In 1902 Edith and Teddy Wharton built The Mount on 113 acres purchased from Georgiana Sargent. The entire estate was designed as a complete work of art, informed by French, Italian and English traditions, yet adapted for the American landscape.

  • The Mount tinted postcard circa 1910 courtesy Lenox Library Association

    “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 contentedly…”

The Mount is one of only five percent of National Historic Landmarks dedicated to women. It is an autobiographical house, one that embodies the spirit of its creator.

The classically inspired Main House, elegant Georgian Revival Stable, formal gardens and sculpted landscape represent the only full expression of Wharton’s influential architectural and landscape theories.

Facts About the Original Estate

Location
Lenox, Massachusetts, overlooking Laurel Lake
House Design
Edith Wharton
Architects
Ogden Codman, Jr.
Francis L.V. Hoppin (Hoppin & Koen)
Builder
R. W. Curry
Garden Design
Edith Wharton
Additional Landscape
Architect
Beatrix Farrand
Principal Buildings
Main house, inspired by Belton House, with classical Italian and French influences; Georgian Revival gatehouse; Georgian Revival stable; greenhouse with potting shed
Restored Gardens
Italian walled garden; formal flower garden; rock garden; lime walk; grass terraces
Land Parcel
Original farm plot of 113 acres bought for $40,600; additional 15 acres purchased at a later date; current size: 49.5 acres
Construction
July 1901 – Autumn 1902
Costs
Main house: $57,619
Stable: $20,354
Gatehouse: $5,356
Main House Dimensions
Footprint: approx. 138 ft x 65 ft
Square Footage: 16,850 sq. ft.
Height: west elevation (entrance side) 4 stories; east elevation (garden side) 3 stories
Main House Plan
Ground Floor:
Walled forecourt (approximately 64 ft x 78 ft.) Entrance hall (34.5 ft x 12.5 ft)
Staircase hall (11 ft x 18 ft)
First Floor (piano nobile) Gallery (38 ft x 12 ft)
Dining room (20.5 ft x 25.5 ft) opening onto terrace
Drawing room (36 ft x 20 ft) Edith Wharton’s library (20 ft x 25 ft) Teddy Wharton’s den (15 ft x 18 ft)
Terrace (125 ft x approximately 24 ft along eastern façade, wrapping around to north façade), leading to Palladian staircase and gardens
Second Floor (Bedroom Floor)
Edith Wharton’s boudoir, bath and bedroom on north end
Two-room guest suite plus bath on west side
Teddy Wharton’s bedroom, bath and dressing room on east side
Largest guest bedroom and bath (known as the Henry James suite) on east side
Interior hallway
Service Wing (South Wing)
Ground Floor
Servants’ dining room, kitchen, serving room and scullery, laundry room, wine cellar, coal-storage room and furnace room
First Floor
Servants’ hallway, butler’s room, cook’s room, butler’s pantry, housekeeper’s room
Second Floor
Linen closet, housemaid’s closet, maid’s room, sewing room, dress closet, bath, stairs to attic floor
Attic Floor
Servants’ bedrooms (8) and servants’ bath