Herman Melville House, Pittsfield

  • Also Known As: Arrowhead

  • Address: Holmes Rd
  • Travel Genus: Sight
  • Sight Category: Building
  • Activity Category: Tour

Arrowhead, the former home of American author Herman Melville, is a house museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. One of the major figures of 19th century American literature, Melville owned the frame and clapboard house from 1850 until 1863. The works which Melville finished while at Arrowhead include Moby Dick (1851, his best known book), Pierre (1852), Israel Potter (1855), The Confidence Man (1857), and many shorter tales and sketches. - AsNotedIn


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Timeline

Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
1785/00/00 Bush,Capt. David Architect The original "Arrowhead" (now the front portion of a much larger structure) is built during the 1780's by Captain David Bush, where, it is believed, that Bush and his son operate a public inn.
1844/00/00 The Bush family sell their property to Dr John Brewster, a prominent Pittsfield physician.
1850/09/14 Herman Melville Home With the help of his father-in-law, Melville buys a late C18 farmhouse with some 145 acres of land near Pittsfield from Dr John Brewster. Meville will name it "Arrowhead" after finding several Indian relics.
1851/00/00 H Melville makes small repairs to the existing structure and builds at its northern end a piazza (lost, now rebuilt), made famous by his essay in The Piazza Tales. The piazza took full advantage of the view of Mt Greylock.
1851/06/00 Herman Melville Author By the end of the month, wearied with the long delay of printers and clearly under Hawthorne's influence, Herman Melville completes "Moby Dick". Moby Dick (book)
1851/07/00 Nathaniel Hawthorne Mentor In Melville's barn, Hawthorne and Melville sit in the hayloft for many long evenings discussing Melville's progress with "Moby Dick", 1850-1852. Moby Dick (book)
1856/00/00 Putnam's Monthly Publisher In "I and My Chimney", published in Putnam's Monthly Magazine in 1856, Melville describes Arrowhead's one grand central chimney. The fireplace and paneled wall appear to date from the original construction.
1863/00/00 Herman Melville Life Herman Melville sells "Arrowhead" to his brother Allan Melville and moves to New York City. Herman will return to the Pittsfield house for occasional visits.

Data »

Particulars for Herman Melville House, Pittsfield:
Sight Category Building
Museum Type Historical Museum
Building Type House
Area of Significance Literature
Cultural Affiliation Mohegan
Museum Type Museum
Level of Significance National
Criteria Person
Owner Private
Historic Use Single dwelling



US National Registry of Historic Places Data »

Accurate at time of registration:

PLACE DETAILS
Registry Name:
Registry Address:
Registry Number: 66000126
Resource Type:
Owner: Private
Architect: Bush,Capt. David
Architectural Style: No style listed
Other Certification: Designated National Landmark
Nominator Name: National Historic Landmark
CULTURAL DETAILS
Level of Significance: National
Area of Significance: Literature
Applicable Criteria: Person
Period of Significance: 1850-1874, 1750-1799
Significant Year: c 1785, 1850, 1863
Associated People: Melville,Herman
Historic Function: Domestic
Historic Sub-Function: Single dwelling
Current Function: Recreation and Culture
Current Sub-Function: Museum

Activities »

Activity
Activity Category Tour

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