The Pittsfield Senators were a minor league baseball team that played from 1970 to 1975 in the Washington Senators minor league system. In 1972 when the Senators moved to Texas and became the Texas Rangers , Pittsfield changed its name to the Pittsfield Rangers (1972 to 1975).
98-802: They were located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts , played in the Double-A Eastern League . Their home ballpark was Wahconah Park . The Rangers moved their Double-A affiliate to San Antonio of the Texas League in 1976 and were immediately replaced in Pittsfield by the Milwaukee Brewers , who renamed the team the Berkshire Brewers . This article about a baseball team in Massachusetts
196-545: A humid continental climate ( Dfb ). Winters are harsh due the city's high elevation at 1,039 ft (317 m), with an average annual snowfall of 73.0 inches (1,850 mm) and temperatures dipping to 0 °F (−18 °C) or colder 13 times per year. Summers, however, are typically warm and pleasant, with temperatures reaching 90 °F (32 °C) just six times per year. The record high and record low are 101 °F (38 °C) and −26 °F (−32 °C), recorded on July 23, 1926, and February 15, 1943, respectively. Over
294-485: A life sciences and advanced manufacturing center in the city. On September 3, 1902, at 10:15 am, during a two-week tour through New England campaigning for Republican congressmen , the barouche transporting President Theodore Roosevelt from downtown Pittsfield to the Pittsfield Country Club collided head-on with a trolley . Roosevelt, Massachusetts Governor Winthrop Murray Crane , secretary to
392-460: A century. The town was a bustling metropolis by the late 19th century. In 1891, the City of Pittsfield was incorporated and William Stanley Jr. , who had recently relocated his Electric Manufacturing Company to Pittsfield from Great Barrington , produced the first electric transformer. Stanley's enterprise was the forerunner of the internationally known corporate giant, General Electric (GE). Thanks to
490-605: A dense, fine type of Merino (spinning count between 70s and 80s) adapted to its new environment. From 1778, the Saxon breeding center was operated in the Vorwerk Rennersdorf . It was administered from 1796 by Johann Gottfried Nake, who developed scientific crossing methods to further improve the Saxon Merino. By 1802, the region had four million Saxon Merino sheep, and was becoming the centre for stud Merino breeding, and German wool
588-504: A fine wool breed from southern Italy in Roman times. Genetic studies have shown that the Merino breed most probably developed by the crossing of churro ewes with a variety of rams of other breeds at different periods, including Italian rams in Roman times, North African rams in the medieval period, and English rams from fine-wool breeds in the 15th century. Although Spain exported wool to England,
686-407: A flock of Camden-blood ewes mated to Tasmanian rams. To broaden the wool and give the animals some size, it is thought some English Leicester blood was introduced. The resultant sheep were the foundation of many South Australian strong wool studs. His brother Alexander Borthwick Murray was also a highly successful breeder of Merino sheep. The Peppin brothers took a different approach to producing
784-562: A hardier, longer-stapled, broader wool sheep. After purchasing Wanganella Station in the Riverina , they selected 200 station-bred ewes that thrived under local conditions and purchased 100 South Australian ewes bred at Cannally that were sired by an imported Rambouillet ram. The Peppin brothers mainly used Saxon and Rambouillet rams, importing four Rambouillet rams in 1860. One of these, Emperor, cut an 11.4 lb (5.1 kg clean) wool clip. They ran some Lincoln ewes, but their introduction into
882-432: A household in the city in 2010 was $ 35,655, and the median income for a family was $ 46,228. Males had a median income of $ 35,538 versus $ 26,341 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 20,549. About 8.9% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over. Pittsfield employs the mayor-council form of government. The mayor
980-493: A partnership with Philip Livingston , a wealthy kinsman from Albany, New York , and Col. John Stoddard of Northampton , who had claim to 1,000 acres (4.0 km ) here. A group of young armed militia men came and began to clear the land in 1743, but the threat of Indian resistance around the time of King George's War soon forced them to leave, and the land remained unoccupied by Englishmen for several more years. Soon, many colonists arrived from Westfield, Massachusetts , and
1078-463: A private sheep farm in Kleindrebnitz in 1811, but ironically after the success of his sheep export to Australia and Russia, failed with his own undertaking. Merino sheep were introduced to Vermont in 1812. This ultimately resulted in a boom-bust cycle for wool, which reached a price of 57 cents/pound in 1835. By 1837, 1,000,000 sheep were in the state. The price of wool dropped to 25 cents/pound in
SECTION 10
#17328550517481176-577: A ram was A$ 450,000 for JC&S Lustre 53, which sold at the 1988 Merino ram sale at Adelaide, South Australia . In 2008, an Australian Merino ewe was sold for A$ 14,000 at the Sheep Show and auction held at Dubbo , New South Wales . The New England Merino Field Days, which display local studs, wool, and sheep, are held during January in even numbered years in and around the Walcha, New South Wales district. The Annual Wool Fashion Awards, which showcase
