>>> COMING UP, WE'RE CONNECTING YOU WITH THE CREATIVITY AND CULTURE IN YOUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING A MUSEUM THAT'S TELLING THEIR STORY IN A NEW WAY.

>> HISTORY IS NEVER STABLE.

WE ARE ALWAYS LEARNING NEW THINGS, WE ARE ASKING NEW QUESTIONS.

>> A PIECE OF SPRINGFIELD HISTORY GETS A NEW LEASE ON LIFE.

>> AND THEY CALL THEM GHOST SIGNS ALL AROUND THE WORLD, PEOPLE ADMIRE GHOST SIGNS.

BUT THEY WERE BECOMING INVISIBLE AND YOU COULDN'T READ THEM ANYMORE.

>>> AND GRAB YOUR DANCING SHOES AND GET READY TO SALSA THE SUMMER AWAY.

>> SALSA SALPA'FUERA IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIGHT STEREOTYPES AND TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER WHEN WE WERE SO IN NEED OF THAT HUMAN CONNECTION.

>> JOIN US FOR THOSE STORIES AND MORE AS WE EXPLORE THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEWENGLAND, UP NEXT ON "CONNECTING POINT."

>>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" PROVIDED BY ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> WELCOME AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR "CONNECTING POINT," YOUR SOURCE FOR CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

EACH WEEK THIS SUMMER, WE'RE EXPLORING ALL THAT WESTERN NEWENGLAND HAS TO OFFER, AND TODAY WE'RE COMING TO YOU FROM HADLEY MA.

THE HOME OF THE SUBJECT OF OUR FIRST STORY TODAY.

THE PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON HOUSE MUSEUM PORTRAYS THE ACTIVITIES OF A WEALTHY AND PRODUCTIVE 18TH CENTURY FAMILY.

THE HOUSEHOLD WAS AN IMPORTANT SOCIAL AND COMMERCIAL LINK IN THE LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND EVEN NATIONAL NETWORKS OF ITS DAY.

CLOSED FOR TWO YEARS BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, THE MUSEUM HAS RE-OPENED RECENTLY, AND THANKS TO A GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF HUMANITIES, IT HAS BEEN ABLE TO REDESIGN THEIR TOURS IN A WAY THAT TELLS BROADER, MORE INCLUSIVE STORIES ABOUT THE FAMILY AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED THERE.

PRODUCER DAVE FRASER BRINGS US THE STORY.

>> HIDDEN BEHIND YEARS OF GROWTH ALONG ROUTE 47 IN HADLEY IS A UNIQUE PIECE OF PROPERTY AND ONE THAT IS HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT TO THE TOWN'S HISTORY.

THIS HOUSE WAS CONTINUOUSLY OCCUPIED BY A SINGLE FAMILY SINCE ITS CONSTRUCTION IN 1752, UNTIL THE DEATH OF DR.JAMES LINCOLN HUNTINGTON, THE MUSEUM'S FOUNDER.

THE MUSEUM IS THE PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON HOUSE MUSEUM, AND IT NOT ONLY CONTAINS THE FAMILY'S BELONGINGS, ACCUMULATED AND PRESERVED OVER 300 YEARS, BUT ALSO A RICH COLLECTION OF PERSONAL LETTERS, DIARIES, ACCOUNT BOOKS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIAL, ALL PROVIDING A VALUABLE WINDOW INTO THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY LIFE IN THE VALLEY.

>> I THINK WE ALL KNOW HOW THINGS ACCUMULATE IN OUR ATTICS AND BASEMENTS AND SINCE THIS FAMILY NEVER HAD THAT OCCASION TO LEAVE THE HOUSE, THEN THE PAPERS ACCUMULATED, THE OBJECT ACCUMULATED, AND THINGS JUST-- IT BECAME A CENTER OF GRAVITY.

>> MOSES AND ELIZABETH PORTER ERECTED THIS FARMSTEAD KNOWN AS 40 ACRES.

THE HOUSE, EVENTUALLY ENLARGED, WAS HOME TO SIX GENERATIONS OF AN EXTENDED FAMILY.

TODAY IT'S SURROUNDED BY OVER 350 ACRES OF PROTECTED FARMLAND, FOREST, AND RIVER FRONTAGE, RETAINING ITS ORIGINAL RURAL SETTING.

>> IT'S JUST AN EXTREMELY, COHERENT, RICH, MULTI-LAYERED COMBINATION OF LANDSCAPE AND STRUCTURES AND OBJECTS AND THE PAPER RECORD THAT TELLS ABOUT THEM.

>> FOR TWO YEARS DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE MUSEUM REMAINED CLOSED.

