The dance film, Porch Stories, was filmed at this location in 2005, and debuted in 2006. The three colorful houses, built side by side in 1895 by Dennis Sullivan, and recently renovated, are often referred to as the "Triplets." See the links below for my article about the film, … [Read more...]
NORTH ADAMS, MASS.
Mass MoCA
The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art opened in 1999. It occupies a 13-acre campus of 26 buildings formerly occupied by Arnold Print Works (1860-1942), and Sprague Electric Company (1942-1986). Its performing arts programs are equal in stature to its visual art programs. … [Read more...]
Various North Adams Photos
The Jarisch Box Company, a longtime business in North Adams, moved to an industrial park in the city in the 1990s, leaving vacant its historic building on American Legion Drive. In 2003, the City of North Adams, now owners of the property, demolished it. The window on North … [Read more...]
North Adams – Odd Photos
I call these "Odd Photos," because that's what they are - odd. The shot of the church through the library entrance was a spur of the moment thing. I was sitting on the Mass MoCA sound installation speaker when I noticed the dark, ominous scene through the underpass. I walked into … [Read more...]
North Adams – Mills
I love to photograph old mills. Their faded colors and forlorn look perhaps reflect the real feelings of the many workers who toiled long hours in them for low wages. The Beaver Mill was converted by artist Eric Rudd to the Contemporary Artists Center in 1990. The pink-colored … [Read more...]
North Adams – Railroad Tracks And Southview Cemetery
Note the strange colors on the mountains behind Southview Cemetery. What appears to be stripes across the mountains are shadows of cloud formations. … [Read more...]
North Adams – Churches And Steeples
The North Adams landscape is dominated by its churches, many of which are close to one another downtown. The steeples, combined with the backdrop of mountains and the changing sky, provide beautiful surprises every day. … [Read more...]
North Adams – Houses
The three houses on North Holden Street, which I have dubbed the "triplets," were all built by Dennis Sullivan in the 1890s. They have since been restored and renovated. The Haggerty Block is a sort of flatiron-shaped apartment building constructed about 1890. It hovers … [Read more...]
North Adams – J.J. Newberry
J.J. Newberry opened in North Adams in 1926, and closed in 1993. It consisted of a three-story building fronting Main St, built in 1867, and a long attached building behind which was used primarily for storage. In 2001, the owner of the vacant building demolished the attached … [Read more...]
Mohawk Theater and Train Tunnels
The classic Art Deco Mohawk Theater opened in North Adams in 1938, and closed permanently in the late 1980s. State funding and local fundraising will likely finance the renovation and conversion of the theater to a well-equiped performance space and movie house at a still … [Read more...]
North Adams – River Street
River Street has been the most well-defined example of a working-class neighborhood in North Adams ever since Arnold Print Works opened its sprawling factory in the 1860s. The factory, then Sprague Electric Company, closed in 1985, and the street rapidly deteriorated. But it is … [Read more...]
North Adams – Eagle Street
The downtown block of Eagle Street, a narrow commercial area just off Main Street, has always been a mix of Mom and Pop stores. Most of the buildings were built in the middle years of the 19th century, but because of many changes in the business climate over the years, the … [Read more...]
North Adams – Main Street
NORTH ADAMS TOURS AND PRESENTATIONS
Since 1998, I have been conducting tours of North Adams, and making formal and informal presentations about the city. My tours and presentations are somewhat different from the traditional ones where guides or lecturers just point out a few historical buildings, or talk about … [Read more...]