Smithsonian Coming to Sheffield

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SHEFFIELD, Mass. The Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street, in cooperation with Mass Humanities, is coming to the Bushnell-Sage Library.
 
Through a partnership with the world's largest museum complex, Mass Humanities announced that Bushnell-Sage Library will join five other local Massachusetts organizations to host "Crossroads: Changes in Rural America," a traveling exhibit produced by the Smithsonian Institution's Museum on Main Street program. 
 
"The town of Sheffield, including our host site of Bushnell-Sage Library and partners including the Sheffield Historical Society, the Sheffield Senior Center, Dewey Memorial Hall, Housatonic Heritage, and many other organizations, are thrilled to welcome the Museum on Main Street (MoMs) Smithsonian tour Crossroads: Change in Rural America," said Deena Caswell, Library Director at the Bushnell-Sage Library. "We hope that Berkshire County, Western Massachusetts, and the rest of the state will join us as we showcase the rich history of Sheffield and explore the resiliency of this rural farm community."
 
"Crossroads" explores how rural American communities changed in the 20th century.
 
The vast majority of the United States landscape remains rural with only 3.5 percent of the landmass considered urban. Since 1900, the percentage of Americans living in rural areas dropped from 60 percent to 17 percent. The exhibition offers small towns a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes over the past century.
 
"It's an honor to partner with the Smithsonian and our friends at Bushnell-Sage Library," said Brian Boyles, Executive Director of Mass Humanities. "Rural Massachusetts is a complex, changing landscape, and residents in our small towns deserve to be heard as we build a more equitable commonwealth." 
 
Bushnell-Sage Library will receive training from the staff of the Smithsonian along with a $10,000 grant from Mass Humanities to develop public events during the exhibit, which will be on display for six weeks in each community. Organizations located in towns with populations of 12,000 or less were eligible to apply.  Mass Humanities receives major support from Mass Cultural Council (MCC), the state agency for arts and the humanities. 
 
"Mass Cultural Council celebrates the power of culture in every Commonwealth community -- whether big or small, east or west, rural, suburban, or urban," said Michael J. Bobbitt, Executive Director, Mass Cultural Council.  "We are pleased to partner with Mass Humanities to support the Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street program and shine a spotlight on these rural stories that make Massachusetts so special." 
 
For further information, contact Jen Atwood at jatwood@masshumanities.org.
 
These institutions will host the exhibit during the tour:
  • Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum, Essex: 9/10/2022 - 10/22/2022
  • The Hull Lifesaving Museum, Hull: 10/30/2022 - 12/10/2022
  • Rutland Free Public Library, Rutland: 12/18/2022 - 1/28/2023
  • Great Falls Discovery Center, Turners Falls: 2/5/2023 - 3/18/2023
  • Bushnell-Sage Library, Sheffield: 3/26/2023 - 5/6/2023
  • Athol Public Library, Athol: 5/14/2023 - 6/24/2023
 
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Pittsfield Veteran Turns 102

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Mayor Marchetti presents Salatino with a proclamation recognizing his service and contribution to the community. Salatino will turn 102 on Nov. 27. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A city resident and veteran was recognized this week as he closes in on his 102 birthday this month.

On Tuesday, Anthony "Tony" Salatino Jr. was honored during the City Council meeting for this impressive milestone. He was born on Nov. 27, 1922, in Polia, Calabria, Italy, and came to Pittsfield in 1937 with his older brother to join their father.

"I am very honored to be here tonight," he said to a room full of community members, friends, and family before they erupted into applause.

Mayor Peter Marchetti said Salatino experienced challenging times during the Great Depression but always focused on building a strong foundation for his family. He joined the Army in 1943 and after completing training in Virginia, was stationed in England and France for about three years.

Marchetti said he hoped to present Salatino with the proclamation on Veterans Day, the prior day, but it didn't work out.

"I don't think I've ever stood next to someone who was 102 years-to-be," the mayor said.

The Pittsfield High graduate was a corporal and medical technician at Headquarters Medical Corps and received an honorable discharge in 1946.

"In 1947, Tony's many years of hard work paid off when he was able to bring the rest of his family from Italy to Pittsfield, Mass., and provide them with a home," Marchetti read from the proclamation.

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