DURING THAT TIME, EXTENSIVE RESEARCH WAS DONE THAT HAS BROADENED THE FAMILY'S STORY CONSIDERABLY.

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE LIVES OF OTHERS WHO ONCE LIVED AND WORKED ON THE PROPERTY, ENSLAVED PEOPLE, INDENTURED SERVANTS, FARM AND DAIRY LABORERS, ARTISANS, AND SEAMSTRESSES.

>> WE FIND THAT THERE ARE FIELDHANDS AND DOMESTIC SERVANTS WHOSE GRANDPARENTS WERE HERE, WHOSE PARENTS WERE HERE, THEN THE GRANDCHILDREN WORKED HERE LATER IN LIFE.

THERE ARE THREE GENERATIONS OF ENSLAVED WOMEN IN THIS HOUSEHOLD.

AND SO WE SEE MANY FAMILIES WHOSE STORIES UNFOLD ON THIS GROUND, WHO ARE ALSO MULTI-GENERATIONAL AND SOME OF THOSE FAMILIES ARE STILL IN HADLEY TODAY.

SO IT IS NOT ONLY THE FAMILY THAT OWNED THE PROPERTY THAT WERE HERE OVER MANY GENERATIONS BUT THE FAMILIES WHO WORKED HERE.

>> AMONG SOME OF THE MORE INTERESTING DOCUMENTS UNCOVERED WERE THE FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS OF CHARLES PHELPS' TRADING HABITS IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY.

>> EVERYTHING HE DID, EVERY YEAR, HE WOULD FOLD ALL HIS RECEIPTS TOGETHER AND PUT THEM IN A LITTLE PACKET, WRAPPED WITH PAPER, TIE THEM WITH STRING, AND WRITE THE YEAR ON THEM.

1797.

1805.

AND THEN INSIDE, ALL THE THINGS HE SPENT MONEY ON.

>> TOURS WHICH ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OUTLINE SOME OF THE INTERESTING ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS OF THE HOME AS DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF IT WERE BUILT OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT 50 YEARS.

IT IS PERHAPS ONE OF THE EARLIEST HOUSES IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS TO INCLUDE A CENTRAL HALL AND FIREPLACES IN INDIVIDUAL ROOMS, RATHER THAN BEING DESIGNED AROUND ONE LARGE CHIMNEY.

>> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND THAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT SHARING WITH VISITORS TO THE MUSEUM IS THE WAY THAT HISTORY IS ALWAYS CHANGING.

SO WE HAVE REFERRED TO THIS AS A REINTERPRETATION INITIATIVE, BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF MUSEUM VOCABULARY.

BUT IN TRUTH, HISTORY IS NEVER STABLE.

WE ARE ALWAYS LEARNING NEW THINGS.

WE ARE ASKING NEW QUESTIONS.

NEW SCHOLARSHIP EMERGES IN ONE AREA THAT MAKES US ASK NEW QUESTIONS IN ANOTHER.

IN THE CASE OF THIS HOUSE, IT'S ALSO TRUE THAT MORE RESOURCES BECOME AVAILABLE.

PEOPLE SEND ARCHIVAL MATERIALS, MORE THINGS COME TO US THAT ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE HAD.

AND SO YOU KNOW, HISTORY IS ALWAYS CHANGING.

IT'S ALWAYS EVOLVING.

AND SO IT'S FUN TO KIND OF PULL BACK THE CURTAIN ON THAT WITH THE VISITORS TO THE MUSEUM AND SHOW THEM WHAT THAT REALLY EXCITING PROCESS CAN LOOK LIKE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> EVERY WEEK "CONNECTING POINT" EXPLORES THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEWENGLAND, BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.

YOU CAN FIND US ONLINE ANYTIME FOR EXCLUSIVE FEATURES AND CONTENT.

ORIGINALLY LOCATED ON THE PROPERTY OF THE PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON HOMESTEAD, THE GREAT BARN IS NOW A MUSEUM THAT MANY OF US PASS EVERY DAY ON ROUTE 9.

IN THIS WEEK'S DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE, MARLA MILLER, THE DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AT UMASS AMHERST, SHARES THE STORY OF HOW THIS RECOGNIZABLE STRUCTURE MADE ITS WAY TO HADLEY'S TOWN CENTER.

>> AND IN TIME, WHEN ONE OF THE DESCENDANTS NAMED JAMES LINCOLN HUNTINGTON STARTED TO HAVE THE IDEA OF RESTORING THE HOUSE AND MAKING A MUSEUM HERE, HE WAS APPROACHED BY TWO OTHER MUSEUM MAKERS IN HADLEY.

