250th anniversary of America Celebration
- Join us as we celebrate the birth of our country with our community at the beautiful Greylock Glen Center, situated at the base of Mount Greylock, the tallest mountain in all of southern New England. Join other attendees while dressed in colonial era clothing. The schedule of events can be seen here: https://250adams.com/schedule/
- Commemorate and celebrate the birth of our country with our community through:
- A reading of the Declaration of Independence
- Equestrian display by Sophie from Aisling (Irish: "Ash-ling") Mountain Farm Equestrian Center
- A 13 gun salute by the Silver Grays, Green Mountain Boys, and the American Legion Post #160 Honor Guard and Firing Squad
- Moodus Drum and Fife Corps
- Timothy Abbott, 18th century historian, talks about the history and reality of America's Declaration of Independence
- Colonial era cooking demonstration by the 18th Century Cook
- Autographed books by Dennis Pregent will be for sale at the author's rate.
- Barry Emery, Cheshire Historical Commission
- Eagles trombone section
- Children's crafts and games provided by the Youth Center, Inc.
- Pianist Ron Ramsay
- Artisan crafts and demonstrations including a demonstration of a spinning wheel, a soap maker, a weaver, a seamstress, several bakers, a beekeeper and honey seller, a jewelry maker, a glass maker, and more.
- Steve Nelson, Steve Nelson, publisher and widower of author Jan Lewis Nelson who wrote "The Memoir of a Female Soldier"
- Food Trucks - Lions Club, Jake's Java, Baby Cakes, Bezzle's BBQ - and other food options
- Flags and copies of the Declaration of Independence will be handed out to attendees
- Please bring nonperishable items for the North Berkshire Veterans Food Pantry!
- Please bring your own chairs
- Attendees are invited to dress in colonial garb
Due to the loud activities, the number of children, and people of all ages , for the sake of everyone's enjoyment, please leave your pet at home.
FREE SHUTTLES NEXT TO ADAMS VISITOR CENTER ON HOOSAC STREET BEGINNING AT 10:30 AM BY DUFOUR TOURS.
Would you like to volunteer or do you have questions? Email us at info@250adams.com or call us at (413) 238-6376
Date - July 18, 2026, rain or shine
Time - 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Price - FREE
Location -
Greylock Glen Center
165 Gould Road, Adams, MA 01220
Are you an artisan interested in hosting a table at our event?
Whether you sell handcrafted items, delicious food, offer craft demonstrations, or display historical items, we want to showcase your talents and bring your business a whole new audience for our celebration of America's 250th anniversary.
There is a $20 fee however we do not deposit your check. It is returned to you after the event, unless you wish to donate it to our committee.
Download the application by clicking here.
There is a $20 fee however we do not deposit your check. It is returned to you after the event, unless you wish to donate it to our committee.
Download the application by clicking here.
begin your genealogy research
Lisa Swigert has been a Berkshire OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) instructor for four years. Her over forty years’ experience in genealogical research has proven to be a useful resource for those interested in researching their family history. In a one day workshop, Lisa teaches topics ranging from getting started and organizing your research to finding the resources you need to answer your research questions. This course is perfect for the beginning genealogist as well as for people getting back into their family history research.
We will offer an advanced workshop later this year to provide in-depth guidelines on researching your Revolutionary War ancestors.
Date - September 9, 2026
Price - FREE
Location - a virtual workshop from the comfort of your home or the library.
Time - To be determined
living historians for our schools
Deborah Sampson, the first woman to enlist, fight, and be honorably discharged from the American Military, captivates audiences in an hour-long program chronicling her life. An indentured servant by age five, Deborah grew up in a man’s world, where women were naught but second-class citizens. Without the ability to vote or to own property, Deborah knew her options were limited; breaking the rules may be necessary to accomplish a greater goal in life. As a self-educated masterless woman, she felt a higher calling, and in the final years of the American Revolution, Deborah bound her chest. tied back her hair and enlisted in the 4th Massachusetts Regiment of the Continental Army, as “Robert Shurtlieff.” The American Heroine takes you back in time!
History At Play (HAP) was founded in 2010 by Artistic Director Judith “Jude” Kalaora to chronicle the lives of influential and often forgotten women. Offering solo and ensemble immersive living history productions, HAP is woman-owned and operated and committed to employing artists from the region. Kalaora is a professional educator, writer, and living historian. She graduated from Syracuse University and attended the Globe Education Program of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre of London, England.
History At Play (HAP) was founded in 2010 by Artistic Director Judith “Jude” Kalaora to chronicle the lives of influential and often forgotten women. Offering solo and ensemble immersive living history productions, HAP is woman-owned and operated and committed to employing artists from the region. Kalaora is a professional educator, writer, and living historian. She graduated from Syracuse University and attended the Globe Education Program of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre of London, England.
