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The paintings of George Hoose are being highlighted this month at the Fitch-Hoose House museum.

Fitch-Hoose House Names August 'George Hoose Art Month'

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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The exhibit is being extended into September to display more of Hoose's fall and winter scenes. 
DALTON, Mass. — The Historical Commission has designated August as George Hoose Art Month at the Fitch-Hoose House and is showcasing some of the painter's work. 
 
The 1846 house is the last remaining home of Dalton's early Black residential neighborhood. A wide range of information has been gathered surrounding the Hoose family that is also on display. 
 
The small two-story building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is believed to have been active on the Underground Railroad.
 
George Hoose died in 1977 at age 80. He was a prolific painter and was known for the "Indian Head" painting on Gulf Road that has long since been painted over and weathered away.
 
"We're celebrating his artistic abilities through his paintings," co-Chair Louisa Horth said. 
 
The paintings showcase how hard-working and successful Hoose and his family were. The self-taught artist was successful and was commissioned to paint a number of pieces, co-Chair Deborah Kovacs said.
 
The Fitch-Hoose House has a collection of about 15 paintings by Hoose, which have been donated to the museum over the years. 
 
Ordinarily they are stored on the second floor of the house which is not accessible to the public becaue of safety concerns.  
 
Commissioners have blended eight of his painting in with the museum's current collection. The museum is open every Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. 
 
Due to the many paintings centered around autumn and winter, the museum will extend the exhibit into September, swapping some currently displayed works with his seasonal pieces.
 
More information on the museum here. Check out our video here

Tags: art exhibit,   historic structure,   

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Pittsfield Council Says 'Yes' to Soccer at Crane Park

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

The pitch will have the logos of the city and the US. and Massachusetts soccer associations. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is gladly accepting a "mini-pitch" from the U.S. Soccer Foundation to bring games back to Crane Park. 

Fueling excitement around the World Cup, U.S. Soccer has been working with the Massachusetts Youth Soccer League to make these facilities available to 20 communities — one of which will be at the park at the intersection of Benedict Road and Springside Avenue. 

The City Council accepted the gift on Tuesday during its regular meeting. 

A mini pitch is a compact, modular field typically used for soccer, and it can also accommodate inline skates. It has a galvanized steel border with built-in goals and a rubber plastic surface that is clicked together; installed on the existing inline hockey court. 

Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham said he has gone door to door speaking with nearby residents, and they are "really excited" about the upgrade. He also sees it as a great addition. 

"They say that nobody really uses the court a ton now, and they are excited to see kids back on there playing," he said. 

Decades ago, the Crane Park facility was a wading pool. It closed in 1980, and before the turn of the century, it was filled in and marked for hockey. 

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath explained that the wooden border around the rink is showing its age, has been vandalized and tagged, and the facility is seeing a "real decline" in use. 

"This would seem to be an appropriate spot for us to remove the board system that's in place and install the mini pitch system through this grant," he said. 

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