From the Berkshire County Historical Society at Herman Melville’s Arrowhead:
Great Barrington — The town will mark a pivotal chapter in the American Revolution on Saturday, January 10, with a public procession and commemorative program honoring Colonel Henry Knox and his Noble Train of Artillery as it passed through the Berkshires in the winter of 1776.
The day’s observance will begin with a ceremonial procession departing from the Great Barrington Historical Society, 817 South Main Street, and proceeding through town to the Mahaiwe Theater, 14 Castle Street, where a commemorative program will take place at 2 p.m. The procession will feature a living-history portrayal of Henry Knox, accompanied by reenactors, fifes and drums, draft horses, and sleds hauling a replica cannon bound symbolically for Boston.
The Noble Train of Artillery, assembled by Knox and hauled over frozen roads from Fort Ticonderoga, provided the heavy guns that enabled the Continental Army to seize Dorchester Heights in March 1776, forcing the British evacuation of Boston and altering the course of the war.
The commemorative program at the Mahaiwe Theater will include remarks from Massachusetts Daughters of the American Revolution State Regent Mary Tedesco, Revolution 250 Committee Chair Professor Robert J. Allison, representatives from the Office of the Governor of Massachusetts, State Sen. Paul Mark (D – Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Hampshire District), and State Rep. Leigh Davis (D – 3rd Berkshire District).
A central feature of the program will be the presentation of commemorative plaques to representatives of the Berkshire communities that aided Knox and his men along the route: Alford, North Egremont, Great Barrington, Monterey, Sandisfield, Otis, Russell, and Blandford. These presentations honor not only the historic role these towns played in supporting the Noble Train, but also the collective sacrifice and cooperation that sustained the cause of American independence.
This Great Barrington commemoration underscores the vital contributions of western Massachusetts communities to the Revolutionary struggle and highlights the enduring legacy of local action in shaping national history.
The event is presented by Revolution 250, with generous support from MA250, Berkshire 250, and regional partners, as part of the ongoing observance of the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution.
