Taconic Student Revitalizes Wild Acres Trailhead Sign
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A Taconic High student has given new life to a city trailhead sign that dates back to the 1980s.
Natalie Pitcher, a senior metal fabrication student, restored the sign for Wild Acres' F.H. Controy Nature Trail, dedicated in 1988. The marker will go from the high school's Career Technical Education department back to the conservation area, and will be reinstalled for generations to enjoy.
"It was not really a trial and error, but definitely, I learned a lot along the way," Pitcher said.
"I went between all different shops, asking the carpentry teachers, the auto refinishing teachers, and even advanced manufacturing for advice on how they think I should go about this. Then I kind of just took everything, put it together, and did what I could with it."
The large wooden sign honors Franklin Controy, the first chair of Pittsfield's Conservation Commission, which got the grant for the South Mountain Road nature preserve. James Conant, current chair of the ConCom and Ward 4 city councilor, wanted to ensure this history was preserved.
"He is long since off this earth, but I saw this sign, and it was really, really, really bad," Conant explained about the condition.
He said if the sign had stayed out in the elements for another year, it would have been destroyed. His daughter, Kimberly Conant, is Taconic's cooperative education coordinator for career and technical education, so he knew who to call.
"It's really great," he said about the final product.
Pitcher said when she came across the sign in the shop, she decided to take it into her own hands. When she first began working on it, the wood was soft from decades of wear and tear, and the letters needed to be restored, which was done with wood putty and glue.
The metal fabrication student would like to use this to demonstrate her experience with other mediums and show that her skill set goes beyond metalwork.
Following graduation, Pitcher plans to enter the metal fabrication field and continue to work as a welder. She also aspires to attend Berkshire Community College for business, to then open an independent welding business someday.
"It's a little tricky because I am doing all this on my own. I'm not following anyone's footsteps in my family or mentors," she explained.
"I chose this trade; it was very different, and I've been learning everything on my own along the way."
She was honored that Conant trusted her with this project. It took Pitcher about two months to complete, while balancing other projects.
The revamped sign will be placed in a more prominent spot at the conservation area; it was shielded by a pine branch before.
Tags: good news, signage, Taconic High,
