NAPL: Hometown Heroes in the Civil War

08:44AM / Friday, May 15, 2026Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — On May 28 at 2 pm, visit the North Adams Public Library to meet author Dennis G. Pregent, as he discusses and shares readings from his latest book "Hometown Heroes in the Civil War."

Hometown Heroes in the Civil War features twentyseven narratives of Berkshire County men who answered President Lincoln's call to preserve the Republic. They left farms and factories to become infantrymen, artillerists, chaplains, surgeons, and sailors, experiencing the terror of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, and Chancellorsville, facing unrelenting combat, disease, exposure, malnutrition, and scarce medical treatment, stated a press releas.

Marine Corps veteran and Berkshire native Dennis Pregent researched and included a wealth of original documents and photographs to enhance these accounts. The profiles include two soldiers from the famous 54th Black Regiment, four brothers who fought simultaneously, POWs in the notorious prisons of Libby and Andersonville, a survivor of the first-ever submarine attack, President Lincoln's carriage driver, a battlefield surgeon, and a modest bootmaker who earned the Medal of Honor.

Held in the front parlor. All are welcome. There will be books for sale.

This event is co-hosted with the North Adams Historical Society.

The North Adams Public Library is located at 74 Church Street, North Adams, MA, 01247.

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North Adams Water Line Break Shuts Off Service on Ashland; McCann Dismisses Classes Early

Staff Reports iBerkshires
10:52AM / Friday, October 30, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A water main that broke Friday morning has affected water service south of Main Street along Ashland and Church streets and caused McCann Technical School to close early.

The break occurred shortly before 9 a.m. near the Roots Teen Center; Ashland Street between Summer Street and American Legion Drive was closed to traffic to allow crews to work on repairs.

"The way it was coming out, we were hoping it was a sprinkler line for the old Nassif's, but there's no sprinkler line in there, so it's a main line," said Commissioner of Public Services Timothy Lescarbeau. "We're trying to get it isolated. Once we get isolated, everything's coming back."

This break is causing areas of the city to have little to no water pressure.

McCann Technical posted that its Tea Room would be closed and then announced early dismissal for 11:15 a.m. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts has cancelled all classes.

The Water Department was opening connections around the affected area to close off the gates and redirect the flow until the line could be repaired. Water was flowing out of a hydrant past the post office and streaming down American Legion Drive.

American Legion Drive is open but the work crews are now in the intersection of Ashland and Summer Street and traffic will be disrupted. The city is asking that motorists and pedestrians avoid the affected area whenever possible "to allow our crews to work safely and efficiently."

For questions or concerns, contact the Water Department at 413-662-3157. In the event of an emergency, contact the Dispatch Center at 413-664-4944, Ext. 1.

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