On June 14, 2010, a large group gathered at the Pittsfield Conte Drive facility to honor our nation’s symbol of freedom. A military color guard was provided by the James E. Callahan Berkshire County Chapter 65 of the Vietnam Veterans of America and the National Anthem was sung by Kristina Clark. A Flag Day proclamation from Pittsfield Mayor James Ruberto was read by Matthew Dindio. Archivist Jean Nudd presented an inspirational reading and the program concluded with a sing-a-long of patriotic songs led by Ms. Clark. Refreshments were served following the event. The event was co-sponsored by the First  Resistance Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American  Revolution.

"Thanks for a wonderful afternoon yesterday.  It’s nice to see some traditions still being honored."
— Kathy, Pittsfield, MA

On Saturday, June 12, 2010, the Friends of NARA Pittsfield sponsored a special program on researching Irish ancestry.Feature guest speaker was Mary Flood, the genealogist in residence at the Rothe House in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Her lecture explained land denominations of 19^th century Ireland, county units, Irish vital records and substitutes and useful websites for Irish research. A lecture by Lisa Dougherty, a NARA volunteer and Irish researcher, showed participants how to find their Irish American ancestors in the U.S. and Jean Nudd, the Archivist in Pittsfield, lectured on finding Irish relatives in NARA records. Time was scheduled throughout the day for individuals to consult with Mary and Lisa regarding their personal research. Refreshments were served in the morning and afternoon and a boxed lunch was served at noon.Watch for future special events in Pittsfield!

Pittsfield NARA's Genealogy Workshops

Pittsfield, MA… The National Archives-Northeast Region is offering free genealogical workshops during the summer of 2010.

The summer schedule begins below:

Beginning Your Genealogy Research at the National Archives:
July 24, 9:00 AM
August 6, 11:00 AM

Using Federal Census Records  
July 21, 6:00 PM   
July 24, 10:30 AM  
August 13, 11:00 AM

Using Military Records at the National Archives 
August 20, 11:00 AM

Genealogy on the Internet     
July 24, 12:30 PM

Finding Your Immigrant Ancestors at the National Archives   
July 24, 2:00 PM

Researching French Canadian Ancestors - Part 1    
July 13, 10:00 AM
Researching French Canadian Ancestors – Part 2    
July 13, 1:30 PM

Researching African American Ancestors    
August 4, 6:00 PM

Researching Polish Ancestors    
August 5, 10:00 AM

Researching Irish Ancestors     
August 12, 10:00 AM

Examining the 1940 Census     
August 18, 6:00 PM

The first workshop (Beginning Your Genealogy Research at the National Archives) include a tour and are limited for the purpose of safety to 20 participants so pre-registration is required. Call (413) 236-3600 to register and for more details.  Pre-registration is recommended for the other workshops.

Participants will learn what they need to know in order to locate records as well as what one might expect to find in the records. The workshops will be offered at the Regional Archives building, located at 10 Conte Drive in Pittsfield MA according to the following schedule

It's not too late to join us at our September 18th genealogy conference! Contact us or mail in your registration form to reserve your spot today! Space is limited! Also, we accept raffle prizes from local businesses and organizations. If you have something you'd like to donate please mail it to the address on the form (or drop it off at the Archives) before September 18th.

Click here to download the vendor registration form.