Recent Stories
Armistice Day 1918 - What Was It Like?
The end of World War I did not come all at once; rather it occurred over a period of several days. There had been false reports during the first week of November that the war was about to end as the news services had received word from Germany of…
1908 Measles Outbreak in North Adams
A few things catch the eye as one looks through the Report of the Board of Health of North Adams from 1917. For one, the causes of death. July in particular seemed to be an odd month—“acute indigestion” was the demise of four North Adams residents…
Spires/Kaleidoscope Magazine
Spires is the Massachusetts College of Liberal Art’s student literary and arts journal. This version of the literary journal began publishing in 2001 and just recently published their twenty-third edition. The magazine, however, has a much longer…
The Monday Club
In the wake of the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment, it seems only fitting to spend some time focusing on the role of women in society prior to earning the long sought-after vote. It is often assumed that because women could not vote,…
A.C. Houghton: North Adams' First Mayor
Albert Charles Houghton, though born in Stamford, Vermont, became North Adams’ first mayor in 1895. He was first drawn to the area by business interests. Alongside his brother, he ran a chemical manufacturing business, Houghton Chemical Works, which…
Smith House
The Smith House, home to MCLA’s admissions office, is the second oldest building on the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts campus. Although it was officially named for Roy Leon Smith in 1967, Smith House was re-dedicated on June 8, 1985, during…
Featured Stories
44 Eagle Street: The Flatiron Building
The Flatiron Building, 38-44 Eagle Street, also called the Hayden Block, was originally built as a singular floor unit in 1830. Later on, the building was given two additional floors in 1866; thus making it a three story structure, which was…
Arnold Print Works
Nestled between the north and south branches of the Hoosic River, the Marshall Street complex that now houses MassMoCA has played a major role in the history of North Adams. As the country entered the tumultuous years of the U.S. Civil War, the…
Wigwam Western Summit
Native Americans were the first to travel along the Mohawk Trail, through the Northern Berkshires and between the Hudson and Connecticut rivers. Today, a scenic drive east from North Adams past the “Hairpin Turn” leads to a unique spot known as the…
Take a Tour
Historic North Adams
A project by Historic North AdamsHistoric North Adams is a free website and mobile app that puts North Adams’ history at your fingertips. Explore interesting people, places, and events in North Adams’ history, and take historical walking tours of the city. With a growing list of interpretive stories, each point on the interactive GPS-enabled map includes historical information about the location, along with historic images from archival collections and historical publications.
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