Melville in Context

FAIN: BK-50049-07

Berkshire County Historical Society (Pittsfield, MA 01201)
Carole Owens (Project Director: September 2006 to October 2007)

Consultation with scholars to develop a new interpretation of Arrowhead, the home of Herman Melville, placing the author's life and work in the context of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, history.

Berkshire Historical Society (BHS) is seeking a grant to initiate a new interpretive program at Arrowhead, the home of Herman Melville. For three decades BHS has had two missions: to preserve and interpret Arrowhead, and to preserve and share the Berkshire County historic collection. By interpreting ?Melville in Context?, Melville and the Mid-Nineteenth Century Berkshire world in which he lived, BHS can: 1. Blend the dual missions of BHS 2. Broaden the humanities themes and offer a deeper understanding of the writer, the man, and the Mid-Nineteenth Century New England world in which he lived 3. Enrich the interpretation, thereby, widening the appeal for people of diverse ages, interests, and backgrounds. 4. Vary the interpretation to encourage visitors to return To assure that the new interpretive program will be grounded in sound scholarship, the consultation process will be implemented in three phases.