The Mount is a National Historic Landmark and cultural center that celebrates the intellectual, artistic and humanitarian legacy of Edith Wharton. Known for her great literary works such as The House of Mirth and Ethan Frome, Wharton became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1921 for her novel, The Age of Innocence. In addition to writing, Wharton also had an instinct for gardens, aesthetics and decor. The Mount, her summer home in Lenox, Massachusetts from 1901-1911, embodies Wharton’s bold landscape vision: extensive terraces with scenic views, the French and Italian Gardens, a winding Picturesque drive lined with maples, and the Kitchen Garden designed in collaboration with her niece Beatrix Farrand. Edith Wharton once wrote “I am amazed at the success of my efforts. Decidedly, I’m a better landscape gardener than novelist, and this place, every line of which is my own work, far surpasses The House of Mirth.”
NBW is collaborating with Edith Wharton Restoration on a master plan that seeks to enable The Mount to serve their community by:
- Improving circulation, operations, and programming on The Mount’s core property while restoring key areas of the site to be more faithful to conditions during Edith Wharton’s time there
- Providing and enhancing pedestrian access between The Mount and the abutting conservation easement-protected parcels for passive recreation, ecological education, and enrichment
The master plan fuses the cultural landscape with land dedicated to passive recreation and wildlife habitat; it will benefit the Town of Lenox community by providing an integrated system of trails for hiking and bird-watching, and well as opportunities to experience an early 20th Century estate with significant historic value.
