Wheatleigh Going Up for Sale

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STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. — One of the county's most exclusive hotels is not completely closing this Valentine's Day. 
 
But the owners of Wheatleigh, L. Linfield and Susan Simon, did confirm to The Berkshire Eagle that they will on putting the 1893 Italian-style villa up for sale later this year.
 
It will close as a hotel but will be open for private rentals and for weddings and events that were booked through the summer. 
 
iBerkshires and other media posted an announcement made Monday on the hotel's Facebook page: 
 
"It is with great sadness, we bid you all a fond farewell. The Wheatleigh ownership has made the difficult decision to close the property, and put it up for sale as a private residence. Our last day of operation will be February 14th. We thank you all for sharing your lives with us, and we wish you all the very best as we usher in a new chapter for the house we all love."
 
The Eagle reported Wednesday that the post was a hoax by "an unhappy former employee." The newspaper reported that the Simons are seeking to options for the hotel's future and that the company that was managing it the last few years is no longer involved. 
 
Banking and railroad magnate Henry H. Cook built the Berkshire cottage as a summer home. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and, at one point, was designated five stars by Forbes. It is listed on the Leading Hotels of the World website. It passed out of the Cook family and for a short time was a jazz and folk music school and resort, connected to the Music Inn, and then as a summer hotel. 
 
The Linfords purchased the property in 1983 as Su Lin Inc. It was refurbished in the early 1990s and renovated it in 2002. It's assessed at about $4 million. 
 
It has 19 rooms and suites on 22 acres designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Within walking distance of Tanglewood, the hotel has been a frequent stop for notable celebrities over the years. It is known for its fine dining, wine cellar and luxuriously appointed accommodations. 
 
Updated on Feb. 7, 2024; 2 p.m.

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Monument Mountain Names Valedictorian, Salutatorian for 2024

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Ariel "Ari" Caine and Madeleine Rocheleau-Holmes have been named valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, of Monument Mountain Regional High School class of 2024.
 
Both will speak at graduation ceremonies being held on Sunday, June 2, at 1:30 p.m. at Tanglewood in Lenox. 
 
Caine is the child of Hanan and Rebecca Caine of Richmond. They are a member of the National Honor Society, Edith's Ensemble Chamber Music Group, Creative Writing Club, and are an integral member of Monument's Fall Festival of Shakespeare and the spring musical theater program, managing the lighting and sound design for all performances as well as stage managing and acting.
 
Caine is the recipient of the University of Rochester Bausch and Lomb Science Award, the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendent's Award Certificate of Academic Excellence, the National Rural and Small Town Recognition Award, the AP Scholar Award, and the National Merit Commended Student Award.
 
They will be attending the University of Rochester (N.Y.) in the fall to study biology and theater.
 
Rocheleau-Holmes is the daughter of Anne Wild-Rocheleau and Christopher Holmes of West Stockbridge. She is a member and co-president of the National Honor Society and the recipient of the Williams College Book Award, the Rochester Institute of Technology's Humanities and Social Sciences Award, and also earned the College Board National Rural and Small Town Recognition for Outstanding Academic Achievement and the Seal of BiLiteracy with Distinction. 
 
A highly accomplished musician, she is a member of the Empire State Youth Orchestra and previously the Springfield Symphony Youth Orchestra. Last summer, she was selected to attend the Boston University Tanglewood Institute For Young Artists. Here at Monument, she was chosen to play with the Massachusetts All State ensemble and currently plays in the jazz ensemble as well as the Edith Chamber Music ensemble. In addition, she has taken part in the spring musicals both as an actor and as a member of the pit orchestra as well as the Shakespeare Fall Festival and the Advanced Drama program.
 
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