Our Work
Dedicated efforts in preservation education and community discovery
Our educational work is strategically designed to provide a comprehensive, nuanced understanding of the social, economic, and political forces that have shaped Dalton over the centuries. We offer structured, high-quality learning opportunities for all ages, ranging from primary school students discovering local history for the first time to lifelong learners seeking to deepen their academic knowledge. Our curriculum focuses heavily on the industrial, social, and cultural history of the region, utilizing primary source documents, original maps, and physical artifacts to teach the essential skills of critical thinking, source analysis, and historical reasoning. We believe that by understanding the complexities and contradictions of the past, individuals can better navigate the complexities of the modern world with empathy and clarity. Our educational programs are constantly evolving to incorporate the latest historical research and to reflect the diverse, often-untold perspectives that make up our shared human history. We provide extensive resources for classroom teachers, host academic lectures by visiting scholars, and offer community workshops that help residents develop their own historical research and preservation skills.
Play & Exploration
Encouraging interactive discovery and hands-on engagement with our local heritage
We believe that exploration and play are vital, often-overlooked components of deep learning, and our “Play & Exploration” initiatives are designed to make history feel like a living adventure. For our younger visitors, this translates into interactive, high-energy exhibits where they can try on historical costumes, handle high-quality replicas of colonial tools, and participate in complex scavenger hunts through our visitor center and grounds. For adults, this approach manifests as guided architectural walking tours that uncover the hidden stories behind our town’s facades, and immersive workshops where they can learn traditional nineteenth-century crafts or modern archival preservation techniques. This hands-on, experiential approach intentionally breaks down the traditional barriers between the past and the present, making history feel tangible, accessible, and deeply personal. By encouraging curiosity, active participation, and sensory engagement, we create a dynamic environment where the joy of discovery is a daily occurrence for everyone who walks through our doors.
Social & Emotional Development
Fostering a sense of belonging and community identity through historical connection
The social and emotional impact of our historical work is found in the powerful way it brings people together and strengthens their individual and collective sense of identity. By exploring our shared past, community members can find common ground, discover shared values, and build deeper, more empathetic connections with one another. Our programs intentionally encourage historical empathy by telling the detailed, human stories of people from all walks of life, helping visitors to understand the universal challenges and triumphs of those who navigated the world before them. This long-term historical perspective can provide a much-needed sense of stability, continuity, and perspective in our rapidly changing, often-fragmented world. We provide a safe, respectful space for reflection and dialogue, where residents can discuss the contemporary meaning of their heritage and how it shapes their personal and civic values today. This work is essential for building a resilient, cohesive, and thoughtful community that understands where it has been and where it is going.
Programs & Services
Diverse offerings tailored to meet the needs of every age group and interest level
Our wide array of programs and services are meticulously designed to be inclusive, comprehensive, and engaging, catering to a diverse range of age groups, educational backgrounds, and personal interest levels. For our youngest historians, we offer “History Sprouts,” a popular program that introduces the basic concepts of time, heritage, and community through age-appropriate storytelling, music, and simple hands-on crafts. School-aged children benefit from our curriculum-aligned field trips and our intensive “Junior Archivist” summer workshops, which provide a fascinating deep dive into the world of local history, document preservation, and museum curation. For adults, seniors, and serious researchers, we offer specialized one-on-one research assistance, a prestigious monthly guest lecture series featuring experts in New England history, and advanced workshops on topics like genealogy, digital archiving, and the care of historic homes. We also provide professional, high-level consulting services for local organizations, businesses, and government agencies on complex matters related to historical preservation, landmark designation, and cultural resource management.
Community & Engagement
Building strong partnerships and fostering family involvement in our historical mission
Deep and meaningful family involvement is the beating heart of our community engagement strategy. We believe that history is most powerful and impactful when it is shared across generations, and we strive to create programs that encourage parents, children, and grandparents to explore, learn, and discuss their heritage together. Our family-focused workshops and community-wide events provide unique opportunities for families to begin documenting their own personal histories and to see how their unique stories fit into the broader, epic narrative of Dalton and the Berkshires. We offer professional resources for family genealogy projects and host “Community Scan Days” where residents can bring in their own historical photographs and documents to be digitized and shared with the town. By making history a fun, engaging family affair, we ensure that the passion for preservation and the respect for the past are passed down from one generation to the next, creating a lasting, multi-generational legacy of historical awareness and civic pride.
Testimonials
Authentic feedback from our community members and partners
“The Friends of the Dalton Historical Commission has been an absolutely incredible and transformative resource for our entire family over the past few years. My ten-year-old son participated in the Junior Archivist program last summer, and he came home every single day bursting with excitement to share what he had discovered about the old paper mills and the families who worked there. It has completely changed the way he looks at our town; now, every old building has a story for him. The team at the commission is so incredibly welcoming, patient, and professional, making history feel like a real-life adventure for kids rather than a dry school subject. We feel so incredibly lucky to have such a dedicated, high-quality organization in our community that cares so much about our children’s connection to their roots.” – Sarah Miller, Mother of a 10-year-old
“I first visited the visitor center while I was in the middle of a frustrating search for the history of my 19th-century farmhouse, and I was absolutely blown away by the level of personalized help and expertise I received from the staff. Robert in the archives spent hours patiently helping me track down old property records, tax maps, and he even found a rare photograph of the original owners standing on my front porch. It was a deeply moving, emotional experience to connect with the people who lived in my home and walked my floors over a hundred years ago. The passion, deep knowledge, and kindness of the entire staff are truly remarkable. They make the past feel so present, so important, and so incredibly personal. I cannot recommend their services enough to anyone curious about their home or family.” – David Thompson, Local Homeowner and History Enthusiast
“As a local public school teacher, I am always on the hunt for innovative ways to make social studies and local history more engaging and relevant for my students. The school tour and workshop provided by the Friends of the Dalton Historical Commission was, without a doubt, the absolute highlight of our academic year. Sarah Jenkins did a fantastic job of connecting the local industrial history of the paper mills to the broader, complex themes of the American Industrial Revolution and environmental change. The kids absolutely loved the hands-on activities and the chance to handle real artifacts. The educational materials provided for the classroom afterward were top-notch and have sparked weeks of follow-up discussions. It is an invaluable, world-class educational resource for our local schools and our children.” – Emily Richardson, 5th Grade Teacher
“Our family has lived in Dalton for four generations, but to be honest, we never really knew the full, detailed story of our own neighborhood until we attended one of the commission’s guided walking tours last fall. It was such a wonderful, heartwarming experience to see my grandchildren listening so intently to the stories of the hardworking people who built this town from the ground up. The Friends group does an amazing job of bringing the whole community together and making us all feel a deep sense of pride in where we come from and what our ancestors achieved. Their work is absolutely essential for keeping our town’s unique spirit and character alive in a world that is changing so fast. They are the true keepers of our community’s soul.” – Arthur Vance, Long-time Resident and Grandfather