HGTV and the National Trust honor The Mount in Restore America: A Salute to Preservation initiative

Lenox, Mass. (May 20, 2004) -- The National Trust for Historic Preservation, Save America’s Treasures and Home & Garden Television will celebrate The Mount in Lenox, Massachusetts as the newest addition to HGTV’s public affairs initiative Restore America: A Salute to Preservation in a special presentation in the estate’s garden on May 27.

The event theme will be a Gilded Age White Party with guests encouraged to dress in white attire. The program will include remarks from Massachusetts State Rep. Smitty Pignatelli on the history and preservation of Edith Wharton’s historic home, lawn games and special food and decor. Guests will be treated to an exclusive preview of the segment featuring The Mount, scheduled to air on HGTV’s long-running series Restore America on Wednesday, June 2, 2004 at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT. An encore Presentation will air on Sunday, June 20, 2004 at 12:30 p.m. ET/PT. Following the event, guests and media are invited to tour the site.

Representatives from HGTV, the National Trust, Save America’s Treasures and co-sponsor, Adelphia Communications Corporation will attend and present a commemorative plaque and a check for $62,500 to Stephanie Copeland, president of the Mount. These funds will support the on-going restoration of this architecturally and historically significant estate, which was selected from among 1,000 Save America’s Treasures sites across the country. Other initiative co-sponsors include Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse, Marvin Windows and Doors, and American Express.

The Mount is the last of 12 Save America’s Treasures sites to be highlighted this season on Restore America as part of HGTV’s national public affairs campaign, Restore America: A Salute to Preservation – a partnership HGTV has forged with the National Trust. As part of this effort, HGTV donated $1 million in 2003 to the National Trust to help restore the 12 Save America’s Treasures sites. HGTV highlights the restoration of a different site each month in the Restore America series, through celebrity salutes and in public service announcements. HGTV has renewed its commitment to the partnership, pledging an additional $1 million and naming another 12 Save America’s Treasures sites for the upcoming 2004 campaign.

Built in 1902, The Mount was designed as a writer’s retreat by renowned author Edith Wharton, who designed it based on principles outlined in her landmark book, The Decoration of Houses, which is credited with establishing interior design as a profession in this country. Also an authority on European landscape design, Wharton planted her own gardens, adhering to her belief that gardens should be architectural compositions planned in concert with the house and natural landscape. The Mount has gained widespread recognition for its place in American architecture and landscape design, and it is among only five percent of National Historic Landmarks honoring women.

Essentially self-educated, Wharton broke through the constraints of the late 19th-century Old New York social set, in which women were discouraged from achieving anything beyond a proper marriage, to become one of America's greatest writers. Author of The Age of Innocence, Ethan Frome, and The House of Mirth, she wrote over 40 books in 40 years, including authoritative works on architecture, gardens, interior design, and travel. She was the first woman awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Yale University, and full membership in the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Through the efforts of the non-profit Edith Wharton Restoration, Inc., much of The Mount’s main house and formal gardens were restored in time for its centennial in 2002. The restoration of Wharton's bedroom suite, where she composed her first best-selling book, The House of Mirth, was completed in 2003.

Future projects include acquiring Edith Wharton’s 2,600-volume library, planting the flower garden and creating an endowment for its perpetual care, recreating the kitchen garden, and restoring the watering pond, woodland paths, stable and gatehouse. The restoration to date has been funded in part by a $2.9 million federal Save America’s Treasures grant. The $62,500 donated by HGTV also will help continue restoration efforts in the garden.

Upcoming Featured Sites scheduled to air on HGTV:

The Mount/Edith Wharton (Lenox, MA)
Premiere: Wednesday, June 2, 2004 at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT
Encore Presentation: Sunday, June 20, 2004 at 12:30 p.m. ET/PT

Restore America: 2004
Premiere: July 4, 2004 at 5:00 p.m. ET/PT

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting the irreplaceable. Recipient of the National Humanities Medal, the Trust provides leadership, education and advocacy to save America’s diverse historic places and revitalize communities. Its Washington, DC headquarters staff, six regional offices and 25 historic sites work with the Trust’s members and thousands of local community groups in all 50 states. For more information, visit the National Trust’s web site at www.nationaltrust.org. Home & Garden Television (HGTV) is distributed in more than 85 million U.S. households, making it one of the fastest growing networks in cable television history. Additionally, with nearly 3 million unique visitors on average each month, HGTV.com is America's leading online home and garden destination. Internationally, HGTV can be seen in nearly 20 countries. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Atlanta, HGTV is wholly owned by The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP), which also operates the Food Network, DIY - Do It Yourself Network and Fine Living, a new network that launched in March, 2002.

Save America’s Treasures was established by Executive Order in 1998 as a public-private partnership of the White House, the National Park Service, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Designed to celebrate American creativity, innovation, and discovery, the program recognizes and supports projects that convey our nation’s rich heritage to future generations. Honorary Chair Mrs. Laura Bush leads this effort along with co-chairs Richard Moe, President of the National Trust, and noted author, Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Former First Lady Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton continues to participate as the program’s Founding Chair. To date, the program has designated over 1,000 Official Projects around the country, generating over $55 million in private support and $188 million in federal SAT challenge grants.

Adelphia Communications Corporation is the 5th largest cable television company in the country. It serves customers in 30 states and Puerto Rico, and offers analog and digital video services, high-speed Internet access, and other advanced services over Adelphia's broadband networks.

With fiscal year 2002 sales of $26.5 billion, Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE 100 company that serves approximately nine million customers a week at more than 875 home improvement stores in 45 states. In 2003, FORTUNE named Lowe's America's Most Admired Specialty Retailer, and the EPA selected Lowe's as Energy Star Retail Partner of the Year. Based in Wilkesboro, N.C., the 57-year old company is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world.

Marvin Windows and Doors is a premier manufacturer of made-to-order wood and clad wood windows and doors. The company, headquartered in Warroad, Minn., offers more than 11,000 standard shapes and sizes, and virtually unlimited custom capabilities.

American Express Company is a diversified worldwide travel, financial and network services company founded in 1850. It is a world leader in charge and credit cards, Travelers Cheques, travel, financial planning, business services, insurance and international banking. Through its philanthropic program American Express has been a major funder of historic preservation efforts, including support for Save America's Treasures sites, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the World Monuments Watch program of the World Monuments Fund. American Express was the founding sponsor of the World Monuments Watch, to which the company has made a $10 million commitment over 10 years, through 2005.

An elegant 1902 mansion surrounded by magnificent formal gardens, The Mount was designed by author Edith Wharton, and includes a 42-room mansion, a Georgian Revival stable, three acres of formal gardens and additional acres of scenic woodlands. Located in Lenox, Mass., at Route 7 and Plunkett St., the estate, gardens and bookstore are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Oct. 31. Admission is $16, students with ID, $8, and children under 12, free. For more information on visiting the Mount, including details on 2004 exhibitions and programs, visit www.edithwharton.org or call (413) 637-1899.