AND SO THE STORY THAT I'VE ALWAYS HEARD IS THAT THEY CAME HERE TO ASK DR.HUNTINGTON IF HE WOULD LET THEM REPLICATE HIS BARN TO HOUSE THEIR MUSEUM.

>> YOU CAN FIND THAT DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE ONLINE RIGHT NOW AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

>>> THIS SUMMER MARKED THE RETURN OF THE ANNUAL CULTURAL EVENT, SALSA SALPA'FUERA.

NOW IN ITS FIFTH YEAR, EVERY SUNDAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER THE COMMUNITY IS INVITED TO ENJOY CULTURAL MUSIC, ARTS, AND FOOD, REPRESENTING SEVERAL LATIN-AMERICAN COUNTRIES AT SPRINGFIELD'S RIVERFRONT PARK.

I SPOKE WITH THE EVENT'S FOUNDER, PETER DELGADO, AND DEI STRATEGIC ADVISER, WALESKA LUGO-DEJESUS, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PURPOSE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT SALSA SALPA'FUERA BRINGS TO THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS.

>> SO THE ATMOSPHERE IS REALLY A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT JOIN US EVERY WEEK.

WE HAVE EVERYONE IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE, RIGHT, THAT JUST MIX UP THERE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENJOYING THE SALSA GENRE, YOU KNOW?

I THINK THE SALSA GENRE IS KNOWN GLOBALLY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TAKE A LIKING TO IT.

SO WE TRY TO INCORPORATE THE MUSICALITY PART, THE DANCING, AND WE TRY TO TEACH OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT OUR CULTURE.

THE "BOMBA Y PLENA", AND THE LIVE MUSIC AND IT WORKS OUT REALLY WELL.

>> SPEAKING ABOUT THE SALSA GENRE THIS YEAR'S KICKOFF WAS IN HONOR OF ICONIC PUERTORICAN SALSA, SINGER, SONGWRITER HECTOR TRICOCHE WHO SADLY RECENTLY PASSED AWAY THIS YEAR.

FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH HIM, CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AND WHY IT WAS SO IMPORTANT TO DEDICATE THIS TO HIM.

>> HECTOR TRICOCHE COMES FROM A BACKGROUND OF "SALSEROS" SALSA SINGERS HE REALLY LEFT A LEGACY BEHIND IN TERMS OF PRESENTING HIS MUSIC AND HIS CULTURE AROUND THE WORLD.

HE CAME FROM DIFFERENT BANDS.

AND EVENTUALLY HE WENT AS A SOLO ARTIST AND HE WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.

SO I COULDN'T HOPE BUT TO RENDER HIM AN HONOR, RIGHT?

AND ESPECIALLY WHERE THIS IS-- SALSA SINGER, AN ICONIC ONE THAT IS FROM PUERTO RICO AND HAS TRAVELED THE WORLD AND HE'S LIVING HERE IN SPRINGFIELD AT THE MOMENT.

WE REALLY HELD A TRIBUTE TO THEM, YOU KNOW, MUSICALLY.

WE PLAYED A MEDLEY OF THEIR-- OF HIS SONGS, YOU KNOW, OLD AND NEW, RIGHT?

AND WE ALSO RECOGNIZED THE FAMILY THAT THEY WERE GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO JOIN US AT THE PARK.

AND YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT HOW WE FELT AND PEOPLE RECEIVED IT REALLY WELL AND THE FAMILY WAS VERY HAPPY WITH THAT.

>> YEAH.

IT JUST REALLY SHOWS THE CONNECTION THAT ON THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD STILL HAS TO THE ISLAND OF PUERTORICO.

I REALLY WANTED TO TALK TO YOU BECAUSE THIS EVENT COULDN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE COLLABORATION OF CITY OFFICIALS, INFLUENCERS, VENDORS.

BUT I KNOW THAT THIS REALLY HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE ECONOMIC VALUE, ESPECIALLY THE-- FOR THE LATINO COMMUNITY.

SO TALK TO ME ABOUT THE BENEFIT OF THIS EVENT IN THAT COMMUNITY.

>> THE PUERTORICAN COMMUNITY IN THE PIONEER VALLEY IS HOME TO OVER 69,000 PEOPLE.

AND SOMEBODY CAN FACT CHECK THAT, BECAUSE I'M PROBABLY UNDERCOUNTING US.

BUT I'M FROM THE GENERATION THAT CAME INTO SPRINGFIELD IN THE '80S.

AND SO WE'RE EDUCATORS, LAWYERS, POLITICIANS, BEAUTICIANS, QUINCEÑERA SHOPS, FLORISTS, CLOTHING, ACTIVISTS, ENTREPRENEURS, DOCTORS, NURSES, AND YOU, RIGHT, HOST AND PRODUCER OF SHOWS.

