According to George F. Willison's The History of Pittsfield, Mass., 1916-1955, pp 326-27, "The Berkshire County Home for Aged Women occupies the brick and granite building on South Street erected in 1888 by the sons of Zenas Marshall Crane, or Dalton, to honor the memory of their father and in compliance with his last wishes. In 1925, through a legacy of Miss Annie B. Clapp, the third story of the structure was squared, and an infirmary, baths, and nurses' quarters were added. The Home is interdenominational and open to all races. Through wars and shortages, it has been maintained at its full capacity of 28 residents. Members have been admitted from 23 of the county's communities. . . . The Home is attractively furnished and immaculately kept. An atmosphere of kindness and amiability prevails. Through the years, the Garden Clubs of Richmond and Northern Berkshire have contributed to beautifying the grounds with garden paths and borders, a summer house, bird bath, and benches placed in the shrubbery." > From: "Poor House Lady" <phlady@jump.net> > Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2001 14:10:34 -0500 > To: MABERKSH-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: POORHOUSE Information > Resent-From: MABERKSH-L@rootsweb.com > Resent-Date: Sun, 22 Apr 2001 12:10:31 -0700 > > We would like to invite you to visit The POORHOUSE STORY website (a > clearinghouse for information about 19th century American poorhouses)at > http://www.poorhousestory.com where we have recently posted a photograph)of > the > The Berkshire County Home for Aged Women. > > Note: I am unfamiliar with facilities designated with this term, and wonder > whether this facility evolved from what was originally a poorhouse (which > housed people of both sexes and all ages) ... or whether it was a parallel > (or post-poorhouse era) type of institution. Any information will be > very much appreciated. > > > IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have recently visited our website, you may need to > REFRESH the MASSACHUSETTS page on your browser to see the new material. > > If you are new to the site, > DIRECTIONS: > at the homepage (link above)click on POORHOUSES BY STATE and then click on > MASSACHUSETTS on the table of states. > > There are other pages on PHS which can help you gain a better understanding > of poorhouses; they are all linked off the homepage (left side) and include: > HISTORY page, LETTER TO GENEALOGISTS, and FEATURED ARTICLES. > > Our information will only grow through the suggestions and submissions of > readers like you! If you wish to e-mail me, please do so OFF-list and from > an e-mail link on the website. ( I cannot maintain subscriptions to all the > lists to which we post.) > > Hope you enjoy! > > Linda Crannell > (aka=The Poorhouse Lady) > > > ============================== > Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 > Source for Family History Online. Go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/subscribe/subscribetrial1y.asp?sourcecode=F11HB >