1274-573: A recognizable version of the modern game, the 1791 document, would be, as of 2004, the earliest known reference to the game in America. ( See Origins of baseball . ) The document is available on the Pittsfield Library 's web site. A finding that baseball was invented in 1839 by Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown, New York , provided the rationale for baseball centennial celebrations in 1939 including
1372-659: A result of GE's operations in Pittsfield. The highest concentrations of PCBs in the Housatonic River are found from the site of the GE plant in Pittsfield to Woods Pond in Lenox, Massachusetts , where they have been measured up to 140 mg/kg (140 ppm). About 50% of all the PCBs in the river is estimated to be retained in the sediment behind Woods Pond dam. This is estimated to be about 11,000 pounds of PCBs. Birds and fish that live in and around
1470-697: A run to the Babe Ruth 13U World Series Championship game. Winning the New England Regional and going all the way to the Title Series, before losing to Kado, Hawaii. Pittsfield hosted the 2023 Babe Ruth 15U New England Regional Tournament at Wahconah Park. Pittsfield received an automatic bid for hosting and advanced to the championship game, but fell to Norwalk, Conn. Both Pittsfield high schools are known for their baseball and softball prowess. Taconic High School won state championships in 2017 and 2019 and reached
1568-635: A strong Spanish heritage, rather than simply being an existing North African strain that was imported in the 12th century, is supported both by recent genetic studies and the absence of definitive Merino wool before the 15th century. The predominant native sheep breed in Spain from pre-Roman times was the churro , a homogeneous group closely related to European sheep types north of the Pyrenees and bred mainly for meat and milk, with coarse, coloured wool. Churro wool had little value, except where its ewes had been crossed with
1666-546: A substantial decline in the numbers of several European Merino breeds, which are now considered to be endangered breeds and are no longer the subject of genetic improvement. In Spain, there are now two populations, the commercial Merino flocks, most common in the province of Extremadura and an "historical" Spanish Merino strain, developed and conserved in a breeding centre near Cordoba . The commercial Merino flocks show considerable genetic diversity, probably because of their cross-breeding with non-Spanish Merino-derived breeds since
1764-728: A town, with the winning design submitted by Shaun Harris. On the state level, Pittsfield has a single elected representative to the Massachusetts House of Representatives : the Second Berkshire District , which covers the entire city proper and is represented by Tricia Farley-Bouvier . In the Massachusetts Senate , the city is represented by Paul Mark of the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden district . Tara Jacobs (D-North Adams) represents Pittsfield as part of
1862-587: A village began to grow, which was incorporated as Pontoosuck Plantation in 1753 by Solomon Deming, Simeon Crofoot, Stephen Crofoot, Charles Goodrich, Jacob Ensign, Samuel Taylor, and Elias Woodward. Mrs. Deming was the first and the last of the original colonists, dying in March 1818 at the age of 92. Solomon Deming died in 1815 at the age of 96. Pittsfield was incorporated in 1761. Royal Governor Sir Francis Bernard named Pittsfield after British nobleman and politician William Pitt . By 1761 there were 200 residents and
1960-540: A virtual monopoly in fine wool exports in the final decades of the 15th century and in the 16th century, creating a substantial source of income for Castile . In part, this was because most English wool was woven and made into textile goods within England by the 16th century, rather than being exported. Many of the Castillian Merino flocks were owned by nobility or the church, although Alfonso X realised that granting
2058-420: A year because their wool does not stop growing. If this is neglected, the overabundance of wool can cause heat stress, mobility issues, and even blindness. Merino wool is fine and soft. Staples are commonly 65–100 mm (2.6–3.9 in) long. A Saxon Merino produces 3–6 kg (6.6–13.2 lb) of greasy wool a year, while a good quality Peppin Merino ram produces up to 18 kg (40 lb). Merino wool
SECTION 20
#17328550517482156-488: Is a polled (hornless) variant. Rams of other Merino breeds have long, spiral horns which grow close to the head, while ewes are usually hornless. The name merino was not documented in Spain until the early 15th century, and its origin is disputed. Two suggested origins for the Spanish word merino are given in: The three theories of the origins of the Merino breed in Spain are: the importation of North African flocks in
2254-469: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Pittsfield, Massachusetts Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts , United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Pittsfield’s population was 43,927 at the 2020 census . Although its population has declined in recent decades, Pittsfield remains
2352-632: Is about 10 miles (16 km) south, in Lee . Long-distance ground transportation in Pittsfield is based at the Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center , which serves as the station for Amtrak trains and Peter Pan buses. The Berkshire Regional Transit Authority, the transit provider for Pittsfield and vicinity, is based at the Intermodal Center and also uses it as a hub for most of its lines. Rail freight transportation