SO WE-- WE-- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, RIGHT, IS THAT WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC REVENUE OF THIS AND THE TAX REVENUE OF THE CITY.

WE PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT.

AND WE CREATE WEALTH.

SO WE'RE HERE AND WE'RE GROWING AND WE'RE GOING TO STAY.

BUT THIS CULTURAL EVENT IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE-- I'M GONNA CALL IT SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, RIGHT?

THIS IS A MULTI-GENERATIONAL EVENT.

SO THE OLDER GENERATION COMES IN AND IT REMINDS THEM OF THEIR ROOTS.

THE YOUNGER GENERATION COMES IN AND IT CONNECTS THEM TO THEIR PAST, TO THEIR ANCESTORS, BUT IT ALSO TEACHES THEM TRADITIONS ABOUT SPECIFICALLY THE PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY, BUT ABOUT THE LATINO COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

SO FOR OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS, THIS REALLY DOES OFFER A LENS THAT CAN HELP STRENGTHEN THE UNITY WITHIN WHO WE ARE.

SO THIS WAS PERSONAL TO ME BECAUSE MY CONVERSATIONS EARLIER THIS YEAR BECAUSE IT WAS A FULL YEAR OF PLANNING, AND WASN'T EASY, IS THAT I KNEW THAT WE WERE COMING OUT OF A DOUBLE PANDEMIC, RIGHT?

THAT WE HAD COVID-19 AND WE HAVE THIS ELEVATED AWARENESS OF RACISM.

AND ALL OF THESE THINGS WERE HAPPENING EVERY TIME WE TURNED ON THE TV.

SO FOR ME, A FESTIVAL, A CULTURAL EVENT, SALSA SALPA'FUERA, IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIGHT STEREOTYPES AND TO BRING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER WHEN WE WERE SO IN NEED OF THAT HUMAN CONNECTION.

>>> SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT THINK OF ADVERTISING AS PUBLIC ART.

BUT THERE WAS A TIME WHEN BUSINESSES WOULD PAINT LOGOS ON THE SIDES OF BUILDINGS TO SHOWCASE THEIR WARES.

THOSE IMAGES CAN BE HARD TO COME BY THESE DAYS AS PAINT FADES OVER TIME, BUT ONE LOCAL ARTIST WAS COMMISSIONED TO BRING THEM BACK TO LIFE ON A WORTHINGTON STREET BUILDINGS IN SPRINGFIELD.

"CONNECTING POINT'S" BRIAN SULLIVAN VISITED THE FORMER BLOOM'S CAMERA CENTER TO MEET WITH CHIEF ARTIST JOHN SIMPSON AND HIS TEAM AS THEY REVIVED THESE GHOST IMAGES FROM A BYGONE ERA.

>> IN DOWNTOWN SPRINGFIELD THERE'S SHORTAGE OF WALL ART AND MURALS.

QUITE OFTEN THERE'S A SOCIAL MESSAGE ATTACHED TO IT, AS DEPICTED HERE ON GRIDIRON STREET.

SOMETIMES IT'S ABSTRACT, WHILE OTHERS ARE A TOUCH OF SURREAL AND FANTASY, WITH POWERFUL SYMBOLIC IMAGERY.

IT MAY BE AN INSTANCE WHERE ART IMITATES LIFE OR IS IT THE OTHER WAY AROUND?

OTHERS HONOR THEIR SUBJECTS BY SHOWCASING THEIR HISTORICAL CONTEXT.

BUT BACK IN THE DAY, MUCH OF THE ART WAS JUST ADVERTISING.

AND WITH SO MANY BRICK STRUCTURES IN THIS AREA BETWEEN FOUR AND SIX STORIES HIGH, THERE WAS A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS SUPPLY OF CANVASES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

WHILE MUCH OF THAT PAINT HAS EITHER FADED OR DISAPPEARED OVER TIME, THEY DECIDED TO REVERSE THAT AGING PROCESS ON ONE STREET IN PARTICULAR.

ANYONE WHO'S EVER TRAVELED DOWN WORTHINGTON STREET HAS PROBABLY SEEN THE IMPRINTS OF THESE OLD ADVERTISEMENTS ON THE SIDE OF THIS HISTORIC BUILDING.

NOW WHAT USED TO BE JUST FAINT GHOST OF IMAGES HERE LONG BEFORE MANY IN THIS TOWN WERE EVEN BORN HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE, THANKS TO THIS PROJECT.

>> THIS WAS A WALL OF PHOTOGRAPHY SIGNS FOR THE STORE CALLED BLOOM'S.

FIVE FLOORS OF PHOTO SUPPLIES.

