Historical Homes
Welcome to Elm Court, an extraordinary Gilded Age estate, designed in 1885 by Peabody and Sterns as a summer residence for Emily T. Vanderbilt and husband William D. Sloane. In 1919, the Elm Court Talks held at the home ultimately led to the creation of The Treaty of Versailles and League of Nations. Expanded multiple times during their tenure, the home includes over 65 rooms. It survives as the largest shingle style residence in the United States and was the last Berkshire ”cottage” to remain with its original family until sold to the current owners in 2012. The grounds, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, include woods, open fields, walled gardens, follies, and framed vistas culminating with frontage on Lily Pond. Important outbuildings include Butler and Gardener Cottages, a caretaker’s house, a carriage house & stables, greenhouses and 2 barns. Significant renovations were accomplished in the early 2000s. Continued work is necessary to bring the estate to current standards. Situated just a mile from Lenox village on 86 lush acres. Simply breathtaking in its grandeur, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