2450-477: Is an excellent forager and very adaptable. It is bred predominantly for its wool, and its carcass size is generally smaller than that of sheep bred for meat. South African Meat Merino (SAMM), American Rambouillet and German Merinofleischschaf have been bred to balance wool production and carcass quality. Merino has been domesticated and bred in ways that would not allow them to survive well without regular shearing by their owners. They must be shorn at least once
2548-544: Is currently Linda Tyer, who was elected for Pittsfield's first four-year term in January 2016, but will be succeeded in January 2024 by Peter Marchetti, who won the seat in the November 2023 municipal election. The city is fully functioning, with all the major public services, including Berkshire Medical Center which is the only hospital in the northern part of the county, and the region's only VA medical clinic . The city's library,
2646-463: Is provided by CSX Transportation and the Housatonic Railroad . The fixed-base operator at Pittsfield Municipal Airport offers access to the region via private and chartered aircraft ranging from single-engined piston to multiple-engined jet planes. They also offer scenic rides and flight training. The nearest airport with national service is Albany International Airport . Pittsfield has
2744-661: Is represented in the United States Senate by senior Senator Elizabeth Warren (D) and junior Senator Ed Markey (D). Pittsfield operates a public school system which has more than 6,000 students. There are eight elementary schools (Allendale, Robert T. Capeless, Crosby, Egremont, Morningside, Silvio O. Conte, Stearns and Williams), two middle schools (Theodore Herberg and John T. Reid), two high schools ( Pittsfield High School and Taconic High School ), and one private school ( Miss Hall's School ). The high schools both offer internal vocational programs. Students also come to
2842-461: The Berkshire Athenaeum , is one of the largest in western Massachusetts, and is connected to the regional library system. Pittsfield is also the county seat of Berkshire County, and as such has many state facilities for the county. In 2011, the City of Pittsfield received 129 designs of prospective official flags from residents in honor of the 250th anniversary of Pittsfield's incorporation as
2940-627: The Great Dividing Range was crossed. During the 1820s, interest in Merino sheep increased. MacArthur showed and sold 39 rams in October 1820, grossing £510/16/5. In 1823, at the first sheep show held in Australia, a gold medal was awarded to W. Riley ( 'Raby' ) for importing the most Saxons; W. Riley also imported cashmere goats into Australia. Two of Eliza Furlong 's (sometimes spelt Forlong or Forlonge) children had died from consumption , and she
3038-462: The Low Countries and Italy in the 13th and 14th centuries, it was only used to make cheap cloth. The earliest evidence of fine Spanish wool exports was to Italy in the 1390s and Flanders in the 1420s, although in both cases fine English wool was preferred. Spain became noted for its fine wool ( spinning count between 60s and 64s) in the late 15th century, and by the mid-16th century its Merino wool
Pittsfield Senators - Misplaced Pages Continue
3136-566: The Mesta was never simply a combination of large owners. The transhumant sheep grazed the southern Spanish plains in winter and the northern highlands in summer. The annual migrations to and from Castile and León, where the sheep were owned and where they had summer pasturage, was organised and controlled by the Mesta along designated sheep-walks, or cañadas reales and arranged for suitable grazing, water and rest stops in these routes, and for shearing when
3234-650: The Pittsfield Senators (later Rangers) of the 1970s, and the 1985–1988 AA Pittsfield Cubs featuring future stars Mark Grace and Rafael Palmeiro . From 1989 to 2001, the Pittsfield Mets and Pittsfield Astros (2001 only) represented the city in the New York–Penn League . The Astros have since moved to Troy, New York , and are now known as the Tri-City ValleyCats . In 2005, Wahconah Park became
3332-451: The 10 manufacturing plant areas within the city, and continues to conduct inspection, monitoring and maintenance activities. Cleanup of the polluted downstream river areas has not been completed as of 2023. Following a public comment period, EPA issued a permit in December 2020 for the final cleanup phase. In 2021 two of the citizen groups that were parties to the settlement filed an appeal of
3430-569: The 10 manufacturing plant areas within the city, and is conducting inspection, monitoring and maintenance activities. As of the census of 2000, there were 45,793 people, 19,704 households, and 11,822 families residing in the city. Pittsfield is the largest city by population in Berkshire County, and ranks 27th out of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts. The population density was 1,124.3 inhabitants per square mile (434.1/km ), making it
3528-606: The 12th century; its origin and improvement in Extremadura in the 12th and 13th centuries; the selective crossbreeding of Spanish ewes with imported rams at several different periods, so that its characteristic fine wool was not fully developed until the 15th century or even later. The first theory accepts that the breed was improved by later importation of North African rams and the second accepts an initial stock of North African sheep related to types from Asia Minor , and both claim an early date and largely North African origin for
