rewarding. And what I actually this year, I'm so surprised, because the amount that the community has given us, and you can see that when you see these pictures, that you've taken, this is probably the most toys we've ever gotten," she said. "So I don't know if people just feel like this is a time to give and they're just going above and beyond, but I'm blown away. This year we can barely walk down the aisles for how much, how many toys are here. It's wonderful."
On Thursday, the Berkshire County House of Corrections storage facility was overflowing with toys making it the county's very own Santa's workshop.
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