New American House

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Historical information about Pittsfield Massachusetts

New American House

My ancestors first came to Pittsfield in ~1848 and that has lead to much “research” into their lives and has revealed many interesting facts about Pittsfield’s past.

1908 post card “Pittsfield in the near Future"
Pittsfield High School Class Reunion
Pittsfield Massachusetts High School Class Reunion
PHS Class Reunion
Pittsfield MA Massachusetts
Home: www.phs1968.com

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Link to Almshouse 1900 - here

First… Advertisement from 1887 for the original American House

Postcards of the New American House from the collection of Pittsfield school teacher and postcard collector Judy Rupinski (RIP 2019)
In no particular order.
Note the additional floor added.

Samuel Bridges' Livery was behind the New American House on Columbus Ave. I have included an article that was published January 11, 1937 upon his death.

Scroll down to historical information and links to articles/clippings from the Berkshire Eagle between the years 1898 and 1937.

Above showing the YMCA and the white building before it is the (William) Pierce Block of my GGGrandfather

For starters, a post by John Bazan in the Facebook group Berkshire Blast to the Past (this will be enlarged upon later):
"The New American House Hotel on North Street at Pittsfield, MA. Corner of Columbus Ave. and North Street. The original wooden hotel was demolished around 1898 and replaced with the structure seen here. It was remodeled around 1911. According to Jim Shulman, the New American House was demolished in 1937 and was replaced with the present building. It was then known as Mike's Army and Navy Store. Later the name was changed to Mike's Berkshire Hills Shop - and finally - The Berkshire Hills Shop. It is hard to imagine why anyone would have wanted to demolish the fine looking building seen here. It was only 37 years old when they tore it down in 1937."

Both The Maplewood and the New American House were demolished at the same time. Both were in foreclosure and we need to remember this was 1937. The middle of the Great Depression. The new owners obviously had other ideas to capitalize on their newly acquired properties. We cannot project the present possibilities back in time to these decisions. Presently, if these properties were still to exist in serviceable condition, there would be hope that they could be useful with the influx of downtown dwelling as evidenced by many buildings that are now serving that purpose. So let's enjoy learning about Pittsfield's past. It is quite fascinating.

Here are a number of newspaper clippings regarding the New American House between 1898 and 1937.

1	The_Berkshire_County_Eagle_Wed__Jun_29__1898_.pdf

2	The_Berkshire_Evening_Eagle_Tue__Jan_31__1899_.pdf
3	The_Berkshire_County_Eagle_Wed__Jul_12__1899_.pdf
4	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Fri__Dec_13__1901_.pdf
5	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Tue__Sep_1__1903_.pdf
6	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Sat__Dec_2__1905_.pdf
7	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Mon__Sep_28__1914_.pdf
8	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Fri__Mar_20__1925_.pdf
9	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Fri__Oct_7__1927_.pdf
10	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Sat__May_21__1932_.pdf
11	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Mon__Jan_29__1934_.pdf
12	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Thu__Nov_5__1936_.pdf
13	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Fri__Nov_6__1936_.pdf
14	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Tue__Dec_22__1936_.pdf
15	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Fri__Jan_1__1937_.pdf
16	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Fri__Jan_11__1937_.pdf
17	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Fri__Jan_15__1937_.pdf
18	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Fri__Jan_29__1937_.pdf
19	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Sat__Jan_23__1937_.pdf
20	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Mon__Mar_1__1937_.pdf
21	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Tue__Apr_13__1937_.pdf
22	The_Berkshire_Eagle_Tue__Feb_16__1937_.pdf