Thanks to everyone who joined us on Sunday, March 26 as we kicked off our exhibit opening! The weather couldn’t have been lovelier. What a great chance for us to celebrate the exhibit’s arrival as a community.
The Crossroads: Change in Rural America exhibit is now open to the public during the library’s open hours through Saturday, May 6: Tuesday and Wednesday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., and Sunday 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Read on for a full listing of events and exhibits happening across Sheffield - we hope to see you there!
Events
Growls, Hoots, and Silence - The Wild Animals of Sheffield
Friday, March 31 at 7pm
Dewey Memorial Hall, 91 Main St.
Since the last glacier scraped north leaving tundra behind, wildlife has come and gone many times. Currently we share our town with many wild animals, whose behaviors, quirks, and beauty have been documented by dozens of trail cameras. What does the future look like?
Discussion with slides by Nancy Elle Smith, former Executive Director of Sweet Water Trust and a founder of the Sheffield Land Trust.
Ashley Falls: a history through stories
Monday, April 3 at 7pm
Trinity United Methodist Church, 1156 Ashley Falls Rd/Route 7A, Ashley Falls
The early history of Ashley Falls, the first European settlement in the Berkshires, is documented by records and deeds, letters and newspapers. This program will do something different. Long-term residents, and some with shorter terms, will narrate stories about the village stretching back to the beginning of the last century - stories heard from parents and grandparents, changes seen and experienced personally - to paint a picture of what village life was like then and how Ashley Falls has changed over the last one hundred and twenty years to become what it is today.
Juried Art Show - Rural Berkshires: Always Adapting
April 14-28
Dewey Memorial Hall, 91 Main St.
This juried show reflects Berkshire County’s artists innovative energy and abilities. Mediums include oil, acrylic, watercolor, collage, quilting, mixed media, and photography.
Join us for an opening reception Friday, April 14 at 6pm featuring our talented artists, the music of Rees Shad and the Conversations, and food & drinks.
Oral History Collection Day: Recollections of Sheffield's Black Community in the 20th C.
Saturday, April 15 from 12-3pm
Dan Raymond House (159 Main St.)
The Sheffield Historical Society will be conducting an oral history day to record recollections of Sheffield's Black community and its members from the 1900's. If you have family connections, or were a neighbor, classmate, student, friend or acquaintance of members of the community, the Society invites you to share your memories. The oral histories will be added to the Sheffield Historical Society archives, and you will have the choice to have your recording become part of their current research project on the history of Sheffield's Black community between 1781-1915.
Pox, Pus, and Creeping Miasma: Disease & Death in 18th & 19th C. New England
Sunday, April 16 at 3pm
Dewey Memorial Hall, 91 Main St.
New Englanders faced many medical perils before modern medicine, especially the cyclical appearance of fatal epidemics. Sometimes the cures could be more harmful than the disease itself. In this program, historian Dennis Picard shares a bit about the symptoms, causes, and treatments endured by those in the Berkshires and will show examples of antique medical devices and medicines.
Creating Community in Sheffield: A Community Conversation
Thursday, April 20 at 7 pm
Dewey Memorial Hall, 91 Main St.
Registration required! Sign up here or call 413-229-7004 to reserve your seat.
The past few years have brought big changes to Sheffield. How can old and new neighbors come together to both preserve our history and prepare for a vibrant future? Join us for a spirited and civil conversation. Light refreshments provided.
Revolutionary War Doctors in the Berkshires
Sunday, April 23 at 3pm
Dewey Memorial Hall, 91 Main St.
The War for Independence was a catalyst for advancement in medicine for both soldiers and civilians. The Berkshires were served by several capable physicians during and just after the war. Dr. Brian Burke & Gary Leveille of the Great Barrington Historical Society will highlight some of these doctors.
Sheffield: Through a Generational Lens
Thursday, April 27 at 7pm
Old Parish Church, 125 Main St.
A range of local panelists will reflect on socially poignant topics of their generation and how their lives and town have changed. Opportunity for audience participation will follow. Panelists include Isiah Goewey, Ed Gulotta, Julie Hannum, Wray Gunn, Felecie Joyce, Jim Larkin, Jeff Lowenstein, and Sarah Siket.
Hosted by The First Congregational Church of Sheffield with the conversation moderated by Rev. Jill Graham.
Recollections of 20th C. Healthcare in the Southern Berkshires
Sunday, April 30 at 3pm
Dewey Memorial Hall, 91 Main St.
The 20th c. saw the establishment of modern medicine in the Southern Berkshires, in particular with the opening of Fairview Hospital in 1912. Healthcare professionals who worked in the region will make up the program panel. Along with audience members, they will share their recollections of what it was like to give and receive healthcare in the latter half of the 1900's.
The Natural (and Human) History of Sheffield
Saturday, May 6 at 2pm
Greenagers Barn, 62 Undermountain Rd, South Egremont, MA
**Registration required! Sign up here or call 413-229-7004 to reserve your seat
Cataclysmic events shaped the ancient mountains and valleys of the Berkshires. Post-glacial forests and wild animals have come and gone. Sheffield is notable for its rich farmland and vibrant farms. Why is Sheffield an ecological treasure? What does the future look like for wild nature, for farms, for ecological integrity?
Greetings by Will Conklin, Executive Director of Greenagers; Angela Sirois-Pitel · Western Massachusetts Stewardship Manager at The Nature Conservancy; Kathy Orlando, ED of Land Protection, Sheffield Land Trust; Rene Wendell, Land Steward, The Nature Conservancy.
Exhibits
Voices from the Field
Weekends 11-4pm. April 1-2, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30
Exhibit in the Old Stone Store, 137 Main St.
This exhibit, an update of the previous “Voices from the Field,” highlights the past stories and current status of operating farms in Sheffield.
Hosted by the Sheffield Land Trust.
Healthcare in Sheffield Over the Ages
Weekends 12-3pm. April 1-2, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30
Exhibit in the Dan Raymond House, 159 Main St.
This exhibit will look at healthcare in Sheffield, beginning with physicians, dentists and midwives in the 18th C. and will trace the progression of modern medicine with the opening of Fairview Hospital in the early 20th C.
Hosted by the Sheffield Historical Society & Fairview Hospital.
The Men of the Mass 54th: Farmers, Builders, their Families & their Stories
Weekends 12-3pm. April 1-2, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30
Exhibit in the Dan Raymond House, 159 Main St.
Most of the eleven Black soldiers from Sheffield who served in the Massachusetts 54th Regiment in the Civil War owned or worked farms in Sheffield before and after their service. This exhibit profiles these men and their families, looking at how the war affected their lives as farmers.
Hosted by the Sheffield Historical Society.
Contact us or call us at 413-229-7004 for more details.
