Pittsfield Public Schools history

On July 26, 1819, the year Pittsfield was incorporated as a town under the name of Warsaw, $150.00 was raised at the first town meeting for the support of schools.

Also, in 1822, Martin was incorporated as a trustee of the Ministerial Fund.

Before the Bush Block in 1825, this site was used by Phineas Allen to publish The Pittsfield Sun.

The Russell brothers ran the inn until it burned down in 1826, and the Berkshire Hotel was erected in its stead.

The Callendar Block was built in 1827 on 23-35 North Street.

The first meeting to start the St Stephen’s Episcopal Church was organized by Edward A. Newton on June 25, 1830 at Lemuel Pomeroy’s Coffee House.

In May 1841 on the west side of the bridge located on North Street, an Egyptian-style railroad depot was built for the Western Railroad States.

Another part of the Burbank Block was built in 1842 on 49-59 North Street.

The South Congregational Church at 110 South Street was created in 1848 when the Bullfinch Church became too crowded.

In 1850 John Francis reorganized the church and the meeting house was located on 60-74 North Street.

The First Church of Christ Congregational was built in 1853 at 27 East Street, the former location of the Bulfinch Church.

The England brothers opened a dry goods store in 1857 in the former Burbank Block, occupying one room on the street level of the building.

Bush Block was built on 15-23 North Street in 1859.

Pittsfield’s first grammar school, built around 1867 and about doubled in size a few years later (note change in roof coloration). It stood on the site of the present First Baptist Church at the corner of South Main St and Stinson Ave. (top photo)

The building was erected in 1868 as the Berkshire Life Insurance Headquarters, but it was also used as a bank, post office, gas company, and other town offices.

Pioneer Mill opening in 1869

The Berkshire County’s Courthouse was built in 1871 on the former site of the Peace Party House at 76 East Street.

The Academy of Music was built in 1872 on 160-196 North Street where the Miller Building now stands.

The chairman of the school committee of 1876 was William B. Rice.

Blodgett, however, seceded in 1878, and established a music school of his own on Wendell Avenue, in the house built by Gen.

At Wendell Hall, Earl G. Baldwin for two years conducted a boys’ school which was opened in 1881.

Rosa England’s Block located at 122-130 North Street was erected in 1884 by Mr.

In 1887 they leased the establishment to Arthur W. Plumb, who transformed it into a summer hotel.

The Wollison-Shipton Building was built in April of 1888 on 146-154 North Street by architect H. Neil Wilson.

Walter Cutting was chairman, and, in 1889, Harlan H. Ballard, who served until the expiration of the town government.

City Savings Bank was originally founded on April 13, 1890 by twenty-five residents.

In 1891, the City of Pittsfield was incorporated, and William Stanley, who had recently relocated his Electric Manufacturing Company to Pittsfield from Great Barrington, produced the first electric transformer.

Five of the windows were designed by famed female stained-glass artist Mary Elizabeth Tillinghast and the other six were made by the well known Louis Comfort Tiffany (son of Tiffany & Co.). All the debt of the church was paid off by November 12, 1892.

The Berkshire County Savings Bank building was built in 1894 on the former site of the West Block.

Arthur J. Clough, in 1895, opened the Berkshire School

The Russell School and the Redfield School were opened in the fall of 1896.

An important share of the duty of providing free education for the youth of Pittsfield was assumed in 1897 by the Sisters of St Joseph, who opened a free academy at the convent on North Street in September of that year.

The first graduation exercises therein were conducted on June twenty-third, 1898, when forty-four students received diplomas.

Beginning its sessions there in September, 1899, the school had an

similar purpose it had been utilized by evanescent tenants for several previous seasons. It held its first annual reunion at the present Maplewood on June seventh, 1900.

One memorable performance in 1903 featured two lions that broke out of the theater and had to be hunted down; one was killed and the other one was captured.

North Lancey Street Grammar School (1904-present)

North Lancey Street Grammar School, c.1905 photo with Grange building in background

By 1906 the bank had more than $1 million dollars and was able to buy Read’s Block at this location on North Street.

The First Agricultural Bank building was built in 1908 at 100 North Street.

In 1911 Joseph McArthur Vance was responsible for the removal of the Mansard roof and the two additional stories that were added on.

The First Baptist Church moved to 88 South Street after it was torn down in 1920.

In 1922 Berkshire Bank and Trust Co. reopened on this location.

Due to its success, the building had to be expanded in 1928.

The church was dedicated at its South Street location on October 19, 1930, and the architect for this building was Joseph McArthur Vance.

In 1937, the museum added a second-floor exhibition in the courtyard space named after Ellen Crane (Zenas Marshall Crane’s wife). Also, on the first- floor an auditorium was added.

In 1950 the South Congregational Church was the largest congregational church in Berkshire County.

In 1952 the Miller family bought the Theater; although George Miller was the lowest bidder for the property, he promised to preserve the Colonial and so won the auction.

In the 1959 the Riverside School building was sold to C.M. Almy Church Goods when they first moved to Pittsfield.

With the assistance of this movement, the citizens of the three towns of Pittsfield, Burnham and Detroit began a school district study in the Spring of 1965.

In September 1967, for the first time in the history of the town, education for Freshman students was provided in the public school system, thus having Maine Central Institute serve the district for its secondary students in the three upper grades.

City Hall opened on Allen Street in 1968.

In 1970 there was a gas explosion which resulted in fire and water damage to the interior.

The Bush block was the oldest building standing on North Street until May of 1979, when the Bush Block burned down.

However, in 1980 the building was burned from a fire that supposedly began in Mel’s Restaurant.

The Brothership Boutique closed in November of 1982.

The Berkshire County Courthouse was renamed the Silvio O. Conte Courthouse on September 27, 1992 in honor of Rep.

In 1998 Hilary Clinton toured the Colonial Theatre site and declared it a National Historic Treasure.

In 1999, a grant from Massachusetts Historical Commission and a capital fund drive helped the church perform badly needed repairs on the more than a century-old building.

2003 photo as 3 North Lancey, a business office building.