Massachusetts

The “Big E” – New England’s Great State Fair

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Happy August, friends! Goodness, this year is flying by, and this month is a transition from summer to fall.

And to this New England girl, that could only mean one thing…The Big E!

Its official name is Eastern States Agricultural and Industrial Exposition, but anyone who has lived in New England or is one of the one million visitors a year who walk through the gates, it is the Big E. Billed as “New England’s Great State Fair”, it is the largest agricultural event on the eastern seaboard and the fifth-largest fair in the nation. The Big E is inclusive of all six New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

The first Eastern States Exposition occurred in October 1916 in West Springfield, Massachusetts, and was called the Eastern States Agricultural and Industrial Exposition. All six New England states, plus Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, participated. Joshua L. Brooks conceived it to help promote agriculture and educate young people with the skills and knowledge needed in agricultural vocations. The Exposition featured displays of innovations in the industry and held contests designed to encourage farmers to better themselves through competition.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America partnered with the Exposition to organize youth competitions, in which prizes were awarded for best produce, jams, breads, raised hens, planting techniques, and other categories. The youth component drew competitors from all participating states and was deemed “a triumph in a new type of education.” Emphasis on the development of young farmers continued with the establishment of “Baby Beef Clubs” in 1920 to help youths buy, raise, exhibit, and sell livestock at the event.

In 1923, the Massachusetts Department of Health built a model schoolhouse on the fairgrounds, offering free medical and dental examinations. Entertainment elements were added by the 1930s, including demonstrations of “automobile polo” (featuring acrobats playing polo while driving Ford cars) and competitive performances by high school bands. On a personal note, I spent long days chaperoning my son’s middle and high school band when they performed on Connecticut Day at the fair.

Since the first fair, only World War I and World War II, during which the military requisitioned the grounds as storage depots, and the COVID-19 pandemic have interrupted the annual tradition.

The Avenue of States contains life-size replicas of the six original New England statehouses, as well as the New England Grange House. In actuality, the state houses are not replicas but rather modeled after original state houses in most instances. The buildings for New Hampshire and Vermont bear no resemblance to their original state houses.

These buildings feature exhibits and vendors that exemplify the heritage, food, and traditions of each state as a way of promoting tourism. Many foods representing New England cuisine can be found at The Big E, along with traditional fair foods like fried dough, corn dogs, funnel cakes, and fried everything. For example, the Maine House in past years has offered

 

lobster, blueberries, and baked potatoes, while the Vermont House has Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, maple syrup, and Cabot cheese. Vendors also sell locally made products and handicrafts. The Maine baked potatoes have become an icon, with buyers regularly joining long lines during the fair’s busier periods. The Connecticut building features watches from Timex, which was founded there, as well as Lego, which has its US headquarters there. The Rhode Island building features Del’s Lemonade and Blount Seafood Clamcakes and Chowder.

Since 2000, The Big E has endeavored to introduce its own signature foods. This began in 2002 when The Big E introduced Big E Cream Puffs, which it intended to be the signature dessert of the Fair. Sadly, I haven’t been back to the fair to sample this delicacy.

 

Over time, the Big E expanded its entertainment offerings to include thrilling rides, live music, stunt shows, and even talent competitions. The Ferris wheel, a staple at most fairs, provides stunning views of the fairgrounds, while roller coasters and bumper cars add excitement for thrill-seekers. Musical performances featuring both local and national acts bring an additional layer of entertainment to the festivities.

Like many modern state and regional fairs that have embraced new forms of entertainment, The Big E’s agricultural roots remain strong. Livestock competitions, horse shows, and horticulture displays continue to be a major draw. These exhibitions provide educational opportunities for younger generations and honor the fair’s agricultural heritage.

For many, the evoke a deep sense of nostalgia, reminding them of the last golden days of summer filled with excitement and wonder. The combination of fair food, bright lights, and classic rides brings back fond memories, making a trip to the Big E an annual tradition for families across the New England region and the country.

The Big E remains one of America’s Top 10 state fairs blending history, culture, and entertainment into a uniquely American experience. Whether it’s the mouth-watering food, thrilling rides, or deep-rooted traditions, the magic of the Big E continues to captivate millions each year. As this yearly event evolves to embrace modern trends while preserving its historic charm, the Big E remains a testament to the enduring spirit of community and celebration in the United States.

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For a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card, share a childhood memory about experiencing a state or county fair. 

A Leaf Peeper’s Paradise

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Happy October, friends!

Though I no longer live in New England, I become nostalgic as summer turns to autumn, watching the leaves turn gold, russet, and red, the scent of chimney smoke, the starkness of the quarter moon, and the brilliance of the stars in the clear, dark skies.

And, I suppose this is what those visitors (leaf peepers!) experience when they flock to the highways and back roads of New England.

