PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire County Historical Society (BCHS) announced several grants and sponsorships that will support programs and exhibitions in 2022 as well as improvements to the landscape of Herman Melville's Arrowhead.

 

"The Berkshire County Historical Society is grateful to a number of organizations supporting our summer 2022 programs," said Executive Director Lesley Herzberg. "Through the generosity of these organizations, BCHS is able to offer a full season of exhibitions and programs at little or no charge to the public. We will also embark on a plan to enhance Arrowhead's historic gardens."

 

Support from MountainOne will enable BCHS to present the majority of its summer programs at no cost to the public. The $2,500 grant supports programs including a bird walk, explorations of Arrowhead's architecture and landscape, actor Stephen Collins's presentation of monologues from "Moby-Dick," discussion of "Moby-Dick" by author/editor Hester Blum, and other offerings related to the history of Berkshire County.

 

Berkshire Bank Foundation has awarded $2,000 in support of two exhibitions and related programs being presented this summer. The WPA in the Berkshires is being presented at Arrowhead and opens on June 4. The exhibition explores the history of the Works Progress Administration (1935-1943), the largest of President Roosevelt's New Deal programs, and its associated projects in the Berkshires. Envisioning "Moby-Dick" is being presented at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts in Pittsfield. The exhibition, which opens Aug. 1, features original works by Jim Jasper and Chris Volpe that explore themes from Melville's classic 1851 novel.

 

Due to pandemic-related restrictions, the historic gardens surrounding Arrowhead have lay fallow since 2020. A $2,000 grant from the Lenox Garden Club will support maintenance and re-planting of these gardens with historically appropriate plantings that the Melvilles would have had in the 19th century. The restored gardens will compliment two new landscape initiatives: the planting of a demonstration heritage apple orchard and the addition of a pollinator area in the north field.

 

During the pandemic, many organizations relied heavily on virtual events to engage with audiences. BCHS was no exception to this trend offering a number of online lectures and programs, most importantly its annual "Moby-Dick" Read-A-Thon. The 2022 event is sponsored through Berkshire Roots's "round up" program whereby customers can round up their purchases to the next dollar July15-31. The read-a-thon and additional virtual programs are also supported by a $1,500 grant from the MA Humanities/Bridge Street Foundation.