AND THEY'RE HAND-PAINTED SIGNS ON THE WALL, WHICH HAVE BEEN WEATHERED OVER THE YEARS.

AND THEY CALL THEM GHOST SIGNS.

ALL AROUND THE WORLD PEOPLE ADMIRE GHOST SIGNS.

BUT THIS WALL THEY WERE BECOMING INVISIBLE AND YOU COULDN'T READ THEM ANY MORE.

SO I FELT SINCE THEY WANTED ME TO DO SOMETHING ON THIS WALL, IT WOULD BE NICE TO RESTORE ALL THOSE OLD ADS AND BRING THEM BACK FROM THE BEYOND.

>> FIVE STORIES OF SCAFFOLDING MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A LOT FOR THOSE OF YOU TO WHOM HEIGHTS AREN'T A BIG DEAL.

IT'S TIGHT QUARTERS WITH NOTHING BUT WOOD PLANKS TO STAND ON AND FOR JOHN SIMPSON, IT'S JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE.

OF COURSE, NOT EVERYONE LOVES THE HEIGHTS.

LUCKILY, THIS IS A TWO-TIERED PROJECT, MEANING THAT EVERYTHING ABOVE THE SECOND FLOOR CONSISTS OF THE ORIGINAL COMMERCIAL SIGNS THAT ARE NOW BEING BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE, WHILE THE LOWER DECK, THE FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS, WHERE ARTIST MEGAN CROWLEY CAN BE FOUND TOILING AWAY, WILL BE ALL BRAND-NEW ARTWORK.

IN THIS CASE THE COMBINATION OF SOMETHING OLD AND SOMETHING NEW CREATES SOME FLUIDITY TO THE ACTION ON THE WALLS.

>> IT'S A RESTORATION, BUT IT'S ALSO A NEW CREATION, BECAUSE THE BOTTOM OF THE WALL WAS VERY DETERIORATED WITH THESE GLASS MOSAICS ON HERE.

BUT THE REST OF THE WALL WAS-- KIND OF DARK AND HAD IT.

SO WE'RE BRINGING THE FEELING OF THE SIGNS ABOVE TO THE LOWER AREAS, TO THE POINT WHERE IT BECOMES A UNIFIED IMAGE.

>> MOST TIMES ARTISTS HAVE SOME KIND OF BLUEPRINT OR SMALLER SKETCH TO GO OFF OF BEFORE THEY COMMIT IT TO WHATEVER TYPE OF CANVAS THEY'RE WORKING ON.

THIS SITUATION IS A BIT DIFFERENT.

HERE THEY'RE TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING THAT USED TO BE ON THESE WALLS.

DOING SO CAN REQUIRE GOING INTO AN ALMOST MEDITATIVE STATE TO LOCATE THE IMAGES.

>> YOU'RE BASICALLY STANDING THERE PUZZLING AND HAVING TO RELAX YOUR MIND UNTIL THESE GHOST IMAGES APPEAR.

SO IF YOU'RE AGITATED, YOU DON'T SEE ANYTHING.

BUT WHEN YOU START TO CALM DOWN, IT STARTS PRESENTING LITTLE CLUES AND EACH THING YOU DO ADDS TO THE NEXT CLUE.

SO IT'S LIKE A CHAIN REACTION.

>> BORN IN HOLYOKE, RAISED IN AGAWAM, WEST SPRINGFIELD, AND SPRINGFIELD, THIS ARTISTIC UNDERTAKING IS MORE THAN JUST SOME COMMISSIONED JOB FOR JOHN SIMPSON.

GET IT DONE RIGHT IS A POINT OF PRIDE AND NOT JUST FOR HIMSELF, BUT FOR ALL THE LOCALS WHO MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH HISTORIC STERN SQUARE.

>> IT MEANS SO MUCH TO MAKE PEOPLE LIKE PROUD OF THEIR CITY AND THE HISTORY HERE AND REALIZE IT'S A CITY TO REALLY REJOICE IN AND TO GIVE BACK TO AND TO LIVE AND HAVE FUN HERE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >>> AND YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW ARTIST JOHN SIMPSON APPROACHED THE RESTORATION OF THE MURALS ON THE OLD BLOOM'S CAMERA CAMERA CENTER BUILDING IN A DIGITAL EXTRA.

>> I KIND OF THOUGHT IT WAS DANGEROUS.

A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT ONE SHOULD DO ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND I WASN'T SURE I WANTED TO JUST DO A RESTORATION PROJECT.

BUT I KNEW WHAT WAS REALLY GOING TO DICTATE WHAT THIS WOULD BE WOULD BE THE WALL ITSELF.

