PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There is far more than meets the eye of the picturesque setting of the Country Club of Pittsfield. This Saturday, July 25, visitors can explore the club's mysterious past and experience its supernatural side. 

 

Nestled in the rolling mountains, Country Club of Pittsfield members visit the four-season private country club for its golf, dining, tennis and family activities. 

 

However, the land's history stems much further back and the Berkshire County Historical Society has partnered with the club to shine a spotlight on this. 

 

Author Robert Oakes and paranormal investigator Drew Babineau, owner of The Haunted Raven, will lead a walk by flashlight through this historic property, sharing accounts of spirit sightings and other strange encounters reported by those who work there.

 

During the four-hour event, participants will explore multiple floors of the historic mansion, navigating stairways and dimly lit areas as they investigate the property. 

 

The event begins at 7 p.m. and costs $60 per person, which includes refreshments. Tickets can be purchased at berkshirehistory.org.

 

"Once known as Broadhall, the Country Club of Pittsfield's clubhouse is one of the oldest properties in town with a long and storied past," said Lesley Herzberg, the Historical Society;s executive director. 

 

According to the club's website, the mansion was built in 1785 by Henry Van Schaack of Kinderhook, N.Y. The original structure still stands today and serves as the main portion of the present-day clubhouse.

 

At one time a noted hotel, the Broadhall mansion was later owned by Thomas Melville, uncle of "Moby-Dick" author Herman Melville. 

 

The website says that, in the 1850s it was a stopover on the "underground railroad" and at various times in its history, Broadhall had distinguished guests including President John Tyler, the Marquis de Lafayette, Massachusetts Chief Justice Lemuel Shaw, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Oliver Wendell Holmes. 

 

During the 19th century, it was the home of writer Sarah Morewood, friend to Herman Melville.

 

When Melville lived nearby at Arrowhead, he often stopped by to visit Morewood, and some say he may still be calling, Herzberg said. 

 

"Indeed, both Melville's ghost and that of Morewood are said to haunt the house, as well as others yet unidentified," she said.

 

"And many have died there, including Morewood, as well as 17 victims of a 1910 ice house explosion, described as the worst disaster in Pittsfield history." 

 

Babineau will guide guests through an active paranormal investigation, using devices and methods meant to make contact with the spirits and document their presence. 

 

"This event explores one of the oldest properties in Pittsfield and its history of occupants. This tour relates to the Melville family and to some of the most interesting residents and visitors to Pittsfield," Herzberg said.  

 

At the close of the evening, guests will gather to share stories of their experiences and discuss any findings.

 

This will be the second combined ghost tour and paranormal investigation at the club; the first in April yielded some very intriguing experiences and evidence, including a compelling image captured in one of the second-floor rooms, according to a press release about the event. 

 

This event is sponsored by Massachusetts Cultural Council and Housatonic Heritage.