3626-463: The 14th century, similar non-Merino wools were exported from the northern Castilian ports of San Sebastián , Santander , and Bilbao to England and the Low Countries to make coarse, cheap cloth. The quality of Spanish wools exported increased markedly in the late 15th century, as did their price, promoted by the efforts of the monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella to improve quality. Spain built up
3724-437: The 1960s, to create a strain more suitable for meat production. The historical Spanish strain, bred from animals selected from the main traditional Spanish genetic lines to ensure the conservation of a purebred lineage, exhibits signs of inbreeding. Before the 18th century, the export of Merinos from Spain was a crime punishable by death. In the 18th century, small exportation of Merinos from Spain and local sheep were used as
3822-497: The Australian Merino populations are genetically similar and distinct from all other Merino populations, indicating a common history after they arrived in Australia. By 1810, Australia had 33,818 sheep. John MacArthur (who had been sent back from Australia to England following a duel with Colonel Patterson) brought seven rams and one ewe from the first dispersal sale of King George III stud in 1804. The next year, MacArthur and
3920-763: The Baltimore Orioles, Turk Wendell , relief pitcher for the New York Mets, and Tom Grieve , outfielder for the Texas Rangers, were all from Pittsfield. The love of baseball in the Berkshires, and especially Pittsfield, extends for all ages. Pittsfield has two Little League teams, Pittsfield American and National, who are the two dominant powers in Berkshire County Little League and Western Massachusetts. The 2022 Pittsfield 13U Babe Ruth baseball team made
4018-696: The Diplomatic Corps importing at least 3,500 sheep between 1809 and 1811 through Portugal. The Napoleonic Wars (1793–1813) almost destroyed the Spanish Merino industry. The old cabañas or flocks were dispersed or slaughtered. From 1810 onwards, the Merino scene shifted to Germany, the United States and Australia. Saxony lifted the export ban on living Merinos after the Napoleonic wars. Highly decorated Saxon sheep breeder Nake from Rennersdorf had established
Pittsfield Senators - Misplaced Pages Continue
4116-661: The Eighth Massachusetts Governor's Council district. The city is patrolled by the Fourth (Cheshire) Station of Barracks "B" of the Massachusetts State Police . On the national level, Pittsfield is represented in the United States House of Representatives as part of Massachusetts's 1st congressional district , and has been represented by Richard Neal (D) of Springfield since 2013. Massachusetts
4214-767: The Final Four in 2023. It was the No. 1 overall seed in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Division III bracket in 2022 and beat city-rival Pittsfield High three times. Twice in the regular season and once again in the PVIAC Western Massachusetts Class B Championship Game in front of a crowd of over 3,500 at Wahconah Park. However, the two teams met in the Division III Sweet 16 and Pittsfield High pulled off
4312-604: The Merino breed. Sheep were relatively unimportant in the Islamic Caliphate of Córdoba , and there is no record of extensive transhumance before the caliphate's fall in the 1030s. The Marinids, when a nomadic Zenata Berber tribe, held extensive sheep flocks in what is now Morocco, and its leaders who formed the Marinid Sultanate militarily intervened in southern Spain, supporting the Emirate of Granada several times in
4410-600: The United States military and a line of baseball gloves produced by Nocona Athletic Goods Company . Duquette's ownership group also owned the American Defenders of New Hampshire , members of the independent Can-Am League . Since 2012, Wahconah Park has been the home of the Pittsfield Suns of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League . Mark Belanger , eight-time Gold Glove winning shortstop for
4508-455: The city has undergone a transformation with significant investment in the historic downtown, including a variety of new restaurants (French, Asian, Latin American, etc.), condominium and other residential developments and cultural attractions. Merino The Merino is a breed or group of breeds of domestic sheep , characterised by very fine soft wool . It was established in Spain near
4606-597: The city lies between the Berkshire Hills to the east and the Taconic Range to the west. Sections of the Housatonic Valley Wildlife Management Area dot the banks of the river. The western portion of the city contains Pittsfield State Forest, an 11,000-acre (4,500 ha) facility with hiking and cross-country skiing trails, camping, picnic areas, and a beach for swimming. Pittsfield is at
4704-523: The city's land. Pittsfield lies at the confluence of the east and west branches of the Housatonic River , which flows south from the city towards its mouth at Long Island Sound , some 149 miles (240 km) distant. The eastern branch leads down from the hills, while the western branch is fed from Onota Lake and Pontoosuc Lake (which lies partly in Lanesborough). Like much of western Berkshire County,
4802-673: The course of a year, 173 days have measurable precipitation. Flowing through a historically rural area, the Housatonic River attracted increased industrialization in the late 19th century. William Stanley Jr. , founded the Stanley Electric Manufacturing Company in 1890 at Pittsfield. The company manufactured small transformers, electrical motors and appliances. In 1903, GE acquired Stanley Electric and subsequently operated three major manufacturing operations in Pittsfield: transformer , ordnance , and plastics . During