Growing up in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, I didn’t think much about the leaf-peepers coming into the city. I lived here, went to school, church, and played with friends. The changing leaves was nothing new. Yet, leaf-peeping was BIG business for the merchants, and continues to this day. (The photo on left is similar to the view from my former bedroom window.)

   

In Japan, leaf-peeping is known as momiji-gari, often translated as “hunting red leaves.” In Finland, ruska describes the colorful leaves themselves.

While the United States boasts breathtaking displays everywhere from Texas to Minnesota, it’s hard to deny that the Northeast is queen of the season—a position the region has held for at least a century and a half. Lifelong Massachusetts resident Henry David Thoreau once called October “the month of painted leaves.”

Emily Dickinson, another 19th-century Massachusetts poet, also distinguished the maple in the last stanza of her poem “Autumn”:

“The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.”

In October 1863, a New York correspondent for New Orleans’s Times-Picayune wrote that “When American poets first began to talk about the ‘gorgeousness’ of October” in the Northeast, “they were heartily laughed at abroad and at the South, and their enthusiasm was looked upon as extravagant.” But “that was years ago,” the writer said, and travelers had since realized that the area’s annual “color show” truly was spectacular.

As the century progressed, that color show became a selling point for autumnal excursions. An 1877 advertisement for a resort in the Catskills (just over the state lines of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont), highlighted “magnificent mountains, beautiful fall foliage and fine partridge shooting.” A September 1884 briefing in Connecticut’s Hartford Courant mentioned the popularity of taking the 8:40 a.m. train from Hartford to the Hudson River, having lunch, and coming right home.

Though the bulk of this activity was centered in the Northeast, the Wes and Midwest weren’t oblivious to their own botanical marvels. The Cincinnati Enquirer encouraged people on one October Sunday in 1887 to visit the city’s zoo, “now radiant in all the glory of fall foliage,” and in September 1906, Washington’s Spokane Chronicle included a notice about a $2 round-trip steamer ride down the Saint Joe River, with its “superb fall tinted foliage and perfect river reflections.”

Tourism likewise ramped up in Vermont at this time, largely to natural spas, with fall foliage providing an added attraction. By the 1930s and 1940s, New England’s fall tourism industry was reportedly in full swing, with a Vermont newspaper describing the six-state region as a “mecca” for those seeking colorful foliage. Then, in the mid-1960s, the Bennington Banner, another Vermont newspaper, published the first-known reference to “leaf peepers,” an apparent spinoff of “leaf peekers” that has remained in the popular lexicon ever since.

Though New England is the sweet spot for viewing the golds, reds, and burgundy leaves, vivid foliage displays can be seen across much of the United States, from lemon-colored aspens in the Rocky Mountains to cinnamon-brown bald cypresses in the Southeast.

 So, the next time you find yourself gazing at a particularly stunning maple or aspen leaf, take a moment to appreciate not just the leaves, but the fact that you’re participating in a long-standing tradition. You’re not just a casual observer; you’re a leaf peeper, part of a proud, slightly quirky lineage that stretches back centuries.

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For a chance to win an e-book edition of “Caroline’s Challenge”, tell us if you have ever gone “leaf peeping” near your home or taken a trip to witness the annual spectacle of leaves changing colors.

There’s always one risk in life worth taking.

Caroline Stoddard clung to Sister Benedict’s words like a lifeline as the train took her across the country from Boston to Pine Ridge, Colorado. After learning the orphanage was closing and she’d be without a roof over her head and a teaching position, she couldn’t have been more surprised when the Prioress referred her to Millie Crenshaw, owner of the Westward Home and Hearts Matrimonial Agency.

But life had another surprise in store for Caroline when she stepped off the train in Pine Ridge, Colorado. Instead of the new start she expected with James Murdock, her intended groom, he is nowhere to be found. With only a few coins to her name and no reason to return to Boston, she’s determined to make the best of it in this rugged land.

As the deputy sheriff in Pine Ridge, Knox Manning is haunted by a robbery gone wrong, making him question his ability to protect the town, and a stranded woman at the train depot with nowhere to go is the last thing he needs. But walking away isn’t in his nature. The badge he wears is both an anchor and a burden, one that caused him to sacrifice the one thing he always wanted—a chance for a home and a family.

Just as they begin to see each other in ways neither expected, and Knox dares to dream about a future with Caroline, the town of Pine Ridge is threatened by the same outlaws he’d been tracking for two years.

When Caroline is abducted, Knox realizes the gang had given him something worth fighting for—worth dying for, if necessary.

But more importantly, worth living for.

