Benjamin Moore helps uncover The Mount’s true colors

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Lenox - Benjamin Moore & Co., the national paint manufacturer, has continued its support of The Mount, Edith Wharton’s estate and gardens, with a donation of $20,000. This grant money is earmarked for research and restoration of the original paint colors used in Wharton’s 800-sq.-ft. bedroom suite at The Mount. Beginning this month, the new funding will be used to complete high-tech analysis of paint colors in Wharton’s boudoir. Later this year, The Mount will launch a study of colors in her adjacent bedroom and bathroom. Based on results of the work, the rooms will be repainted in historically-accurate colors. “Benjamin Moore is committed to the preservation of America’s architectural legacy,” noted Eileen McComb, director of corporate communications for Benjamin Moore & Co. “The company began its financial and in-kind support of the restoration of The Mount in 2001. As the restoration work continues, so does Benjamin Moore’s commitment, ensuring historical accuracy of the paint colors selected.” “Because of Edith Wharton’s importance in the world of interior design, it is critical that we do everything possible to determine what colors she chose for the house,” explains Stephanie Copeland, president of Edith Wharton Restoration, the non-profit organization responsible for preserving and restoring The Mount. “We’re very grateful for Benjamin Moore & Co.’s continued support in this area.” Benjamin Moore provided valuable support in 2001, when it contributed materials, expertise and $25,000 to paint the seven principal rooms featured in The Mount’s centennial exhibition of designer-decorated rooms, which continues through the end of the 2004 season. The colors proved so popular that Benjamin Moore features them, along with The Mount, on its website, www.benjaminmoore.com . Robert Furhoff, a leading historic paint analyst based in Chicago, will complete the new work. Furhoff first visited The Mount last summer, when he made significant breakthroughs in determining the boudoir’s original colors. To finalize this research, laboratory testing will be used to confirm the original ingredients in the paint mix and from that, to gauge whether the colors faded over time. Furhoff will be returning to The Mount this summer to analyze the paint finishes in the bedroom and the bathroom. The Mount is focusing efforts on continued restoration of Wharton’s private suite in anticipation of the upcoming 100th anniversary of her first bestselling novel, The House of Mirth. Written in 1905 in her bedroom at The Mount, the book’s critical and popular success gave Wharton the confidence to pursue her writing. The author of over 40 books in 40 years, she was the first woman awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. In addition, Wharton was an authority on architecture and interior and garden design. The Decoration of Houses, her 1897 book co-authored with Boston architect Ogden Codman, is credited with establishing interior design as a profession in this country. Benjamin Moore & Co., founded in 1883, is one of the nation’s leading manufacturers and retailers of premium quality architectural, commercial and industrial maintenance coatings. A Berkshire Hathaway company, Benjamin Moore & Co. is headquartered in Montvale, N.J. The Mount will open for the 2004 season on May 1. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Oct. 31. A National Historic Landmark, the secluded Gilded Age estate includes a 42-room mansion, three acres of formal gardens and additional acres of scenic woodlands. For more information, visit www.EdithWharton.org or call (413) 637-1899.
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Lanesborough Fifth-Graders Win Snowplow Name Contest

LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — One of the snowplows for Highway District 1 has a new name: "The Blizzard Boss."
 
The name comes from teacher Gina Wagner's fifth-grade class at Lanesborough Elementary School. 
 
The state Department of Transportation announced the winners of the fourth annual "Name A Snowplow" contest on Monday. 
 
The department received entries from public elementary and middle school classrooms across the commonwealth to name the 12 MassDOT snowplows that will be in service during the 2025/2026 winter season. 
 
The purpose of the contest is to celebrate the snow and ice season and to recognize the hard work and dedication shown by public works employees and contractors during winter operations. 
 
"Thank you to all of the students who participated. Your creativity allows us to highlight to all, the importance of the work performed by our workforce," said  interim MassDOT Secretary Phil Eng.  
 
"Our workforce takes pride as they clear snow and ice, keeping our roads safe during adverse weather events for all that need to travel. ?To our contest winners and participants, know that you have added some fun to the serious take of operating plows. ?I'm proud of the skill and dedication from our crews and thank the public of the shared responsibility to slow down, give plows space and put safety first every time there is a winter weather event."
 
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