Fitch-Hoose House

05/21/2026

Did you know? The Hoosac Tunnel, completed in 1875 just up the line from where you'll board, was the longest railroad tunnel in North America for nearly 50 years. It took 24 years to build, and the trains that rolled through it carried the people, mail, and freight that made the Berkshires what they are today.

While our journeys don’t take us directly through the depths of the historic Hoosac Tunnel, we consider it a profound privilege to travel the exact rails that carried its legacy forward. To hear the rhythm of the train and know we are retracing the footprints of an American engineering marvel is nothing short of magic.

We may not see the darkness of the tunnel, but we certainly feel the brilliance of its history. ✨

When you ride the Hoosac Valley Explorer, you're not just taking in views of Mt. Greylock and the Hoosic River. You're riding a piece of that story.

Come ride with us this Memorial Day weekend.

Saturday & Sunday, May 23–24, 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM both days from 3 Hoosac Street, Adams.

Complimentary child ticket with two adult tickets on most rides.
berkshiretrains.org/tickets

05/20/2026

Brought to you courtesy of the Dalton Historical Commission and Dalton Historic Society.

For all the sleuths out there, here’s this week’s “Where is it”?

This colorized(AI) photo, from the late 1800’s, showing a carriage arriving at a very popular resort located in Dalton. Tell us where, and even better, the resort’s name!

P.S. the home shown still exists.

05/18/2026

U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE: The Trump administration's cancellation of more than $100 million in humanities grants to scholars, writers, research groups and other organizations was unconstitutional, and the Department of Government Efficiency had no authority to end the funding, a federal judge in New York ruled on Thursday. Details below.

05/16/2026

Kudo’s to the crew’s from L.P Adam’s, Ryan Electric, H.B. Utility Contractors, and A.R.E. Line and Tree Service, all the individuals who assisted with the installation of Dalton’s Hometown Hero’s banner’s today!

YOU ARE THE BEST, and we can’t thank you enough!

And a HUGE thank you to RSI Sign for doing a great job on the banners!

Her’s a few of the pictures taken during the installation.

05/12/2026

05/08/2026

Fitch-Hoose House opens Saturday June 6th
1-3 PM
Plan your visit now!

04/15/2026

We are seeking additional docents for the 2026 season at the Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum in Yarmouth Port. An interest in local history, historic homes and antiques is a plus but not required! Enthusiasm, cheerfulness and a friendly face are more important! Training and mentorship provided. You can help us promote the town’s history and give tours to visitors from near and far.
If this sounds like the rewarding volunteer experience you’ve been looking for, we would love to hear from you! Email us to apply or come to one of our Docent Info Sessions: 3:30 PM on May 7 or 17 at the Captain Bangs Hallet House Museum. Please email [email protected] to register.

04/13/2026

David Carson - Dalton paper maker which Carson Avenue is named for. He owned and operated the Old Berkshire mill from 1810 until turning it over to his sons who operated it until 1926 when it was sold to Crane & Co..

David also built and lived in the large home, now apartment house, on the north side of the intersection at the Main, South and Housatonic Street intersection, across from the Crane office building, known as the Carson-Bates house.

04/12/2026

Zenas Marshall Crane was reportedly a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, facilitating transit for slaves fleeing their owners.

03/27/2026

The crypt beneath Center Church on the Green in New Haven, Connecticut, shown here in the 1890s and 2025. This was originally part of a regular burial ground, located on the New Haven Green. However, in 1812 a new meetinghouse was built on the Green, and rather than moving the headstones or exhuming the bodies, the meetinghouse was built directly above a portion of the burial ground.

Later in the 1800s, the headstones elsewhere on the Green were relocated to Grove Street Cemetery. However, the ones here in the crypt remained in place, providing a unique opportunity to visit a colonial-era burial ground in its original configuration. And, because the stones have been sheltered from the effects of weathering for more than 200 years, they are remarkably well-preserved compared to other colonial gravestones.

The stones in the foreground of these two photos are the oldest here, dating back to the 1680s and 1690s. They are made of sandstone, and they were carved by an unidentified local carver who was remarkably good at lettering, despite the otherwise primitive appearance of the stones. Farther in the distance are more elaborate gravestones from the mid-1700s, most of which were produced by the highly talented stonecutter William Holland.

The crypt is open to the public once a month for guided tours, starting at 10am on the second Sunday of every month. I attended last month’s tour, and I highly recommend a visit for anyone who is interested in old colonial New England burial grounds.