image description
Eric and Tim Vogel talk about footprint castings done in search of Bigfoot at a presentation at the Dalton Library last week.

Believers, Skeptics Hear Tales of Elusive Bigfoot

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story

There was an overflow crowd for the Bigfoot talk, with people coming from Vermont and around Western Mass. 
DALTON, Mass. — The library's "Bigfoot! In The Northeast" event last week was a success, attracting more than 60 people from all over the county. 
 
The Vogel brothers, Eric and Tim, presented and answered questions about their almost 20 years of experience and investigations into bigfoot, or sasquatch, a hairy folklore creature said to inhabit dense forested areas. 
 
"The Dalton library is simply located in a great area, the environment, the Appalachian Mountain ecosystems, productive farmland, streams, rivers, and wilderness areas," Tim Vogel said. 
 
"Locally, it checks all the boxes and has enormous potential for providing what a bigfoot's needs are, for something that large."
 
People filled the main floor and looked down on the discussion from balcony on the mezzanine. The audience was respectful and attentive, and many of them were believers and had many questions, Tim Vogel said. 
 
"It was pleasantly surprising to have that many people interested in the topic enough to drive to Dalton, traveling from out of town to listen and possibly participate in a subject not typically talked about, openly, anyway," he said. 
 
The Vogels retired from outdoor education and now do research and investigations of Bigfoot as the Cobble Mountain Critter Project in Russell, which raises funds for outdoor programs for youth.
 
The event exceeded its scheduled time as participants from various regions, including Vermont, spilled into the library's parking lot and continued the discussion on bigfoot in their communities, Vogel said. 
 
Library Director Janet Forest said when she looked out into the audience, she saw many new faces, which is not a common occurrence. 
 
"Anytime you get new people to come into the library, it is a win," she said.
 
The audience was diverse, welcoming, and fun, full of believers and skeptics, Forest said. 
 
"The atmosphere was light, it was fun. People were engaged with the topic of Bigfoot. We had many people discussing and sharing their own stories before the talk even started," Vogel said. 
 
"They were eager to hear our story, they were there to get information, and we provided as much as we could through our almost two decades of experience. We believe it was well received, and at the end of the night, everybody enjoyed their time."

Tags: legends,   mythical animals,   

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

Holiday Inn Remains Closed from Broken Elevator

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It has been almost three weeks since broken elevators temporarily closed the Holiday Inn & Suites, and the hotel is still working to meet code compliance. 

The hotel at 1 West Street has been closed since Sept. 25, after its last working elevator of three broke down. The 101 Restaurant & Bar, located within the Holiday Inn, also has temporarily shut its doors while repairs are ongoing. 

The day of the shutdown had emergency personnel carrying people who use mobility devices down stairs. 

“We were called there a couple of Fridays ago. There was no working elevator. There were EMTs and the fire department there, and they were getting over half a dozen people down the stairs that were in wheelchairs and walkers,” Building Commissioner Rian Dowd told iBerkshires on Wednesday. 

“So with the no working elevators, we shut the building down.”

The central downtown, 12-story hotel has nearly 180 guest rooms. Massachusetts requires public multi-level buildings and facilities to have elevator access. 

Dowd said the Holiday Inn is still working with the elevator company and state inspectors to be certified and reopen. They were told to provide the City of Pittsfield with a timeline, work orders, and contracts from repairs so that everyone can be on the same page and the hotel can open as quickly as possible, she said. 

“We have not heard anything from them yet this week,” she reported. 

iBerkshires’ attempts to reach a representative from the Holiday Inn were unsuccessful. 

There were no passengers in the elevator when it stopped working; how it broke was not disclosed. 

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories