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120-532: The company was founded in 2001 by Phineas DeMink and Allen "Skip" Yahn. They purchased old equipment from the Old Saddleback Brewing Co. in Pittsfield, Massachusetts . By 2003, the brewery had expanded to multiple varieties of small batch ales distributed locally. By 2005, the company had expanded its distribution to cover the majority of New York State and Pennsylvania. In 2009, a new 20,000-sq-ft building

240-468: A fief , often land or office, under vassalage , i.e., in exchange for allegiance and various, mainly military, services to a suzerain , who might be a higher-ranking nobleman or a monarch. It rapidly became a hereditary caste , sometimes associated with a right to bear a hereditary title and, for example in pre-revolutionary France, enjoying fiscal and other privileges. While noble status formerly conferred significant privileges in most jurisdictions, by

360-545: 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

480-616: A nobility that is almost as old as the country itself. Throughout the history of the Ethiopian Empire most of the titles of nobility have been tribal or military in nature. However the Ethiopian nobility resembled its European counterparts in some respects; until 1855, when Tewodros II ended the Zemene Mesafint its aristocracy was organized similarly to the feudal system in Europe during

600-629: 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 a recognizable version of the modern game, the 1791 document, would be, as of 2004,

720-413: A castle, well and mill to which local peasants were allowed some access, although often at a price. Nobles were expected to live "nobly", that is, from the proceeds of these possessions. Work involving manual labor or subordination to those of lower rank (with specific exceptions, such as in military or ecclesiastic service) was either forbidden (as derogation from noble status) or frowned upon socially. On

840-586: A century, ruling with the sanction of the Solomonic emperors. The last such Muslim noble to join the ranks of Ethiopian society was Mikael of Wollo who converted, was made Negus of Wollo, and later King of Zion, and even married into the Imperial family. He lived to see his son, Lij Iyasu , inherit the throne in 1913—only to be deposed in 1916 because of his conversion to Islam. The nobility in Madagascar are known as

960-686: A de facto aristocracy continued to exist. This process was further deepened during the Three Kingdoms period with the introduction of the Nine-rank system . By the Sui dynasty , however, the institution of the Imperial examination system marked the transformation of a power shift towards a full bureaucracy, though the process would not be truly completed until the Song dynasty. Titles of nobility became symbolic along with

1080-546: A general expectation of deference from those of lower rank. By the 21st century even that deference had become increasingly minimized. In general, the present nobility present in the European monarchies has no more privileges than the citizens decorated in republics. In France, a seigneurie (lordship) might include one or more manors surrounded by land and villages subject to a noble's prerogatives and disposition. Seigneuries could be bought, sold or mortgaged. If erected by

1200-432: 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

1320-516: A monarch or government, and acquisition of sufficient power, wealth, ownerships, or royal favour has occasionally enabled commoners to ascend into the nobility. There are often a variety of ranks within the noble class. Legal recognition of nobility has been much more common in monarchies, but nobility also existed in such regimes as the Dutch Republic (1581–1795), the Republic of Genoa (1005–1815),

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1440-898: A new brewhouse installation began of a 110-barrel Steinecker brewhouse imported from Germany. A new tasting room was installed as the ending point of Saturday afternoon tours with 14 draught lines. In 2013, a 45,000 sq. ft. warehouse, wastewater treatment facility, and distribution center were built. On February 16, 2016, Southern Tier allied with Victory Brewing Company to become part of the Artisanal Brewing Ventures holding company. In January 2017, Southern Tier opened its first satellite brewpub in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania with thirty different beers on tap. In September 2018, its second satellite location opened in Cleveland , Ohio with 30+ draft offerings. In March 2021, Southern Tier acquired

1560-689: A nobleman. In this respect, the nobility as a class has always been much more extensive than the primogeniture -based titled nobility, which included peerages in France and in the United Kingdom , grandezas in Portugal and Spain, and some noble titles in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Prussia, and Scandinavia. In Russia, Scandinavia and non-Prussian Germany, titles usually descended to all male-line descendants of

1680-659: 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

1800-400: A speculative investment. He planned to subdivide and resell to others who would settle there. He formed 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

1920-626: A stipend while governance of the country shifted to scholar officials. In the Qing dynasty , titles of nobility were still granted by the emperor, but served merely as honorifics based on a loose system of favours to the Qing emperor. Under a centralized system, the empire's governance was the responsibility of the Confucian-educated scholar-officials and the local gentry, while the literati were accorded gentry status. For male citizens, advancement in status

2040-459: A third of British land is in the hands of aristocrats and traditional landed gentry . Nobility is a historical, social, and often legal notion, differing from high socio-economic status in that the latter is mainly based on pedigree, income, possessions, or lifestyle. Being wealthy or influential cannot ipso facto make one noble, nor are all nobles wealthy or influential (aristocratic families have lost their fortunes in various ways, and

2160-741: A title of baron or count (cf. peerage ). Neither nobility nor titles could be transmitted through women. Some con artists sell fake titles of nobility , often with impressive-looking documentation. This may be illegal, depending on local law. They are more often illegal in countries that actually have nobilities, such as European monarchies. In the United States, such commerce may constitute actionable fraud rather than criminal usurpation of an exclusive right to use of any given title by an established class. "Aristocrat" and "aristocracy", in modern usage, refer colloquially and broadly to persons who inherit elevated social status, whether due to membership in

2280-728: 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

2400-518: 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 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

2520-482: 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 the president George Bruce Cortelyou , and bodyguard William Craig were thrown into the street. Craig

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2640-410: 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 the old GE buildings and its workforce is expanding. Much of General Dynamics' local success is based on

2760-477: A working class of the time. The latter consisted mainly of agricultural peasants who spent most of their time working outdoors and thus had tanned skin, through which superficial veins appear less prominently. Robert Lacey explains the genesis of the blue blood concept: It was the Spaniards who gave the world the notion that an aristocrat's blood is not red but blue. The Spanish nobility started taking shape around

2880-632: 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

3000-753: Is an exception. In a number of recent cases in Scotland the Lord Lyon King of Arms has controversially ( vis-à-vis Scotland's Salic law) granted the arms and allocated the chiefships of medieval noble families to female-line descendants of lords, even when they were not of noble lineage in the male line, while persons of legitimate male-line descent may still survive (e.g. the modern Chiefs of Clan MacLeod ). In some nations, hereditary titles , as distinct from noble rank, were not always recognised in law, e.g., Poland's Szlachta . European ranks of nobility lower than baron or its equivalent, are commonly referred to as

3120-544: 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,

3240-400: Is derived from Sanskrit word Karyi which meant functionary. Other noble and aristocratic titles were Thakur , Sardar , Jagirdar , Mankari , Dewan , Pradhan, Kaji etc. In East Asia, the system was often modeled on imperial China, the leading culture. Emperors conferred titles of nobility . Imperial descendants formed the highest class of ancient Chinese nobility, their status based upon

3360-563: Is held by Kung Tsui-chang . There is also a "Sacrificial Official to Mencius" for a descendant of Mencius , a "Sacrificial Official to Zengzi" for a descendant of Zengzi , and a "Sacrificial Official to Yan Hui" for a descendant of Yan Hui . The bestowal of titles was abolished upon the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, as part of a larger effort to remove feudal influences and practises from Chinese society. Unlike China, Silla's bone nobles were much more aristocratic and had

3480-463: 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

3600-661: 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

3720-811: The Andriana . In much of Madagascar, before French colonization of the island, the Malagasy people were organised into a rigid social caste system, within which the Andriana exercised both spiritual and political leadership. The word "Andriana" has been used to denote nobility in various ethnicities in Madagascar: including the Merina , the Betsileo , the Betsimisaraka , the Tsimihety ,

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3840-638: The Bezanozano , the Antambahoaka and the Antemoro . The word Andriana has often formed part of the names of Malagasy kings, princes and nobles. Linguistic evidence suggests that the origin of the title Andriana is traceable back to an ancient Javanese title of nobility. Before the colonization by France in the 1890s, the Andriana held various privileges, including land ownership, preferment for senior government posts, free labor from members of lower classes,

3960-447: 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

4080-545: The British Raj , many members of the nobility were elevated to royalty as they became the monarchs of their princely states, but as many princely state rulers were reduced from royals to noble zamindars . Hence, many nobles in the subcontinent had royal titles of Raja, Rai, Rana, Rao, etc. In Nepal, Kaji ( Nepali : काजी ) was a title and position used by nobility of Gorkha Kingdom (1559–1768) and Kingdom of Nepal (1768–1846). Historian Mahesh Chandra Regmi suggests that Kaji

4200-696: The Emirate of Harar , and the Awsa sultanate . Ethiopian nobility were divided into two different categories: Mesafint ("prince"), the hereditary nobility that formed the upper echelon of the ruling class; and the Mekwanin ("governor") who were appointed nobles, often of humble birth, who formed the bulk of the nobility ( cf. the Ministerialis of the Holy Roman Empire ). In Ethiopia there were titles of nobility among

4320-454: The Mesafint borne by those at the apex of medieval Ethiopian society. The highest royal title (after that of emperor) was Negus ("king") which was held by hereditary governors of the provinces of Begemder , Shewa , Gojjam , and Wollo . The next highest seven titles were Ras , Dejazmach , Fit'awrari , Grazmach , Qenyazmach , Azmach and Balambaras . The title of Le'ul Ras

4440-774: 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 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

4560-699: The Republic of Venice (697–1797), and the Old Swiss Confederacy (1300–1798), and remains part of the legal social structure of some small non-hereditary regimes, e.g., San Marino , and the Vatican City in Europe. In Classical Antiquity , the nobiles (nobles) of the Roman Republic were families descended from persons who had achieved the consulship . Those who belonged to the hereditary patrician families were nobles, but plebeians whose ancestors were consuls were also considered nobiles . In

4680-603: The Roman Empire , the nobility were descendants of this Republican aristocracy. While ancestry of contemporary noble families from ancient Roman nobility might technically be possible, no well-researched, historically documented generation-by-generation genealogical descents from ancient Roman times are known to exist in Europe. Hereditary titles and styles added to names (such as "Prince", "Lord", or "Lady"), as well as honorifics , often distinguish nobles from non-nobles in conversation and written speech. In many nations, most of

4800-580: The Song dynasty , and by its peak power shifted from nobility to bureaucrats. This development was gradual and generally only completed in full by the Song dynasty. In the Han dynasty , for example, even though noble titles were no longer given to those other than the emperor's relatives, the fact that the process of selecting officials was mostly based on a vouching system by current officials as officials usually vouched for their own sons or those of other officials meant that

4920-639: 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 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

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5040-471: The peerage , which also carries nobility and formerly a seat in the House of Lords , but never came with automatic entail of land nor rights to the local peasants' output. Nobility might be either inherited or conferred by a fons honorum . It is usually an acknowledged preeminence that is hereditary, i.e. the status descends exclusively to some or all of the legitimate , and usually male-line , descendants of

5160-570: The petty nobility , although baronets of the British Isles are deemed titled gentry . Most nations traditionally had an untitled lower nobility in addition to titled nobles. An example is the landed gentry of the British Isles . Unlike England's gentry, the Junkers of Germany, the noblesse de robe of France, the hidalgos of Spain and the nobili of Italy were explicitly acknowledged by

5280-716: The (formerly) official nobility or the monied upper class. Blue blood is an English idiom recorded since 1811 in the Annual Register and in 1834 for noble birth or descent; it is also known as a translation of the Spanish phrase sangre azul , which described the Spanish royal family and high nobility who claimed to be of Visigothic descent, in contrast to the Moors . The idiom originates from ancient and medieval societies of Europe and distinguishes an upper class (whose superficial veins appeared blue through their untanned skin) from

5400-451: 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

5520-569: 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

5640-406: The 16th century by the House of Habsburg . Historically, once nobility was granted, if a nobleman served the monarch well he might obtain the title of baron, and might later be elevated to the rank of count. As in other countries of post-medieval central Europe, hereditary titles were not attached to a particular land or estate but to the noble family itself, so that all patrilineal descendants shared

5760-698: 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 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

5880-455: The 21st century it had become a largely honorary dignity in most societies, although a few, residual privileges may still be preserved legally (e.g. Spain, UK) and some Asian, Pacific and African cultures continue to attach considerable significance to formal hereditary rank or titles. (Compare the entrenched position and leadership expectations of the nobility of the Kingdom of Tonga .) More than

6000-518: The Americas such as Mexico and the United States , have expressly abolished the conferral and use of titles of nobility for their citizens. This is distinct from countries that have not abolished the right to inherit titles, but which do not grant legal recognition or protection to them, such as Germany and Italy, although Germany recognizes their use as part of the legal surname. Still, other countries and authorities allow their use, but forbid attachment of any privilege thereto, e.g., Finland, Norway, and

6120-411: 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

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6240-415: The Ethiopian nobility as part of their quest for aggrandizement during the 1800s. To do so they were generally obliged to abandon their faith and some are believed to have feigned conversion to Christianity for the sake of acceptance by the old Christian aristocratic families. One such family, the Wara Seh (more commonly called the "Yejju dynasty") converted to Christianity and eventually wielded power for over

6360-496: The European Union, while French law also protects lawful titles against usurpation . Not all of the benefits of nobility derived from noble status per se . Usually privileges were granted or recognized by the monarch in association with possession of a specific title, office or estate. Most nobles' wealth derived from one or more estates , large or small, that might include fields, pasture, orchards, timberland, hunting grounds, streams, etc. It also included infrastructure such as

6480-462: 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), was an African American baseball player in the 19th century who played in the International League and for various independent teams. Professional baseball

6600-402: The Middle Ages. For more than seven centuries, Ethiopia (or Abyssinia , as it was then known) was made up of many small kingdoms, principalities, emirates and imamates , which owed their allegiance to the nəgusä nägäst (literally "King of Kings"). Despite its being a Christian monarchy, various Muslim states paid tribute to the emperors of Ethiopia for centuries: including the Adal Sultanate ,

6720-465: The advent of modern governance, their members retain precedence of a traditional nature and are especially prominent during festivals. Outside of this, many of the traditional nobles of Nigeria continue to serve as privy counsellors and viceroys in the service of their traditional sovereigns in a symbolic continuation of the way that their titled ancestors and predecessors did during the pre-colonial and colonial periods. Many of them are also members of

6840-432: The annual crop yield from commoners or nobles of lower rank who lived or worked on the noble's manor or within his seigneurial domain. In some countries, the local lord could impose restrictions on such a commoner's movements, religion or legal undertakings. Nobles exclusively enjoyed the privilege of hunting. In France, nobles were exempt from paying the taille , the major direct tax. Peasants were not only bound to

6960-410: 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 a life sciences and advanced manufacturing center in the city. On September 3, 1902, at 10:15 am, during

7080-411: 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 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

7200-434: 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. Nobleman Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy . It is normally ranked immediately below royalty . Nobility has often been an estate of

7320-400: 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

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7440-425: The concept of the 'poor nobleman' is almost as old as nobility itself). Although many societies have a privileged upper class with substantial wealth and power, the status is not necessarily hereditary and does not entail a distinct legal status , nor differentiated forms of address . Various republics, including European countries such as Greece, Turkey, and Austria, and former Iron Curtain countries and places in

7560-428: The continent. Most, such as those composed of the descendants of Shaka and those of Moshoeshoe of Southern Africa, belong to peoples that have been resident in the continent for millennia. Generally their royal or noble status is recognized by and derived from the authority of traditional custom. A number of them also enjoy either a constitutional or a statutory recognition of their high social positions. Ethiopia has

7680-418: The country's political elite due to their not being covered by the prohibition from involvement in politics that governs the activities of the traditional rulers. Holding a chieftaincy title, either of the traditional variety (which involves taking part in ritual re-enactments of your title's history during annual festivals, roughly akin to a British peerage ) or the honorary variety (which does not involve

7800-539: 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

7920-471: 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

8040-483: 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 )

8160-402: The crown into, e.g., a barony or countship, it became legally entailed for a specific family, which could use it as their title. Yet most French nobles were untitled ("seigneur of Montagne" simply meant ownership of that lordship but not, if one was not otherwise noble, the right to use a title of nobility, as commoners often purchased lordships). Only a member of the nobility who owned a countship

8280-415: The dark-skinned enemy. Africa has a plethora of ancient lineages in its various constituent nations. Some, such as the numerous sharifian families of North Africa, the Keita dynasty of Mali , the Solomonic dynasty of Ethiopia , the De Souza family of Benin , the Abaza and Zulfikar families of Egypt and the Sherbro Tucker clan of Sierra Leone , claim descent from notables from outside of

8400-442: 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 the opening of a National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in that city. Few historians ever believed it and even

8520-462: The family of Empress Menen Asfaw who ruled over the mountain fortress of Ambassel in Wollo; Wagshum , a title created for the descendants of the deposed Zagwe dynasty ; and Shum Agame , held by the descendants of Dejazmach Sabagadis , who ruled over the Agame district of Tigray. The vast majority of titles borne by nobles were not, however, hereditary. Despite being largely dominated by Christian elements, some Muslims obtained entrée into

8640-518: The family's coat of arms ) extending back five generations (all 16 great-great-grandparents). This illustrates the traditional link in many countries between heraldry and nobility; in those countries where heraldry is used, nobles have almost always been armigerous , and have used heraldry to demonstrate their ancestry and family history . However, heraldry has never been restricted to the noble classes in most countries, and being armigerous does not necessarily demonstrate nobility. Scotland , however,

8760-517: The first electric transformer. Stanley's enterprise was the forerunner of the internationally known corporate giant, General Electric (GE). Thanks to 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,

8880-573: 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

9000-827: The home of the Pittsfield Suns of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League . Mark Belanger , eight-time Gold Glove winning shortstop for 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

9120-455: 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 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

9240-928: The members of the various parlements , were ennobled by the king, constituting the noblesse de robe . The old nobility of landed or knightly origin, the noblesse d'épée , increasingly resented the influence and pretensions of this parvenu nobility. In the last years of the ancien régime the old nobility pushed for restrictions of certain offices and orders of chivalry to noblemen who could demonstrate that their lineage had extended " quarterings ", i.e. several generations of noble ancestry, to be eligible for offices and favours at court along with nobles of medieval descent, although historians such as William Doyle have disputed this so-called "Aristocratic Reaction". Various court and military positions were reserved by tradition for nobles who could "prove" an ancestry of at least seize quartiers (16 quarterings), indicating exclusively noble descent (as displayed, ideally, in

9360-699: 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

9480-483: The monarchs of those countries as members of the nobility, although untitled. In Scandinavia, the Benelux nations and Spain there are still untitled as well as titled families recognised in law as noble. In Hungary members of the nobility always theoretically enjoyed the same rights. In practice, however, a noble family's financial assets largely defined its significance. Medieval Hungary's concept of nobility originated in

9600-669: 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

9720-604: 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 ,

9840-409: The ninth century in classic military fashion, occupying land as warriors on horseback. They were to continue the process for more than five hundred years, clawing back sections of the peninsula from its Moorish occupiers, and a nobleman demonstrated his pedigree by holding up his sword arm to display the filigree of blue-blooded veins beneath his pale skin—proof that his birth had not been contaminated by

9960-406: The nobility by dues and services, but the exercise of their rights was often also subject to the jurisdiction of courts and police from whose authority the actions of nobles were entirely or partially exempt. In some parts of Europe the right of private war long remained the privilege of every noble. During the early Renaissance, duelling established the status of a respectable gentleman and

10080-515: The nobility have been untitled, and some hereditary titles do not indicate nobility (e.g., vidame ). Some countries have had non-hereditary nobility, such as the Empire of Brazil or life peers in the United Kingdom. The term derives from Latin nobilitas , the abstract noun of the adjective nobilis ("noble but also secondarily well-known, famous, notable"). In ancient Roman society , nobiles originated as an informal designation for

10200-417: The notion that nobles were "free men", eligible to own land. This basic standard explains why the noble population was relatively large, although the economic status of its members varied widely. Untitled nobles were not infrequently wealthier than titled families, while considerable differences in wealth were also to be found within the titled nobility. The custom of granting titles was introduced to Hungary in

10320-444: The original titleholder, including females. In Spain, noble titles are now equally heritable by females and males alike. Noble estates, on the other hand, gradually came to descend by primogeniture in much of western Europe aside from Germany. In Eastern Europe, by contrast, with the exception of a few Hungarian estates, they usually descended to all sons or even all children. In France , some wealthy bourgeois , most particularly

10440-464: The other hand, membership in the nobility was usually a prerequisite for holding offices of trust in the realm and for career promotion, especially in the military, at court and often the higher functions in the government, judiciary and church. Prior to the French Revolution , European nobles typically commanded tribute in the form of entitlement to cash rents or usage taxes, labor or a portion of

10560-626: 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

10680-426: The political governing class who had allied interests, including both patricians and plebeian families ( gentes ) with an ancestor who had risen to the consulship through his own merit (see novus homo , "new man"). In modern usage, "nobility" is applied to the highest social class in pre-modern societies . In the feudal system (in Europe and elsewhere), the nobility were generally those who held

10800-467: 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

10920-512: The population occupies roughly one-quarter of 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,

11040-595: 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

11160-442: The rank of the empress or concubine from which they descend maternally (as emperors were polygamous). Numerous titles such as Taizi (crown prince), and equivalents of "prince" were accorded, and due to complexities in dynastic rules, rules were introduced for Imperial descendants. The titles of the junior princes were gradually lowered in rank by each generation while the senior heir continued to inherit their father's titles. It

11280-430: The realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteristics associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles or simply formal functions (e.g., precedence ), and vary by country and by era. Membership in the nobility, including rights and responsibilities, is typically hereditary and patrilineal . Membership in the nobility has historically been granted by

11400-570: 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 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

11520-467: The restaurant 716 Food and Sport at LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo from Pegula Sports and Entertainment . 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

11640-471: The revival of a Christian Andriana monarchy that would blend modernity and tradition. Contemporary Nigeria has a class of traditional notables which is led by its reigning monarchs, the Nigerian traditional rulers . Though their functions are largely ceremonial, the titles of the country's royals and nobles are often centuries old and are usually vested in the membership of historically prominent families in

11760-494: The right to collect taxes and rule over people. They also thought of the king as Buddha and justified their rule through the idea that status was determined by birth. However, this strict sense of social status gradually weakened due to the introduction of Confucianism and opposition from the lower class, and even in Silla, opportunities were given to people of low social status through Confucian tests such as '독서삼품과(讀書三品 科 )'. However,

11880-497: The right to have their tombs constructed within town limits, etc. The Andriana rarely married outside their caste: a high-ranking woman who married a lower-ranking man took on her husband's lower rank, but a high-ranking man marrying a woman of lower rank did not forfeit his status, although his children could not inherit his rank or property ( cf. morganatic marriage ). In 2011, the Council of Kings and Princes of Madagascar endorsed

12000-473: 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

12120-612: The said re-enactments, roughly akin to a knighthood ), grants an individual the right to use the word "chief" as a pre-nominal honorific while in Nigeria. Historically Rajputs formed a class of aristocracy associated with warriorhood , developing after the 10th century in the Indian subcontinent . During the Mughal era , a class of administrators known as Nawabs emerged who initially served as governors of provinces , later becoming independent. In

12240-519: The still strict status order of Silla caused opposition from many people and collapsed when the country moved to Goryeo. In Goryeo, powerful families along with existing nobles became nobles, claiming a new lineage nobility. And in Goryeo, dissatisfied lower class people confronted the nobles and took power for a short period of time. Goryeo also had many hereditary families, and they were more aristocratic than Confucian bureaucrats, forcibly collecting taxes from

12360-729: 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,

12480-416: The surrounding area until the early 18th century, when 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

12600-409: 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 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

12720-702: The two dominant powers in Berkshire County Little League and Western Massachusetts. The 2022 Pittsfield 13U Babe Ruth baseball team made 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

12840-733: The various subnational kingdoms of the country . Membership of initiatory societies that have inalienable functions within the kingdoms is also a common feature of Nigerian nobility, particularly among the southern tribes, where such figures as the Ogboni of the Yoruba , the Nze na Ozo of the Igbo and the Ekpe of the Efik are some of the most famous examples. Although many of their traditional functions have become dormant due to

12960-654: Was 43,927 at the 2020 census . Although its population has declined in recent decades, Pittsfield remains 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

13080-457: 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

13200-583: Was a custom in China for the new dynasty to ennoble and enfeoff a member of the dynasty which they overthrew with a title of nobility and a fief of land so that they could offer sacrifices to their ancestors, in addition to members of other preceding dynasties. China had a feudal system in the Shang and Zhou dynasties , which gradually gave way to a more bureaucratic one beginning in the Qin dynasty (221 BC). This continued through

13320-420: 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

13440-573: Was accorded to the heads of various noble families and cadet branches of the Solomonic dynasty , such as the princes of Gojjam, Tigray, and Selalle. The heirs of the Le'ul Rases were titled Le'ul Dejazmach , indicative of the higher status they enjoyed relative to Dejazmaches who were not of the blood imperial. There were various hereditary titles in Ethiopia: including that of Jantirar , reserved for males of

13560-409: Was allowed, ipso facto , to style himself as its comte , although this restriction came to be increasingly ignored as the ancien régime drew to its close. In other parts of Europe, sovereign rulers arrogated to themselves the exclusive prerogative to act as fons honorum within their realms. For example, in the United Kingdom royal letters patent are necessary to obtain a title of

13680-466: Was an accepted manner of resolving disputes. Since the end of World War I the hereditary nobility entitled to special rights has largely been abolished in the Western World as intrinsically discriminatory , and discredited as inferior in efficiency to individual meritocracy in the allocation of societal resources. Nobility came to be associated with social rather than legal privilege, expressed in

13800-460: Was built to accommodate the company's expansion nationally and internationally. In 2010, 800 barrels of fermentation vessels were built, as well as a 7,500 square-foot addition to the conditioning room. The brew house expanded from 20 BBL to a 50 BBL system. The company also added a new bottling line that fills, caps and labels over 10,000 bottles per hour at full speed. They also added a cellar to add another 7,200 BBL of fermentation space. In 2012,

13920-532: 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

14040-411: 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 was sentenced to six months in jail and a heavy fine. In 2004, historian John Thorn discovered a reference to

14160-689: 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 , 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,

14280-566: Was possible via garnering the top three positions in imperial examinations. The Qing appointed the Ming imperial descendants to the title of Marquis of Extended Grace . The oldest held continuous noble title in Chinese history was that held by the descendants of Confucius , as Duke Yansheng , which was renamed as the Sacrificial Official to Confucius in 1935 by the Republic of China . The title

14400-708: 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 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

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