>> YOU CAN FIND THAT DIGITAL EXTRA AND SO MUCH MORE ONLINE AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

>>> AFTER BEING INSPIRED BY INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, THE SMITHSONIAN, AND THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, ZENAS CRANE DECIDED HIS COMMUNITY COULD BENEFIT FROM SOMETHING SIMILAR, AND SO THE BERKSHIRE MUSEUM WAS FOUNDED IN 1903.

KNOWN AS A WINDOW ON THE WORLD, THE MUSEUM BOASTS AN ARRAY OF ART AND ARTIFACTS FROM VIRTUALLY EVERY CONTINENT, REPRESENTING THE ANCIENT WORLD AS WELL AS OUR PAST RIGHT HERE IN WESTERN MASS.

I SPOKE WITH JASON VIVORI, THE COLLECTIONS EXPERIENCE MANAGER, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE BERKSHIRE MUSEUM.

>>> ZENAS CRANE WAS THE GRANDSON OF THE FOUNDER OF THE CRANE PAPER COMPANY, THAT MAKES THE PAPER FOR FEDERAL CURRENCY.

HIS GOAL WAS ESSENTIALLY TO CREATE A WIDER WINDOW ON THE WORLD.

WE'VE USED THAT PHRASE QUITE A BIT OVER THE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE.

HE WAS TRYING TO BRING THINGS TO THE BERKSHIRES TO PITTSFIELD, THAT PEOPLE IN THE AREA WOULD NOT HAVE SEEN AT THE TIME.

SO MAKING SURE WE HAD A COLLECTION OF ART THAT WAS REPRESENTATIVE OF A LARGE RANGE OF ARTISTS AND NATURAL HISTORY.

AND HE WANTED IT TO BE A SMALLER OR SCALED-DOWN EXPERIENCE OF WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE IF YOU WENT TO ONE OF THE BIG MUSEUMS LIKE THE SMITHSONIAN OR THE MET.

>> SO YOU MENTIONED THAT VISION OF BEING A WINDOW ON THE WORLD.

AND THE BERKSHIRE MUSEUM REALLY LIVES UP TO THAT TITLE, BECAUSE IT OFFERS VIRTUALLY OBJECTS FROM EVERY CONTINENT IN THE WORLD, WHICH IS AMAZING.

SO TALK TO ME ABOUT SOME OF THE EARLIEST ARTIFACTS AND OBJECTS THAT WERE BROUGHT TO THE BERKSHIRE MUSEUM.

>> THE EARLIEST ARTIFACTS ACTUALLY GO BACK A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.

SO A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT THE MUSEUM.

THE COLLECTIONS OF THE BERKSHIRE MUSEUM ACTUALLY STARTED UNDER THE BERKSHIRE ATHENEUM.

IT WAS SORT OF LIKE THE BERKSHIRE ATHENEUM AND MUSEUM.

THEY WERE ONE ENTITY.

IT EXISTED BACK IN THE 1870S.

THEY HAD COLLECTIONS OF LOCAL HISTORY OBJECTS FOR THE MOST PART, SOME ART OBJECTS, BUT IT WAS BASICALLY THINGS THAT WERE DONATED BY LOCAL PEOPLE.

WHEN ZENAS CRANE CAME ALONG, HE WANTED TO EXPAND THAT VISION AND REALLY ADD THAT WIDER WINDOW EXPERIENCE.

SO HE COLLECTED ARTWORK FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND CULTURAL OBJECTS AND OTHER DONORS AS WELL.

HIS APPROACH WAS KIND OF ENCYCLOPEDIC.

HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE GOT A GOOD RANGE OF THINGS.

SO WE HAVE AN EGYPTIAN MUMMY THAT WAS A MUST.

KIND OF THE VIEWPOINT THAT TO BE A REAL MUSEUM YOU HAD TO HAVE A MUMMY.

WE HAD A PAINTING THAT'S LIKE A SCHOOL OF VANDYKE.

NUMBER OF OLD MASTERS.

HE ALSO REALLY LOVED AMERICAN PAINTINGS AT THE TIME.

SO HE COLLECTED A LOT OF PUTSAN RIVER SCHOOL PAINTINGS.

WE HAD A GOOD RANGE OF THINGS.

>> I CANNOT TALK ABOUT THIS EGYPTIAN MUMMY BECAUSE I REMEMBER THE FIRST VISIT, I WENT TO THE BERKSHIRE MUSEUM, I WAS IN AWE.

FOR ME IT WAS STARING LIKE AT EXPOSED TOES OF THIS OVER 2,000-YEAR-OLD PERSON.

SO IT'S AMAZING THE RANGE THAT EXISTS WITHIN THE BERKSHIRE MUSEUM.