CLICK HERE

 

Hometown Hoedown – The Heart of the Berkshires

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Welcome to my hometown! But to be perfectly honest with you, I haven’t lived there for more than fifty years…and I’ve never really given much thought to the history of Pittsfield, Massachusetts until the Fillies suggested doing a blog about our hometown towns.

So, here goes…

Pittsfield, Massachusetts, located in western Massachusetts, is a city rich in history and culture. Situated in Berkshire County, it encompasses a unique blend of natural beauty, significant landmarks, and a vibrant community.

The city can trace its roots back to the colonial era when it was first settled in 1752. The city was named after British Prime Minister William Pitt the Elder. Initially, Pittsfield relied on agriculture, with crops like corn, oats, and wheat being important for the settlers. However, during the 19th century, the city experienced rapid industrial growth, transitioning from an agrarian society into a thriving manufacturing hub.

By the end of the Revolutionary War, Pittsfield had nearly 2,000 residents. While mainly a farming area, because of the many brooks that flowed into the Housatonic River, the land was dotted with mills that produced lumber, grain, paper (Eaton & Crane writing paper was known worldwide), and textiles. When Merino sheep from Spain was introduced in 1807, the area became the center of woolen manufacturing in the U.S. for nearly a century.

By the late 1800s, the town was a bustling metropolis. In 1891, the City of Pittsfield was incorporated. In that same yar, William Stanley Jr., who had recently relocated his Electric Manufacturing Company to Pittsfield produced the first electric transformer. Stanley’s enterprise was the forerunner of the internationally known corporate giant, General Electric (GE). Thanks to the success of GE, Pittsfield’s population in 1930 had grown to more than 50,000. Though it continued to be one of the city’s largest employers until the 1980s, a workforce that once topped 13,000 was reduced to less than 700 with the demise of General Electric. On a personal note, I worked at GE after college for two years, made some great friends, and learned how a big conglomerate operated…which made me turn to public education for the remainder of my working career!

Weather in Pittsfield has four distinct seasons…however, winter often begin around Columbus Day in mid-October and can last to Mother’s Day in May. Spring is nearly non-existent, and summers can be cool & rainy or hot…however, nothing compares to the Berkshires in Autumn. It is glorious!!!

       

Pittsfield and Berkshire County is less than three hours from New York City to the south, and Boston to the east, making the area home to a myriad of world-class art, theater, dance, music, film, and historic sites. The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts in North Adams and Tanglewood in Lenox and Stockbridge have long drawn the culturally inclined to Western Massachusetts. Berkshire Theatre Group in Pittsfield and venues like the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge also draw tourists from around the world.

       

Pittsfield can lay claim to a number of famous residents who have made significant contributions to our nation’s history, including Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick, written at his Pittsfield home he called Arrowhead. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., lived in Pittsfield for 7 years. His poetry put him in the company of other writers living in the area in the mid 1800’s. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet, educator, linguist, owned a home which is now the site of Pittsfield High School.

Other notables include

  • Robin Williams, actor, maintained a summer home in Pittsfield
  • Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric
  • Brian Piccolo, Chicago Bears halfback, subject of movie Brian’s Song
  • Marshall Field, founded Chicago’s Marshall Field’s department stores, took first job in 1853 as a clerk in Pittsfield
  • Silvio O. Conte, congressman (He and my dad were good friends during their school years)
  • Niraj Shah (born 1973/74), billionaire CEO and co-founder of Wayfair

If you, like me, are surprised by the city where I was born and raised, I have one more interesting, albeit, tragedy that occurred in Pittsfield.

At approximately 10:15AM, President Theodore Roosevelt’s motorcade was travelling along South Street when the mounted troopers assigned to protect him noticed the speeding trolley. As the streetcar turned onto the street with the presidential carriage, the driver rang the trolley bell and attempted to stop. Two cavalrymen flagged down the motorman, ordering the trolley to stop, but it nevertheless collided with the back left wheel of the carriage, smashing the carriage’s back and striking the front wheel as well. The impact sent the carriage into the air briefly.

William Craig yelled for the president to “Look out! Hold fast!” before they were both thrown off the wagon. Craig was thrown under the streetcar and killed instantly while Roosevelt was thrown out and hit his head on the sidewalk. Cortelyou sustained serious injuries. Governor Crane escaped uninjured. Pratt, the driver, struck his head, resulting in a fractured skull. One carriage horse was also killed in the collision.

Like many of New England’s manufacturing centers that experienced an economic decline in the latter part of the 20th century, Pittsfield has been forced to redefine itself. With the reconstruction of prime industrial property at the heart of the city, and an energized arts and entertainment scene in the downtown, Pittsfield has established itself as a cultural center in Berkshire County with the prospect of renewed economic vitality.

Thanks for coming along on this portrait of an American city — my hometown, Pittsfield Massachusetts.

 

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