In 1937, when the Depression and taxation caused the gild to come off the Gilded Age, the great mansions and estates of Lenox were largely abandoned.   Many became institutional:   schools, asylums or monasteries, and some spent more than half a century empty.   But luckily, one was donated to the Boston Symphony…and the rest, as they say, is history.

Over the decades, as the audiences who attended concerts at Tanglewood grew, more and more of these great estates and historic "cottages" were able to be put back into service:   Cranwell, Wheatleigh, Blantyre…and even Hampton Terrace, one of the original "Berkshire Cottages."   In fact, most of the Lenox inns are the former second homes of the turn-of-the-century's rich and famous.   Tanglewood itself, one mile down the hill from Lenox town center, consists of multiple performance venues inhabiting a most embracing rural setting.   Lenonard Bernstein, a alum of the affiliated Tanglewood Institute always proclaimed that the Tanglewood property, and the Berkshires in general, had captured his soul. More on Music in the Berkshires: Tanglewood

Is this theater?   You betcha.   One thing you have to understand about the Berkshires:   museums present theater, restaurants present theater, historic house museums present theater (tomorrow's blog) and Tanglewood presents theater. 

Nine years ago, Garrison Keillor hosted his first "Prairie Home Companion" at Tanglewood  - a show stuffed with local references and talent.   I guess it went over well because Keillor has now made Tanglewood the traditional closing show of each radio season.   No lack of local color to fill the annual bill.   Last year featured Lenoxite (or is it Lenoxonian) James Taylor.   This is a great opportunity to load up the picnic basket, pick out your favorite wine, and relax in a lawn chair with your eyes closed.   Of course, you could do that in your living room with the radio on…but there is something special about participating in a group "listen."   And though there will be 10,000 people at the show, you will be able to hear a pin drop as Keillor unwinds his tales.

Tanglewood is less than a one minute drive from Hampton Terrace, a top rated bed and breakfast in Lenox.   We happen to have a couple rooms still left for the June 28th weekend:  one for just Saturday night the 28th and another for two nights.   Unlike most Berkshire lodging, we feature an outdoor heated pool and a full breakfast buffet.   So if you plan to attend "A Prairie Home Companion" at Tanglewood, and need a Berkshire bed and breakfast, call 800-203-0656.