Lenox was slow to be settled. It was 1750 before Jonathan Hinsdale and others arrived. It was 1761 when Berkshire County was incorporated and received its own court system based in Great Barrington. Centrally located Lenox was chosen as the new site in 1784. For 81 years Lenox was the county seat. When court was in session this small town grew in importance and sophistication. The Court and the Old Red Inn (now the Curtis) made the center of Lenox a bustling place full of activity. Today, the town is alive with everything from culture to wellness, high fashion to antiques, fine art to hand crafted goods. Two gilded age cottages in Lenox are open for public tours: Ventfort Hall, the 1893 Morgan summer home and The Mount, the 1902 cottage, built by novelist Edith Wharton. Both have undergone considerable restoration. Also in Lenox, Shakespeare and Company and The Scenic Railway add to the cultural atmosphere. Lenox has its own public school system.