>> OH, EXACTLY.

YOU KNOW, RELATED TO THAT, WE HAVE OTHER THINGS IN OUR ANTIQUITIES COLLECTION, NOT JUST EGYPTIAN MATERIALS BUT THINGS FROM ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA AND THINGS THAT RANGE AS FAR AS CHINA.

OTHER AREAS OF THE WORLD, REALLY JUST ALL OVER THE PLACE.

>> BEING IN NEWENGLAND, WE HAVE SUCH DIRECT TIES TO THE EARLY AMERICAN HISTORY.

AND THE MUSEUM ALSO HAS A LOT OF ART FACTS FROM KEY PROMINENT FIGURES DURING THAT TIME, INCLUDING PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOCAL TIES TO THE BERKSHIRES.

TELL ME ABOUT SOME OF THOSE ARTIFACTS THAT YOU HAVE.

>> WE HAVE THINGS THAT GO BACK TO COLONIAL TIMES AND REVOLUTIONARY TIMES.

WE HAVE A CRADLE AND A CHAIR THAT BELONGED TO SARAH DEMING.

THEY WERE-- WHO WAS SORT OF THE FIRST PIONEER IN THE AREA, FROM ONE OF THE FIRST SETTLERS.

AND HER DAUGHTER WAS THE FIRST CHILD BORN, YOU KNOW, FROM ONE OF THE COLONISTS.

SO IN PITTSFIELD.

SO THAT'S GOING BACK QUITE A WAYS.

>> AND I KNOW THAT YOU EVEN HAVE THE WRITING DESK OF NATHANIEL HARTHORNE WHICH WAS INTERESTING TO SEE RIGHT THERE IN PERSON.

IT WAS SUCH A PIECE OF HISTORIC FURNITURE.

>> YES, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PIECE TO US IN OUR COLLECTION.

IT IS THE DESK THAT WAS AT HAWTHORNE'S LITTLE RED HOUSE RIGHT HERE IN THE BERKSHIRES, WHERE IT'S BELIEVED THAT HE WROTE MANY OF HIS MORE WELL-KNOWN WORKS.

SO IT'S JUST AN AMAZING PIECE.

>> NOW, BEYOND ZENAS CRANE WHO WAS THE FOUNDER OF BERKSHIRE MUSEUM, WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER KEY PLAYERS IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THE MUSEUM THAT REALLY MADE AN IMPACT?

>> THERE'S SO MANY.

ONE OF THE ONES I THINK IS ACTUALLY LOST TO HISTORY A BIT AND I CAN'T EVEN SAY EXACTLY WHAT HIS IMPACT WAS, BUT IT'S PRESENT.

IT'S JUST OMNIPRESENT, IS HARLAN BALLARD.

HE WAS THE MUSEUM'S FIRST CURATOR.

BUT HE WAS THE CURATOR IN FROM LIKE 1903 TO 1931, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE MUSEUM TOOK STEPS TO INCORPORATE AS A SEPARATE ENTITY FROM THE ATHENEUM.

SO HE COLLECTED A LOT OF THE EARLY HISTORICAL OBJECTS, THOSE CULTURAL OBJECTS FROM THIS AREA.

AND A NUMBER OF THINGS.

HE WAS THERE IN THE VERY EARLY DAYS.

SO I WISH I KNEW MORE ABOUT HIM.

IT'S JUST NOT ENOUGH THERE FOR ME.

SO I REALLY WANT TO DO SOME MORE RESEARCH THERE.

BUT I THINK PROBABLY ONE OF THE MORE PROMINENT NAMES IN OUR HISTORY IS LAURA BRAGG.

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

>> SHE WAS OUR FIRST REAL DIRECTOR.

AND SHE WAS-- YOU KNOW, JUST AN AMAZING INDIVIDUAL.

THE THINGS THAT SHE COLLECTED AND ADDED TO OUR COLLECTION, SHE WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN MUSEUM DIRECTOR TO DISPLAY THE WORKS OF ALEXANDER CALDER AND SHE ACTUALLY ARRANGED FOR HIS FIRST COMMISSION FOR A MUSEUM.

AND IT'S RIGHT HERE AT THE BERKSHIRE MUSEUM.

SO JUST AMAZING.

>> SO JASON, YOU STARTED AT THE MUSEUM AS A VOLUNTEER BACK IN 2003 AND NOW YOU HAVE BECOME THE COLLECTIONS EXPERIENCE MANAGER.

AND YOU'VE WORKED WITH THE MUSEUM'S COLLECTION OF OVER 40,000 DIFFERENT OBJECTS.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE OBJECTS AND/OR FASCINATING STORIES THAT YOU'VE COME ACROSS DURING YOUR TIME AT THE MUSEUM?

