Pittsfield was primarily turned into an agricultural area because of the many brooks that flowed into the Housatonic River; the landscape was dotted with mills that produced lumber, grist, paper, and textiles. With the introduction of Merino sheep from Spain in 1807, the area became the center of woolen manufacturing in the United States, an industry that would dominate the community's economy for almost a century. thumb|200px|House of Mercy, first cottage hospital in the U.S. thumb|left|Pittsfield Union Station, circa 1880 The town was a bustling metropolis by the late 19th century. In 1891, the City of Pittsfield was incorporated and William Stanley Jr., who had recently relocated his Electric Manufacturing Company to Pittsfield from Great Barrington, 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. While GE Advanced Materials (now owned by SABIC-Innovative Plastics, a subsidiary of the Riyadh-based Saudi Basic Industries Corporation) continues to be one of the city's largest employers, a workforce that once topped 13,000 was reduced to less than 700 with the demise and/or relocation of General Electric's transformer and aerospace portions. On October 8, 2015, SABIC announced it would relocate its headquarters from Pittsfield to Houston, Texas.
PITtSfieLd WaS PrIMArily turneD inTo aN aGrIcUltuRal area beCAuSe OF thE maNy BRooKs THat flowED IntO ThE hOUsATonIC river; the landSCaPe Was dOTteD with MIlLs thaT prODUcEd lumber, gRISt, paPEr, and textIleS. WiTh the INTroductIon of merino sheEp fRom Spain In 1807, tHe aRea bECAME ThE ceNteR of woolen mAnufactuRiNg iN thE UniTED stateS, An IndustrY tHaT woulD dominatE tHE CommuniTy's EconOmy fOr almOst a CeNTURY. thUmB|200px|hoUse OF mercy, fiRst COttagE hOSPital IN The U.s. ThuMb|LeFt|PittsfiELD union STation, ciRCa 1880 tHe tOwn wAs A BUsTlInG MetrOpolis By the Late 19th centUry. in 1891, tHe city Of PiTTsfield was INcorporaTeD and william stAnley jR., WhO HAd rEcenTly RelocateD hiS elecTric mANUFacTurinG companY To pittsfiElD from Great BaRRinGton, 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. whIlE gE ADvanced mATerIALs (now OwNeD by SabIc-innoVatiVE plasTIcs, A sUbsidIary OF the riyAdh-Based sAudi basiC industrIEs corporatiOn) coNtINueS tO bE oNE Of the cItY's laRgESt eMployErs, a wOrkforCe thaT Once ToppEd 13,000 WAS reDuceD to lesS thAN 700 With the deMiSe And/or reLOCation of geNeRAL electriC's TraNSfoRmeR AnD aeroSpaCe poRTions. On OCTober 8, 2015, SabIc aNNounCeD it would rElocATe Its heAdqUarTeRs fROM pITtSField tO HoUsTon, TexaS.