Berkshire County Historical Opens Arrowhead on May 17

04:29PM / Tuesday, May 13, 2025Print Story | Email Story

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.

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New Camp Is Safe Place for Children Suffering Loss to Addiction

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:26AM / Saturday, December 27, 2025

Last year's Happy Campers courtesy of Max Tabakin.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A new camp is offering a safe place for children who have lost a parent or guardian to addiction.

Director Gayle Saks founded the nonprofit "Camp Happy Place" last year. The first camp was held in June with 14 children.

Saks is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor who works at the Brien Center. One of her final projects when studying was how to involve youth, and a camp came to mind. Camp had been her "happy place" growing up, and it became her dream to open her own.

"I keep a bucket list in my wallet, and it's right on here on this list, and I cross off things that I've accomplished," she said. "But it is the one thing on here that I knew I had to do."

The overnight co-ed camp is held at a summer camp in Winsted, Conn., where Saks spent her summers as a child. It is four nights and five days and completely free. Transportation is included as are many of the items needed for camping. The camp takes up to 30 children.

"I really don't think there's any place that exists specifically for this population. I think it's important to know, we've said this, but that it is not a therapeutic camp," Saks said.

She said the focus is on fun for the children, though they are able to talk to any of the volunteer and trained staff. The staff all have experience in social work, addiction and counseling, and working with children.

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