Date - Autumn 2026
Time - To be determined
Price - FREE
Location - To be determined
life in colonial america
Please check back for information concerning this event.
Date - 2027
Time - 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Price - FREE
Location - To be determined
muster day / battle of bennington
Date - 2027
Time - To be determined
Price - FREE
Location - To be determined
.jpeg)
1776 showing at the adams theater
“1776” is the movie based on the 1969 Broadway musical, which won the Tony Award for best musical.
A Broadway musical can be inspired by history and even attempt to be true to how things went down, to the extent they are knowable, but a musical or play won’t succeed unless it sells tickets. Its potential priorities to be accurate are inevitably tempered by the pressure to entertain people successfully, and changes are often made to suit the medium. In this case, Sherman Edwards - who wrote the music and lyrics - was a former history teacher and he took the subject matter very seriously, even detailing in the program notes when they adjusted the known facts and why.
It’s also useful to remember that no matter how timeless a book or painting or theater piece may become, it is always a product of the moment when it was created. And every time it’s revived, new audiences see it and experience it through their own moment. Meanings and impact change. “1776” premiered in 1969 and the movie came out in 1972. Given what the US was experiencing at the time - the Vietnam war, the Civil Rights Movement, widespread civil unrest, and in 1972 the Watergate scandal - you can imagine how a musical celebrating the efforts of the founding fathers to write the Declaration of Independence could be a useful and popular reminder of the country’s founding values. You will all get to experience how it feels in THIS moment in the nation’s history to see this piece made over 50 years ago.
The edition we watch today contains a song from the musical that was pointedly critical of conservative politicians and politics. It was filmed but cut from the original release of the movie due to direct pressure on the studio from President Richard Nixon. The footage was restored and included in this edition. When you watch the segment with the song “Cool, Cool Considerate Men” know that it survived Presidential censorship, and you can judge how it feels today.
-- Peter Glazer, Playwright, Director, and Emeritus Professor of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, https://www.peterglazer.us/
Read a note from Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone about the writing of 1776: https://americanrepertorytheater.org/media/historical-note-by-the-authors-of-1776/
A Broadway musical can be inspired by history and even attempt to be true to how things went down, to the extent they are knowable, but a musical or play won’t succeed unless it sells tickets. Its potential priorities to be accurate are inevitably tempered by the pressure to entertain people successfully, and changes are often made to suit the medium. In this case, Sherman Edwards - who wrote the music and lyrics - was a former history teacher and he took the subject matter very seriously, even detailing in the program notes when they adjusted the known facts and why.
It’s also useful to remember that no matter how timeless a book or painting or theater piece may become, it is always a product of the moment when it was created. And every time it’s revived, new audiences see it and experience it through their own moment. Meanings and impact change. “1776” premiered in 1969 and the movie came out in 1972. Given what the US was experiencing at the time - the Vietnam war, the Civil Rights Movement, widespread civil unrest, and in 1972 the Watergate scandal - you can imagine how a musical celebrating the efforts of the founding fathers to write the Declaration of Independence could be a useful and popular reminder of the country’s founding values. You will all get to experience how it feels in THIS moment in the nation’s history to see this piece made over 50 years ago.
The edition we watch today contains a song from the musical that was pointedly critical of conservative politicians and politics. It was filmed but cut from the original release of the movie due to direct pressure on the studio from President Richard Nixon. The footage was restored and included in this edition. When you watch the segment with the song “Cool, Cool Considerate Men” know that it survived Presidential censorship, and you can judge how it feels today.
-- Peter Glazer, Playwright, Director, and Emeritus Professor of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, https://www.peterglazer.us/
Read a note from Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone about the writing of 1776: https://americanrepertorytheater.org/media/historical-note-by-the-authors-of-1776/
Time - 2:30 PM -5 PM
North adams Historical society presents
Revolutionary War historian, Timothy Abbott, will speak of Colonel John Brown's defeat at Stone Arabia, October 19th, 1780.
Wearing his NJ Continental Army uniform, Timothy Abbott will discuss his extensive research on Colonel John Brown of Pittsfield and Berkshire County volunteers at the October 1780 Battle of Stone Arabia.
Date - June 10, 2026
Time - 6 PM
Location -
North Adams Public Library
74 Church Street
North Adams, MA
Commemorative Flags
You'll see our flags celebrating America's Semiquincentennial decorating the main streets in Adams and North Adams in the beginning of May.
The design is printed on both sides and measure 5 feet by 3 feet. They include a canvas heading , two brass grommets, and hems on all sides to prevent fraying.
Made in North Adams, Berkshire County, MA.
.png)