In the Footsteps of Wharton, Melville and Du Bois
The Berkshires aren't just a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. For more than two centuries, this stretch of Western Massachusetts has been the setting and inspiration for great American writers and intellectuals. From East Rock Inn, you can visit many of the sites where literary giants penned their great American novels and engaged with new ideas.
In the mid-19th century, the Berkshires were home to literary giants like Nathaniel Hawthorn and Herman Melville. In Lenox, explore the campus of The House of the Seven Gables, which includes the eponymous home where Hawthorne penned his masterpiece and the related historical sites on the property. A short drive away in Pittsfield, you can visit Arrowhead, Melville’s home for more than thirteen years, where he wrote Moby Dick , Bartleby the Scrivener , and other classic works.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the Berkshires become a summer haven for even more distinguished writers. Step into the opulent world of Edith Wharton by taking a tour of The Mount, her magnificent Lenox estate, where she wrote works like The Age of Innocence. Read the social commentary woven into W.E.B. Du Bois's influential writings by visiting his Boyhood Homesite in Great Barrington, where you can also attend public programs.
The literary traditions in the Berkshires continue today. You can shop at independent bookstores like The Bookstore at The Mount and Oblong Books & Music, while festivals like the Berkshire Book Festival celebrate contemporary literature. If you’re an aspiring writer, check out the numerous writing workshops, from the Arrowhead Institute to Shakespeare & Company's Writing Workshops, and let the Berkshires serve as inspiration for your own words!
Book your Berkshires getaway at East Rock Inn, and let your own literary adventure begin!
