The Mount - Edith Wharton’s Lenox Retreat

House Museum

Feb 25

Edith Wharton was part of “Olde New York” society, and is credited with establishing interior design as a profession in the United States. She was the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction for her book, Age of Innocence. She believed that good architectural expression included order, scale, and harmony.

The Mount, was her modest Gilded Age Berkshire “cottage” she designed with Ogden Codman, Jr. and Francis L.V. Hoppin, with principals described in her book, The Decorations of Houses (co-authored with Codman, Jr.). It took 15 months to build the spacious and dignified house completed in 1902 on 113 acres in Lenox, Massachusetts for $57,000.00. Edith’s niece, Beatrix Jones Farrand, designed the entrance drive and other gardens. Edith, and her husband Teddy, lived in the white stucco mansion with green shutters from 1902 to 1911.

In 1911, the Whartons left The Mount, and it was then used as a private residence. Foxhollow School purchased the estate in 1942, using the mansion as a dormitory. In 1978, the property was rented to the theater company, Shakespeare & Company. Finally in 1979, the Edith Wharton Restoration was formed and purchased the property, restoring much of the property to its original condition. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign, “Save America’s Treasures’, donated $2 million dollar towards the restoration efforts. Today it oversees the running of the property.

Here is what caught my eye. I hope you enjoy!

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The sunken walled Italian garden was a part of the series of outdoor rooms Wharton envisioned. She elaborated about it in in her book, Italian Villas and Their Gardens.

This is the symmetrical front facade of the house from the forecourt. Francis L.V. Hoppin is responsible for the exterior architectural design.

The east facade of the house with terraced lawns

The architectural symmetry in The Gallery

Tulips in The Gallery

The interior design was the work of Edith in conjunction with Ogden Codman, Jr. The Gallery space was inspired by homes in Italy and Greece.

The books on the shelves in Mrs. Wharton’s Library are from her personal collection. Edith read in five languages. The Edith Wharton Restoration was able to purchase her personal collection in 2005.

“The core of my life was under my roof, among my books and my intimate friends.” - Edith Wharton

The wood paneling in the Library was restored by hand by a team of women.

The Drawing Room with the elaborate plaster ceiling

Another view of the Drawing Room with the Terrazzo floor

The Drawing Room, the largest room in the house features this imported French marble fireplace. The purpose of this type of room was not to draw but to with-draw.

The piano in the Drawing Room

The dining room, set for company

Note the decorative plaster and Terrazzo floor in the dining room. Edith Wharton wrote that “the primary purpose of a door is to include and the secondary purpose is to exclude”.

Here is another view of the dining room showing the French rouge marble fireplace with plaster design elements. Light surroundings were said to aid digestion, and Edith did not like chandeliers or overhead lighting; she said it was unflattering.

Some of the elegant accent pieces in the dining room

Pictured here is the exit onto the wide, stone terrace off the dining room. This terrace has entrances from all principal rooms and looks out over the grounds leading to Laurel Lake.

This elevator assisted the staff in getting travel trucks to the second level.

Adjacent to her bedroom is Edith’s boudoir, said to be one of the most historically accurate rooms.

Mrs. Wharton’s desktop in her boudoir

The red and white theme was recreated in Edith Wharton’s ornately decorated boudoir.

The antique chaise lounge in Edith’s boudoir

A dressing table in Mrs. Wharton’s bedroom

It is said that Edith did much of her writing in bed. Note the family member’s paintings over the bed.

Mrs. Wharton’s bedroom

Some books on display in Mrs. Wharton’s bedroom

A chaise lounge and telephone by the window in Mrs. Wharton’s bedroom

Edith is said to have done her best work in her bedroom.

Edith’s private adjoining bathroom

Many of Mrs. Wharton’s servants served her for years; some are pictured here in family photographs.

“Several of our servants have been with us for so long that I know to the full strength of feeling one has about such irreplaceable friends.” - Edith Wharton

Vintage typewriters on display

The Sewing Room

The kitchen

The kitchen stove

Kitchen items displayed

Telephones on display

The Scullery

Linden trees line Lime Walk, which connects the Italian Garden and the formal French Flower Garden.

Looking towards the house from the fountain flower garden

“On a slope over-looking the dark waters and densely wooded shore of Laurel Lake we built a spacious and dignified house, to which we gave the name of my great-grandfather’s place, the Mount…There for ten years I lived and gardened and wrote contently.” - Edith Wharton

The Lime walk

The Lime Walk in black and white

Another view of the white Georgian Revival mansion designed by Hoppin

Here is the Pet Cemetery where the four-legged family members are buried.

The Georgian Revival-style Stable

The Stable now hosts lectures, dramatic readings, theater, music and workshops.

Interior of the Stable building

Today, the classically inspired main house, on just over 49 of the original 113 acres, is a National Historic Landmark. It is open to the public, and functions as a cultural center with a variety or programs and events including readings, book launches and panel discussions. On the second floor there are several former bedrooms that now contain exhibits of Edith Wharton, the woman, the humanitarian, and author, as well as her house and estate staff.

After the house tour, enjoy strolling through the restored Italian walled garden, formal flower garden, and Allee. Then explore the pet cemetery, or enjoy the walking trails and grass terraces.

The Berkshires was also the summer retreat for Daniel Chester French (A Stockbridge Artist Studio - Chesterwood) and Joseph Choate in (see A Stockbridge Gilded Age Cottage - Naumkeag) Stockbridge.

What you should know:

The Terrace Cafe is open seasonally with light food and refreshments.
The grounds are free and open daily from dawn to dusk.
Tickets can be purchased on-line or in person; some discounts exist for military and care-givers etc.
Restrooms are available.
You could spend a few hours to an entire day.
There are walking trails.
One price includes parking, gardens and guided house tour.
There are a few house tour options, including self-guided tours; check website for days and hours of operation.

Location:

2 Plunkett Street, Lenox, Massachusetts 01240

For more information: The Mount