The Berkshire Athenaeum is Pittsfield's public library and a useful stop for travelers who like local history. The institution's roots go back to the nineteenth century, and the surrounding Park Square area still carries that old civic confidence.
It is not a flashy sight, but it is a good reminder that the Berkshires are not just summer cottages and mountain views. Pittsfield has long been a county seat, a mill city, and a place where people actually live.