Mission: The Mount, a National Historic Landmark and cultural center, celebrates the intellectual, artistic and humanitarian legacy of author Edith Wharton.
Founded: Edith Wharton designed and built The Mount in 1902. The Edith Wharton Restoration, the nonprofit that runs the property, formed in the 1970s.
Employees: 14 year-round; 40 to 50 from May to October.
The Mount does more than preserve the legacy of one of the greatest authors of the Gilded Age. It also has turned into a cultural center that celebrates writers and the art of writing, a transformation that allowed The Mount to rebound from the dire financial straits that it found itself in during the Great Recession.