Samuel Harrison Society Announces New Additions To The Board, Summer Hours

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Samuel Harrison Society has welcomed three new members to its Board of Trustees: Dee Piper Johnson, Dawn Morin, and Aretha Whitehead.
 
"We are pleased to welcome these new trustees. Their addition reflects the Society's ongoing efforts to preserve and promote awareness of the remarkable history and significance of the life of Rev. Samuel Harrison," said Marlena Willis, board president.
 
With summer now underway, the Samuel Harrison House Museum, located at 82 Third St. in Pittsfield, is open to visitors from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays now through Sept. 13. Tours are also available by appointment.
 
The house was the home of Rev. Harrison, a prominent African American minister, abolitionist, and Civil War chaplain of the famed 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. The Society maintains the homestead as a museum and center for learning about Harrison's life, writings, and contributions while promoting a deeper understanding of African American history.
 
Museum visitors will also have the opportunity to purchase the Society's newest publication, "The Autobiographies and Sermons of the Reverend Samuel Harrison, 1818–1900," available for $39.95. The book may also be purchased online through the Society's website.
 
In addition to ongoing museum programming, Society volunteers are available to present talks to local organizations and community groups on the life, ministry, and enduring legacy of Rev. Harrison.
 
For more information, visit www.samuelharrison.org or call 413-841-6383.
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Lee: 3 Miles of Route 20 Being Repaved Next Year

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

LEE, Mass. — Beginning next year, the state will repave three miles of Route 20 and reinforce two bridges, one over the Massachusetts Turnpike. 

Last week, the state Department of Transportation held a virtual design public hearing for the project. In addition to milling and resurfacing of the route, bridge structures L-05-024 (over Greenwater Brook) and L-05-052 (over I-90) will see maintenance repairs. 

"We just wanted to thank MassDOT for doing this project. We're very supportive of having the road redone and appreciate the work on it," Town Administrator Christopher Brittain said. 

"The town of Lee is looking forward to having the road repaved." 

Construction will begin in the spring of 2027.  

Traffic will be maintained with short-term flagging operations, and steel plates will conceal deck patching over Greenwater Brook. There will be staged construction on the bridge over the highway, with a single alternating travel lane controlled by a temporary signal. 

The project is estimated to cost $6.8 million, 90 percent from the federal government and 10 percent from the state; it is in the FY26 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. 

The hearing included public information on activities and rights-of-way needs for tree trimming, new utility poles, grading, drainage swales, and a driveway apron along the project corridor, items identified during the late design phases. 

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