Ventfort Hall Mansion Names New Executive Director

Print Story | Email Story

LENOX, Mass. — The Board of Directors of Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum unanimously appointed Beverly N. Rainey as its new executive director.

“In this new capacity, Rainey will liaise with the board, employees and volunteers, as well as oversee the museum’s operations and community outreach," said Lorraine Becker, president of the board. "She takes on this role after five years of proven capabilities at the historic house in Lenox.”

Rainey joined Ventfort Hall in 2009 as a front desk associate and museum shop manager, assuming the duties of operations manager in 2013.

A Pittsfield native, Rainey began her business career in the human resources departments of Berkshire Life Insurance Company, New England Life Insurance Company in Boston and subsequently with Milliken & Company in Spartanburg, S.C.



Together with her sister, she co-owned a gift shop in Spartanburg for 13 years. Later, she entered into retail management and buying with Belk Department Stores of the Carolinas and two other major home accessories retailers. She returned to the Berkshires in 2007.

An Official Project of Save America’s Treasures program sponsored by The White House, Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum, built in 1893, offers tours of the historic mansion, as well as Tea & Talks, such exhibitions as the Bellefontaine Collection, concerts, theater, and other programs. This elegant Jacobean-Revival Berkshire “cottage,” listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is open to the public year-around and is available for private rental.  Sarah Morgan was the sister of financier J. P. Morgan.

Ventfort Hall has undergone substantial restoration, which is continuing.

 

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Ghost Tour at Ventfort Hall

LENOX, Mass. — Join Robert Oakes, author of "Ghosts of the Berkshires," who will lead participants through the rooms and halls of Ventfort Hall sharing tales of its alleged hauntings.
 
The tour will take place at 8 pm on Saturday March 16.
 
Admission is $30 and minimum age to attend is age 12. Reservations are strongly recommended as tickets are limited. Walk-ins accommodated as space allows. For reservations visit https://gildedage.org/pages/calendar or call at 413-637-3206. All tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Payment is required to make a reservation for an event.
 
This is not an active investigation.
 
Robert Oakes is an author, teacher, storyteller, and singer/songwriter originally from northern New Jersey and currently residing in the Berkshires.. Since 2010 Robert has led the ghost tours at Edith Wharton's The Mount in Lenox, and has represented the museum and its ghosts on Syfy's Ghost Hunters, Jeff Belanger's New England Legends series on PBS, and The Apple Seed show on BYUradio. 
 
In 2020, Robert's debut book, "Ghosts of the Berkshires," was published by Arcadia Publishing and is on sale now in our gift shop. Robert's latest book, "Ghosts of Northwestern New Jersey," was released in September 2022.
View Full Story

More Lenox Stories