PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire County Historical Society (BCHS)will open Herman Melville's historic home, Arrowhead, for guided tours beginning May 17. 

 

Melville lived at Arrowhead from 1850-1863 and there wrote his masterpiece "Moby-Dick" inspired by the view of Mount Greylock outside his study window. 

 

Tours are offered Thursday through Monday on the hour with the first tour beginning at 10 am and the last at 3 pm. Rates for guided tours are: adults $20, students $10, children 12 and under free. Reservations are not required but can be made by using the BOOK NOW button at berkshirehistory.org. Group tours are available by appointment for groups of twelve or more; $15 per person.

 

To celebrate the seasonal re-opening, BCHS will offer special orchard tours in collaboration with Berkshire Cider Project.

 

In 2022, BCHS teamed up with Berkshire Cider Project to plant a new orchard at Arrowhead. About 25 apple varieties were selected to represent the historic orchard on site during Melville's time and other important heirloom varieties. The orchard provides a learning destination for fruit growers, activities for kids and family, and provides apples to be used for cider making. Throughout the day Berkshire Cider Project's Matt Brogan will be pruning the orchard and at 10 am and 2 pm will demonstrate proper pruning and grafting techniques and discuss the history of apples in New England. 

 

Cider samples will be available for guests 21+.

 

The celebration continues into the evening with a special concert of sea shanties by Alex Harvey and Shinbone Alley at 7 pm. Come early and picnic on the grounds and step into the tavern and warm up those swashbuckling vocal chords with hard ciders and beer from Berkshire Cider Project and Hot Plate Brewing Company for sale during the event.

 

Alex Harvey is an old-world folklorist who performs street ballads and songs of the sea in a project he calls Shinbone Alley. Tickets are available by using the BOOK NOW button at berkshirehistory.org - $15 BCHS Members, $20 nonmembers.