4900-569: The court rejected the plaintiffs' challenge. In the years since the settlement was reached, the EPA, state agencies, the City and GE accomplished one of the largest and most complex cleanups in the country. Cleanup work on the first previously PCB-laden half mile of the Housatonic River, adjacent to the GE facility, was completed in September 2002. $ 90 million was spent cleaning up the 1.5-mile (2.4 km) reach between Lyman Street and Fred Garner Park, which
4998-547: The crossroads of U.S. Route 7 and U.S. Route 20 , which join together in the city. Massachusetts Route 8 passes through the northeastern corner of town, with a portion of it combined with Route 9 , the central east-west road through the western part of the state, whose western terminus is in the city at Route 20. Route 41 begins in the southwestern corner of town, heading south from Route 20. The nearest interstate highway, Interstate 90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike )
SECTION 50
#17328550517485096-505: The destruction of the Rambouillet line in the U.S. As of 1989 , an estimated 50% of the sheep on the U.S. western ranges are of Rambouillet blood. The federation drought (1901–1903) reduced the number of Australian sheep from 72 to 53 million and ended the Vermont era. The Peppin and Murray blood strain became dominant in the pastoral and wheat zones of Australia. The world record price for
5194-611: The end of the Middle Ages , and was for several centuries kept as a strict Spanish monopoly; exports of the breed were not allowed, and those who tried risked capital punishment . During the eighteenth century, flocks were sent to the courts of a number of European countries, including France (where they developed into the Rambouillet ), Hungary, the Netherlands, Prussia , Saxony and Sweden. The Merino subsequently spread to many parts of
5292-455: The finest English wools, which were in increasingly short supply at that time. Preserved medieval woollen fabrics from the Low Countries show that, before the 16th century, only the best quality English wools had a fineness of staple comparable to modern Merino wool. The wide range of Spanish wools produced in the 13th and early 14th centuries were mostly used domestically for cheap, coarse and light fabrics, and were not Merino wools. Later in
5390-421: The fleece weight was high, but the clean yield low, the greater grease content increased the risk of fly strike , they had lower uneven wool quality, and lower lambing percentages. Their introduction had a devastating effect on many famous fine-wool studs. In 1889, while Australian studs were being devastated by the imported Vermont rams, several U.S. Merino breeders formed the Rambouillet Association to prevent
5488-546: The flock had dwindled to just 28 ewes and one lamb. In 1797, Governor King, Colonel Patterson, Captain Waterhouse and Kent purchased sheep in Cape Town from the widow of Colonel Gordon, commander of the Dutch garrison. When Waterhouse landed in Sydney, he sold his sheep to Captain John MacArthur , Samuel Marsden and Captain William Cox . Although the early origin of the Australian Merino breed involved different stocks from Cape Colony, England, Saxony, France and America and although different Merino strains are bred in Australia,
5586-446: The flock is undocumented. In 1865, George Merriman founded the fine wool Merino Ravensworth Stud, part of which is the Merryville Stud at Yass, New South Wales . His son, Sir Walter Merriman , incorporated Peppin bloodlines into his breeding program. In the 1880s, Vermont rams were imported into Australia from the U.S.; since many Australian stud men believed these sheep would improve wool cuts, their use spread rapidly. Unfortunately,
5684-414: The flocks started their return north. The three Merino strains that founded the world's Merino flocks are the Royal Escurial flocks, the Negretti and the Paula. Among Merino bloodlines stemming from Vermont in the US, three historical studs were highly important: Infantado, Montarcos and Aguires. In recent times, Merino and breeds deriving from Merino stocks have spread worldwide. However, there has been
5782-443: The foundation of Merino flocks in other countries. In 1723, some were exported to Sweden, but the first major consignment of Escurials was sent by Charles III of Spain to his cousin, Prince Xavier the Elector of Saxony , in 1765. Further exportation of Escurials to Saxony occurred in 1774, to Hungary in 1775 and to Prussia in 1786. Later in 1786, Louis XVI of France received 366 sheep selected from 10 different cañadas; these founded
5880-456: The high schools from neighboring Richmond. There were two parochial schools open for many decades, but both recently closed (Saint Mark's for elementary and middle school students, and St. Joseph Central High School for high school students). Pittsfield is the home to the main campus of Berkshire Community College and Mildred Elley 's Pittsfield campus. The nearest state college is the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, and
5978-413: The home stadium of the Pittsfield Dukes , a summer collegiate baseball franchise of the New England Collegiate Baseball League owned by Dan Duquette , former Boston Red Sox general manager. The Dukes had played the 2004 season in Hinsdale, Massachusetts , as the Berkshire Dukes. In 2009, the franchise changed its name to the Pittsfield American Defenders . The American Defenders' name refers to both
SECTION 60
#17328550517486076-442: The late 13th and early 14th centuries. Although they may possibly have brought new breeds of sheep into Spain, there is no definite evidence that the Marinids did bring extensive flocks to Spain. As the Marinids arrived as an intervening military force, they were hardly in a position to protect extensive flocks and practice selective breeding. The third theory, that the Merino breed was created in Spain over several centuries with
6174-399: The late 1840s. The state could not withstand more efficient competition from the other states, and sheep-raising in Vermont collapsed. Many sheep farmers from Vermont migrated with their flocks to other parts of the United States. About 70 native sheep, suitable only for mutton , survived the journey to Australia with the First Fleet , which arrived in late January 1788. A few months later,
6272-552: The mid-20th century, the Housatonic River and its floodplain were contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other hazardous substances released from the General Electric Company (GE) facility in Pittsfield. The contaminated area, known as the General Electric/Housatonic River Site, includes the GE manufacturing facility; the Housatonic River, its riverbanks and floodplains from Pittsfield to Long Island Sound, and former river oxbows that have since been filled in; Allendale School; Silver Lake; and other areas contaminated as
6370-562: The most densely populated community in Berkshire county and 92nd overall in the Commonwealth. There were 21,366 housing units at an average density of 524.6 per square mile (202.5/km ). The racial makeup of the city in 2017 was 87.4% white (84.4% non-Hispanic white ), 4.7% black , 0.4% Native American , 2.0% Asian (0.6% Chinese , 0.5% Indian , 0.3% Pakistani , 0.2% Filipino , 0.2% Korean , 0.1% Vietnamese ), 0.02% Pacific Islander , 2.0% from other races , and 3.5% from two or more races . Hispanics and Latinos of any race were 6.0% of
6468-425: The nearest state university is Westfield State University . The nearest private colleges are Williams College in Williamstown and Bard College at Simon's Rock in Great Barrington. In addition, the Berkshire Music School, a non-profit music school, offers private and group lessons in multiple instruments. Pittsfield is the geographic and commercial hub of the Berkshires —a historic area that includes Tanglewood ,
6566-426: The new Australia Company, which was established in Britain, bought the first shipment, so Eliza repeated the journey twice more. Each time, she gathered a flock for her sons. The sons were sent to New South Wales, but were persuaded to stop in Tasmania with the sheep, where Eliza and her husband joined them. The Age in 1908 described Eliza Furlong as someone who had 'notably stimulated and largely helped to mould
6664-402: The north, Dalton to the east, Washington to the southeast, Lenox to the south, Richmond to the southwest, and Hancock to the west. Pittsfield is 48 miles (77 km) northwest of Springfield , 99 miles (159 km) west of Worcester , 135 miles (217 km) west of Boston , and 39 miles (63 km) east of Albany, New York . Most of the population occupies roughly one-quarter of
6762-405: The old GE buildings and its workforce is expanding. Much of General Dynamics' local success is based on the awarding of government contracts related to its advanced information systems. In September 2018, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker , Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito , and other Baker administration officials attended the groundbreaking of a $ 13.7 million project to build
6860-420: The opening of a National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in that city. Few historians ever believed it and even the Hall's vice president, Jeff Idelson , has stated that "Baseball wasn't really born anywhere." In 1859, the first intercollegiate baseball game was played in Pittsfield. Amherst defeated Williams College , 73–32. Ulysses Frank Grant , born August 1, 1865, in Pittsfield (died May 27, 1937),
6958-399: The permit, criticizing the design of a planned landfill to be located in Berkshire County. In February 2022 the US Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) denied the permit appeal. Following the EAB ruling, EPA continued to design the new PCB disposal facility and conducted public meetings in 2022. Two citizen groups appealed the EAB decision to the First Circuit Court of Appeals , and in July 2023
7056-587: The plantation became the Township of Pittsfield. By the end of the Revolutionary War , Pittsfield had grown to nearly 2,000 residents, including Colonel John Brown, who in 1776 began accusing Benedict Arnold of being a traitor, several years before Arnold defected to the British. Brown wrote in his winter 1776-77 handbill, "Money is this man's God, and to get enough of it he would sacrifice his country." Pittsfield
7154-467: The population (1.9% Puerto Rican , 0.9% Mexican , 0.6% Ecuadorian , 0.5% Dominican , 0.4% Spanish , 0.3% Peruvian , 0.3% Honduran , 0.2% Colombian , 0.2% Salvadoran , 0.1% Cuban ). The ten largest ancestry groups in the city were Irish (22.5%), Italian (17.5%), French (11.7%), German (9.9%), English (8.6%), Polish (6.7%), American (4.1%), French-Canadian (3.7%), Scottish (1.7%), and Russian (1.5%). Immigrants accounted for 7.3% of
7252-465: The population was greatly reduced by war and disease brought by white invaders. Many migrated westward or were subjugated to live on the fringes of their land. In 1738, a wealthy Bostonian named Col. Jacob Wendell bought 24,000 acres (97 km ) of land known originally as "Pontoosuck", from a Mohican word meaning "a field or haven for winter deer", as a speculative investment. He planned to subdivide and resell to others who would settle there. He formed
7350-595: The population. The ten most common countries of origin for immigrants in the city were, Ecuador , China , Mexico , the Dominican Republic , India , El Salvador , Canada , Ghana , and Brazil . In 2010, there were 19,704 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who
7448-406: The president George Bruce Cortelyou , and bodyguard William Craig were thrown into the street. Craig was killed; he was the first Secret Service agent killed while on a presidential protection detail. Roosevelt, whose face and left shin were badly bruised, nearly came to blows with the trolley motorman, Euclid Madden. Madden was later charged with manslaughter , to which he pleaded guilty . He
7546-521: The prosperity of an entire state and her name deserved to live for all time in our history' (reprinted Wagga Wagga Daily Advertiser 27 January 1989). There were nearly 2 million sheep in Australia by 1830, and by 1836, Australia had won the wool trade war with Germany, mainly because of Germany's preoccupation with fineness. German manufacturers commenced importing Australian wool in 1845. In 1841, at Mount Crawford in South Australia, Murray established
7644-502: The river contain significant levels of PCBs. Starting in 1991, legal proceedings by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the General Electric/Housatonic River Site. Initial cleanup work began in 1996 when EPA issued a unilateral order to GE that required the removal of highly contaminated sediments and bank soils. EPA added the site to its Superfund list in September 1997. The year 1999
7742-667: The royal flock at Kew. In 1808, 2000 Paulas were imported. The King of Spain also gave some Escurials to the Dutch government in 1790; these thrived in the Dutch Cape Colony (South Africa). In 1788, John MacArthur, from the Clan Arthur (or MacArthur Clan) introduced Merinos to Australia from South Africa. From 1765, the Germans in Saxony crossed the Spanish Merino with the Saxon sheep to develop
7840-524: The sheep returned to Australia, Macarthur to reunite with his wife Elizabeth , who had been developing their flock in his absence. Macarthur is considered the father of the Australian Merino industry; in the long term, however, his sheep had very little influence on the development of the Australian Merino. Macarthur pioneered the introduction of Saxon Merinos with importation from the Electoral flock in 1812. The first Australian wool boom occurred in 1813, when
7938-517: The size and wool-type of the French sheep. Through one ram in particular named Emperor – imported to Australia in 1860 by the Peppin brothers of Wanganella, New South Wales – the Rambouillet stud had an enormous influence on the development of the Australian Merino. Sir Joseph Banks procured two rams and four ewes in 1787 by way of Portugal, and in 1792 purchased 40 Negrettis for King George III to found
8036-598: The stud at the Royal Farm at Rambouillet . In addition to the fine wool breeds mentioned, other breeds derived from Merino stocks were developed to produce mutton, including the French Ile de France and Berrichon du Cher breeds. Merino sheep were also sent to Eastern Europe where their breeding began in Hungary in 1774 The Rambouillet stud enjoyed some undisclosed genetic development with some English long-wool genes contributing to
8134-670: The success of GE, Pittsfield's population in 1930 had grown to more than 50,000. While GE Advanced Materials (now owned by SABIC -Innovative Plastics, a subsidiary of the Riyadh-based Saudi Basic Industries Corporation) continues to be one of the city's largest employers, a workforce that once topped 13,000 was reduced to less than 700 with the demise and/or relocation of General Electric's transformer and aerospace portions. On October 8, 2015, SABIC announced it would relocate its headquarters from Pittsfield to Houston, Texas. General Dynamics occupies many of
8232-729: The summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra , and author Edith Wharton 's estate The Mount . Many buildings in Pittsfield are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Downtown Pittsfield is home to the gilded-age Colonial Theatre , the Berkshire Museum , the Beacon Cinema (multi-plex), the Barrington Stage Company , Berkshire Athenaeum , Wahconah Park and Hebert Arboretum . In recent years,
8330-601: The third-largest municipality in Western Massachusetts , behind only Springfield and Chicopee . In 2017, the Arts Vibrancy Index compiled by the National Center for Arts Research ranked Pittsfield and Berkshire County as the number-one medium-sized community in the nation for the arts. The Mohicans , an Algonquian people , inhabited Pittsfield and the surrounding area until the early 18th century, when
8428-483: The upset to send its crosstown rival home. Pittsfield is at 42°27′N 73°15′W / 42.450°N 73.250°W / 42.450; -73.250 (42.4522, −73.2515). According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 42.5 square miles (110.0 km ), of which 2.0 square miles (5.2 km ), or 4.70%, are covered by water. Pittsfield is bordered by Lanesborough to
8526-527: The urban elites of the towns of Old Castile and León transhumant rights would create an additional source of royal income and counteract the power of the privileged orders. During the late 15th, 16th and early 17th century, two-thirds of the sheep migrating annually were held in flocks of less than 100 sheep and very few flocks exceeded 1,000 sheep. By the 18th century, there were fewer small owners, and several owners held flocks of more than 20,000 sheep, but owners of small to moderately-sized flocks remained, and
8624-825: The use of Merino wool by fashion designers, are hosted by the city of Armidale, New South Wales in March each year. In Australia, mulesing of Merino sheep is a common practice to reduce the incidence of flystrike . It has been attacked by animal rights and animal welfare activists, with PETA running a campaign against the practice in 2004. The PETA campaign targeted U.S. consumers by using graphic billboards in New York City. PETA threatened U.S. manufacturers with television advertisements showing their companies' support of mulesing. Fashion retailers including Abercrombie & Fitch Co. , Gap Inc and Nordstrom and George (UK) stopped stocking Australian Merino wool products. New Zealand banned mulesing on 1 October 2018. Merino
8722-833: The world, including South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. They are presently common in South Africa. Numerous recognised breeds, strains and variants have developed from the original type; these include, among others, the American Merino and Delaine Merino in the Americas, the Australian Merino , Booroola Merino and Peppin Merino in Oceania, and the Gentile di Puglia , Merinolandschaf and Rambouillet in Europe. The Australian Poll Merino
8820-457: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.89. In 2010 in the city, the population was spread out, with 23.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males. The median income for
8918-420: Was a milestone for Pittsfield, when negotiations between EPA, the state, General Electric and the city resulted in a settlement agreement , valued at over $ 250 million, to clean up Pittsfield and the Housatonic River. The settlement was memorialized in a consent decree entered in federal court the following year, making it a binding legal agreement. Between 2005 and 2018 GE completed remediation and restoration of
9016-518: Was acknowledged to equal that of the finest English wools. The earliest documentary evidence for Merino wools in Italy dates to the 1400s, and in the 1420s and 1430s, Merino wools were being mixed with fine English wool in some towns in the Low Countries to produce high quality cloth. However, it was only in the mid-16th century that the most expensive grades of cloth could be made entirely from Merino wool, after its quality had improved to equal that of
9114-676: Was an African American baseball player in the 19th century who played in the International League and for various independent teams. Professional baseball was played in Pittsfield's Wahconah Park from 1894 through 2003. Teams included the early Pittsfield Colts and Pittsfield Hillies , the Pittsfield Electrics of the 1940s, the Pittsfield Red Sox from 1965 to 1969 with such then A-league players and future major leaguers as George Scott , Carlton Fisk , and Reggie Smith ,
9212-532: Was completed in June 2007. Biological and sediment samples showed reductions of approximately 99% of PCB concentrations compared to conditions before remediation. GE removed contaminated soil and restored 27 residential properties abutting the river. As of 2006 more than 115,000 cubic yards (88,000 m ) of PCB-contaminated sediment, bank, and floodplain soil have been removed from the river and residential property. As of 2019 GE has completed remediation and restoration of
9310-433: Was considered to be the finest in the world. In 1802, Colonel David Humphreys , United States Ambassador to Spain, introduced the Vermont strain into North America with an importation of 21 rams and 70 ewes from Portugal and a further importation of 100 Infantado Merinos in 1808. The British embargo on wool and wool clothing exports to the U.S. before the 1812 British/U.S. war led to a "Merino Craze", with William Jarvis of
9408-768: Was determined to protect her surviving two sons by living in a warm climate and finding them outdoor occupations. Her husband John, a Scottish businessman, had noticed wool from the Electorate of Saxony sold for much higher prices than wools from New South Wales. The family decided on sheep farming in Australia for their new business. In 1826, Eliza walked over 1,500 miles (2,400 km) through villages in Saxony and Prussia, selecting fine Saxon Merino sheep. Her sons, Andrew and William, studied sheep breeding and wool classing . The selected 100 sheep were driven (herded) to Hamburg and shipped to Hull. Thence, Eliza and her two sons walked them to Scotland for shipment to Australia. In Scotland,
9506-400: Was primarily turned into an agricultural area because of the many brooks that flowed into the Housatonic River ; the landscape was dotted with mills that produced lumber, grist, paper, and textiles. With the introduction of Merino sheep from Spain in 1807, the area became the center of woolen manufacturing in the United States, an industry that would dominate the community's economy for almost
9604-543: Was sentenced to six months in jail and a heavy fine. In 2004, historian John Thorn discovered a reference to a 1791 by-law prohibiting anyone from playing "baseball" within 80 yards (73 m) of the new meeting house in Pittsfield. A reference librarian, AnnMarie Harris, found the actual by-law in the Berkshire Athenaeum library and its age was verified by researchers at the Williamstown Art Conservation Center. If authentic and if actually referring to
#747252