The Mount is one of 12 historic sites honored in new preservation initiative

Lenox, Mass. (March 4, 2003) -- The Mount, the 1902 estate and gardens of author Edith Wharton, is one of 12 sites nationwide that will be featured in "Restore America - A Salute to Preservation."

The public affairs initiative is the result of a partnership between Home & Garden Television and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Nearly 900 historic properties were considered in the selection process.

As part of the campaign, which will begin July 4, 2003 and span a full year, HGTV will feature The Mount and 11 other historic sites on its popular Restore America series. In addition, the estate will be spotlighted in one-minute vignettes and on two one-hour television specials that will air on HGTV. As part of the project, HGTV will offer The Mount a grant of up to $50,000 to continue its restoration efforts.

HGTV is scheduled to film at The Mount in late May.

"Edith Wharton's influence on architecture, interior design and landscape gardening is as relevant today as it was a hundred years ago, and her ideas are brought to life at The Mount," said National Trust President Richard Moe. "Showcasing her meticulously restored estate will be a highlight of this initiative."

"The Mount's importance is underscored by the fact that only five percent of national historic landmarks are dedicated to women," added HGTV President Burton Jablin. "The estate is known for its architecture, design and setting, but equally fascinating for the story of Edith Wharton and her remarkable life."

"With growing public interest in historic preservation, it's wonderful that Wharton's work will be showcased to a national audience," said Stephanie Copeland, president of Edith Wharton Restoration, the nonprofit organization responsible for the estate's continued restoration. "We're very grateful to HGTV and Save America's Treasures at the National Trust for recognizing The Mount as one of the country's most treasured historic places."

The 12 featured sites are all part of Save America's Treasures, a partnership launched by the White House and the National Trust in 1998 to protect America's threatened cultural treasures. Today the program is a public-private partnership between the National Trust and the National Park Service.

About The Mount
The Mount is now restoring Edith Wharton's bedroom suite, where she wrote some of her most important works. The estate will re-open for the 2003 season on May 3. In addition to showcasing the newly restored rooms, The Mount will continue its exhibition of main rooms decorated by leading designers.

The Mount is a National Historic Landmark notable for its stature in American architecture and design as well as for its owner and designer, author Edith Wharton, the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for literature. The estate includes a 42-room mansion, a Georgian Revival stable, three acres of formal gardens and additional acres of scenic woodlands. For information on The Mount, visit www.EdithWharton.org.

About The National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit membership 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 21 historic sites work with the Trust's 250,000 members and thousands of local community groups in all 50 states. The National Trust's growing collection of historic sites ranges from neighborhood schools and churches to elegant old hotels and movie theaters.

About Save America's Treasures
Save America's Treasures is a public-private partnership between the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Park Service. Dedicated to the preservation and celebration of America's priceless historic legacy, Save America's Treasures works to recognize and rescue the enduring symbols of American tradition that define us as a nation. Honorary Chair Laura Bush leads this effort along with National Trust President Richard Moe joining noted author, Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, as co-chairs.

About HGTV
America's leader in home and garden programming, HGTV is distributed to more than 80 million households, making it one of the fastest-growing networks in cable TV history. HGTV airs many programs with a preservation theme including Restore America, If Walls Could Talk, Renovations, Homes of our Heritage, Old Homes Restored and This Old House Classics. The Web site HGTV.com - the nation's leading on-line home and garden destination - draws more than 2.5 million unique visitors on average each month. HGTV programming also is distributed internationally throughout Canada and in parts of Europe, Asia and in Australia. HGTV is headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn. - end -