Elm Court (Lenox and Stockbridge, Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Elm Court
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Elm Court
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 310 Old Stockbridge Rd, Lenox, MA |
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| Built | 1885 |
| Architect | Peabody & Stearns |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival, Shingle Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 85003184 |
| Added to NRHP | December 30, 1985 |
Elm Court is a huge old house, once a fancy home for the wealthy Vanderbilt family. It's located in Massachusetts, right between the towns of Lenox and Stockbridge. This special house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site. Until 2012, it was even run as a hotel by the family who first owned it!
Elm Court was built in 1885 as a summer home for William Douglas Sloane and Emily Thorn Vanderbilt. Emily was part of the very rich Vanderbilt family. The famous architects Peabody and Stearns designed the house. The beautiful gardens were planned by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York City's Central Park. Elm Court is the biggest house in the United States built in the "Shingle style," and it has an amazing 106 rooms!
Contents
Elm Court's History and Changes
Becoming an Inn
In 1948, Colonel Helm George Wilde and his wife Marjorie Field Wilde opened Elm Court as an inn. Marjorie was a great-great-granddaughter of the original owners. They called it the Elm Court Club, Inc. It could host up to 60 guests. Saturday nights were popular for dancing and dinner. The Wildes wanted to save the estate. They also wanted to give summer jobs to local teachers.
Challenges and Decline
Running such a big inn was very expensive. Because of the high costs, the inn closed its doors in 1957. Many nice furnishings were taken out. However, the house was mostly just locked up. It stayed intact for a while.
Over the years, the empty house faced many problems. It was vandalized, and things were stolen. There was even some arson. By the end of the 1900s, it was in a very bad state. The huge elm tree that gave the property its name died in the early 1960s from a disease.
Restoration Efforts
After George Wilde passed away in 1998, Elm Court went to his daughter, Lila Wilde Berle. In 1999, Lila sold the estate to her son, Robert Berle, and his wife, Sonya. Robert is also a descendant of the Sloanes. They bought the property for just under $1 million.
Robert and Sonya started a huge project to restore the house. They fixed many original details. They also added new wiring, plumbing, and heating systems. They opened the property as a luxury inn. Some parts of the home were still being restored while it was open.
Changes in Ownership
In 2005, the estate was put up for sale. This included the main house, a greenhouse, a carriage house, and a cottage. It was listed for $21.5 million. The property was reduced in price several times. A deal with a hotel business fell through in 2006.
In 2010, the towns of Stockbridge and Lenox approved permits. These allowed the mansion to be an 18-room hotel. They also approved a sign for the property. New roofs were put on several buildings. A new septic system was also installed. The front of the property was cleared. Now, you can see the mansion and other buildings from the road.
The Final Family Sale
In July 2012, it was announced that Elm Court was sold. A group from Colorado bought the entire property for $9.8 million. This was believed to be the highest price ever paid for a home in Berkshire County at that time.
Robert and Sonya Berle kept a small part of the ownership. Elm Court was special because it was the last of the "Berkshire cottages" still owned by the original family. A big renovation of $50 million was planned for 2020. As of November 2020, the property was for sale again.
External Media: Video
In 2004, the TV show 'Home Again' with Bob Vila visited Elm Court. They filmed several segments with the Berle family.
- BVTV - Home Again 'Introducing Elm Court' 3 min 46 sec
