55+ Living Guide Spring/Summer 2017 55++LG+Spring+17+Spreads | Page 12

The Mount
Lenox, MA
Jogging back on Rt. 7 we come to Lenox, a veritable treasure
trove of attractions including the house and estate known as
The Mount. This was the home of the penultimate author of
Gilded Age author Edith Wharton; best known for novels
including The Age of Innocence; Ethan Frome; and The
House of Mirth. In addition to novels, she published works
reflect her interest and expertise in architecture, garden and
landscape design; interior design and travel. She was the
first woman to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
The Mount also has the distinction of being one of only
5% of structures that had been owned by women to be
specially designated National Historic Landmark status.
The Mount consists of an elegant main house designed
with Italian and French influence and a magnificent Geor-
gian revival stable and guesthouse all surrounded by formal
gardens and sculpted landscape which carry out Wharton’s
architectural and landscaping theories.
Following Wharton’s sale of the property in 1911, it had
a varied history as a private school and finally the home of
Shakespeare and Company. A massive restoration began in
1997 and was a daunting undertaking since maintenance
had been deferred and the buildings had seriously deteri-
orated and the gardens overgrown. The house opened to
the public in 2002 and the gardens in 2005. Restoration
continues on the stables but this space is able to be used for
programs and events. The Mount is a cultural center where
varied programs are offered. The historic main house is
open daily from May through October and the extensive
grounds year round.
Another small detour off Rt. 7 leads us to the hamlet of
Becket, the home of Jacob's Pillow Dance. This is the home
of America’s longest running International Dance Festival
held each summer. Thousands of people from around the
globe make their way each year to see performances by
over 50 dance companies. Mikhail Baryshnikov called
Jacob’s Pillow “the dance center of the nation!”
The Center was founded in 1931 by modern dance
pioneer Ted Shawn and his then wife, the renowned dancer
Ruth St. Denis and has grown over the years from only
emphasizing modern dance styles to all styles of dance
and in 2003 was listed on the National Register of
Historic Places. The 2017 Festival season runs from
June 17 to August 27.
Calpulli Mexican Dance Company; photo Hayim Heron
JACOB’S
PILLOW
D A N C E
85 Anniversary
Season
TH
Camille A. Brown;
photo Christopher Duggan
12 55PlusLivingGuide.com
413.243.0745
jacobspillow.org
Jacob’s Pillow Dance
Becket, MA