>> OH, THERE'S SO MANY FASCINATING STORIES.

MY FAVORITE OBJECTS ARE-- TEND TO BE FROM THE EGYPTIAN COLLECTION.

I'VE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED-- WORKED WITH PAHAT.

SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE WHEN WE DE-INSTALLED OUR ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS GALLERY BACK WHEN I WAS A VOLUNTEER, THAT WAS-- HAD BEEN ON VIEW FOR 20-SOME-ODD YEARS OR MORE THAN THAT, POSSIBLY.

I HAVE A VERY STRONG CONNECTION WITH PAHAT.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF GREAT STORIES, A LOT OF CULTURAL OBJECTS, THINGS THAT WE JUST COME ACROSS.

ANOTHER GREAT ONE IS WE HAD THIS TUBA.

IT'S NOT A NORMAL-LOOKING TUBA.

IT'S CALLED AN OVER-THE-SHOULDER TUBA.

IT'S A CIVIL WAR-ERA OBJECT.

IT'S UNIQUE.

IT HAS A SPECIAL LINKAGE FOR THE FINGER PIECES, FOR PLAYING IT FOR THE VALVES.

AND THEY HAD NEVER-- THEY WERE CALLED CANE VALVES AND THEY'VE NEVER BEEN ADDED TO A TUBA BEFORE.

IT'S THE ONLY ONE ANYWHERE THERE'S A RECORD OF IT.

BUT ALSO, IT WAS CARRIED BY A PERSON FROM BERKSHIRE COUNTY IN ONE OF THESE CIVIL WAR BANDS, THESE MARCHING BANDS THAT WENT IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CIVIL WAR.

THEY KIND OF MARCHED WITH THE UNITS TO KIND OF SET THE PACE.

AND IT'S ENGRAVED ON THE SIDE OF IT WITH ALL THE BATTLE SITES IT WAS CARRIED TO.

JUST REALLY AMAZING.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE LEGACY OF THE BERKSHIRE MUSEUM CONTINUE TO BE DECADES AND EVEN CENTURIES TO COME?

>> I THINK IT REALLY GOES BACK TO THE MUSEUM'S MISSION TO INSPIRE CONNECTIONS, YOU KNOW, AND CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE.

WHEN THEY COME IN HERE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TELLING STORIES THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT AND IMPACTFUL TO PEOPLE AND REMAIN SO.

AND REALLY TOUCHING ON THAT HUMAN CONNECTION TO EVERYTHING.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> AND FOR A RARE LOOK AT SOME OF THE TREASURES HOUSED IN THE BASEMENT OF THE BERKSHIRE MUSEUM, HEAD OVER TO OUR WEB PAGE FOR A DIGITAL EXTRA AS COLLECTIONS EXPERIENCE MANAGER JASON VIVORI OFFERS UP SOME BEHIND-THE-SCENES STORIES.

>> IT IS A MODEL OF A CHINESE TOMB.

IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING PIECE.

IT'S MADE FROM A MATERIAL CALLED CHICKEN BLOOD JADE, WHICH IS BASICALLY A TYPE OF SOAP STONE BUT IT CONTAINS LEVELS OF CINNABAR, WHICH IS COMPOSITE OF MERCURY, ESSENTIALLY.

SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOXIC.

YOU DON'T WANT TO BE HANDLING IT WITHOUT ANY SORT OF-- YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO BE HANDLING IT WITHOUT GLOVES.

BUT IT'S OTHERWISE PRETTY SAFE.

>> YOU CAN FIND THAT DIGITAL EXTRA ON OUR WEB PAGE RIGHT NOW.

AND THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF "CONNECTING POINT."

REMEMBER, YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND ALL OF THE STORIES THAT YOU SAW IN THIS EPISODE AS WELL AS EXCLUSIVE FEATURES, DIGITAL-ONLY CONTENT, AND SO MUCH MORE ONLINE ANYTIME AT NEPM.ORG/CONNECTINGPOINT.

OUR THANKS TO THE PORTER-PHELPS-HUNTINGTON HOUSE MUSEUM IN HADLEY FOR HOSTING US TODAY.

AND PLEASE BE SURE TO JOIN US AGAIN EVERY WEEK RIGHT HERE FOR MORE STORIES OF THE CREATIVITY, CULTURE, AND COMMUNITY THAT MAKE US WESTERN NEWENGLAND.

I'M ZYDALIS BAUER.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

AND TAKE CARE.

>>> SUPPORT FOR "CONNECTING POINT" PROVIDED BY OUR CONTRIBUTING VIEWERS.

♪ ♪