The Berkshire County Historical Society is a 501(c)3 founded in 1962 whose mission is preserving, protecting and interpreting for the public the historical artifacts and documents in its collection. Purchased in 1975 for the express purpose of opening it to the public, Arrowhead is the largest "artifact" owned by BCHS. It is a 44-acre site in Pittsfield which was the home of Herman Melville from 1850 to 1863, the farm where he wrote Moby Dick. The property was a 160 acre working farm when Melville purchased it. His dream was to be a "gentleman farmer" and writer. The property is now an active museum with 4k visitors/year. It has been the goal of BCHS to have an active farming effort on the land for several reasons: - With each generation more removed from food production, a working farm offers important educational opportunities - Offer high-quality produce to local food pantries - Enrich the visitor experience at Arrowhead