MASSACHUSETTS.
♪ >> WIN AT KINO AND YOU CAN
SPLURGE ON HIGH FASHION, A MEGA MILLIONS JACKPOT COULD PUT YOU
IN PLAY FOR A BERKSHIRES ESTATE.
WE FIND BOTH OPTIONS FOR SALE IN ONE PLACE AS WE DRIVE WEST TO
ELM COURT.
EMILY VANDERBILT AND HER HUSBAND ARE THE ONES THAT BUILT
IT IN 1886.
IT IS NOW 135 YEARS OLD.
>> FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS, LES FREEMAN HAS MANAGED THE ESTATE
AND BECOME THE PROPERTY’S HISTORIAN.
THERE IS SOME SERIOUS HISTORY HERE THAT PEOPLE NOT BE --
TREATY OF VERSAILLES?
PARTLY WRITTEN HERE?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
APPARENTLY IT WAS DRAFTED OR CREATED ON THE PORCH.
>> ON A LAZY AFTERNOON, THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A TREATY DRAFTED
THAT WOULD END WORLD WAR I?
>> EXACTLY.
>> SUCH UNDERSTATED GRANTOR WAS PAR FOR THE COURSE.
THEY CONSIDER THIS 5000 SQUARE-FOOT PALACE WITH ITS 106
ROOMS ON 90 ACRES SPANNING TWO TOWNS A COTTAGE.
EVEN THE GARDENER WAS WORLD-CLASS.
>> HE DESIGNED AT LEAST THE GARDENS IN THE BACK OF THE HOUSE
BUT I’M SURE HE AND HIS DESIGN FIRM ENCOMPASSED ALL THE 90
ACRES.
>> THEY WOULD PICK UP THE PHONE AND SAY, WHEN YOU’RE ARE DONE
WITH CENTRAL PARK, WE HAVE A PROJECT.
TO SEE THE VANDERBILT PROPERTIES LINED UP IS ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU
WONDER ABOUT SIBLING RIVALRY.
THE VANDERBILT COUNTRY ESTATES.
THE BREAKERS IN NEWPORT.
SHELBURNE IN VERMONT.
HERE IS ELM COURT.
WERE THEY TRYING TO COMPETE WITH EACH OTHER?
>> I BELIEVE SO.
ELM COURT CALLED THE TITLE OF LARGEST SINGLE STYLE HOME IN
AMERICA AND FROM THE LOOK OF THIS MASTE SUITE, I DON’T
IMAGINE EMILY OR HER GUESTS HAD MUCH TO COMPLAIN ABOUT.
THE ROOM IS DECORATED TO HONOR THE VANDERBILT COLORS
WHICH ARE THE GOLD AND THE BLACK AND THE MAROON.
>> A LOT OF THIS HAS BEEN RESTORED AND IS NOT ORIGINAL.
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> YOU DON’T HAVE TO KNOW MUCH ABOUT SCULPTURE TO KNOW THAT IS
NOT ORIGINAL.
MANY OF THE HOME’S ORIGINAL ITEMS DISAPPEARED IN THE 50
YEARS AFTER EMILY VANDERBILT’S PASSING IN 1946.
THAT HOUSE SAT EMPTY AND NEGLECTED EXCEPT FOR A PARADE OF
LOCAL LOOTERS AND SQUATTERS.
HOW EXTENSIVELY WAS IT VANDALIZED?
>> THERE WAS NOT A PANE OF GLASS IN THE BUILDING, EVERY DOORKNOB,
EVERY LIGHT FIXTURE WERE GONE.
THEN IT WAS ABOUT 2000 OR S WHEN THE GREAT-GREAT-GRANDSON OF
EMILY VANDERBILT CAME BACK AND STARTED RESTORING PIECE BY
PIECE, ROOM BY ROOM ELM COURT TO BRING IT BACK TO WHAT WE HAVE
TODAY.
>> THEIR EFFORTS WERE HELPED BY MORE THAN A FEW GUILTY
CONSCIENCES.
>> THEY WOULD OPEN UP THE FRONT DOOR AND THERE WOULD BE A DEASK
-- DESK OR CHAIR BY SOMEONE WHO DECIDED TO BRING IT BACK.
>> ELM COURT IS IN A STATE OF TRANSITION WHILE WAITING FOR ITS
NEXT OWNER.
ON THIS DAY, A NEW YORK FASHION IS USING THE GROUNDS AS A
BACKDROP FOR HIS LATEST CREATIONS.
I HAVE A LUXURY WOMEN’S BRAND IN NEW YORK CITY BUT ALSO A HOME
UP HERE AND I LOVE TO SHOOT UP BECAUSE OF THESE INCREDIBLE
SPACES LIKE ELM COURT.
>> HE CALLS THIS HIS RESORT COLLECTION, TARGETED AT THE
WOMAN READY FOR A BREAK FROM WINTER BUT REIMAGINED FOR THESE
COVID TIMES.
>> WE HAD TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO WEAR HOME?
WE USED TO DESIGN FOR EVENTS AND THOSE ARE NOT HAPPENING NOW BUT
THEY WILL BE AGAIN.
>> IN THE MEANTIME, HE HAS ELEVATED ONE ITEM THAT NO ONE
SHOULD BE SEEN WITHOUT.
>> WE ARE MAKING MASKS OUT OF FABRICS FROM THE COLLECTION.
WHY NOT MAKE THEM FUN?
THEY HAVE BEEN SELLING GREAT.
>> ELM COURT HAS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING BOTH MOVE IN BETTY AND
A FIXER-UPPER, AS DISCOVERED WHEN CROSSING OVER TO THE
BILLIARDS WING, UNTOUCHED FOR 60 YEARS.
EVEN WITH ALL THE VANDALIZING THAT HAPPENED HERE, ORIGINAL
BILLIARDS TABLE.
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> ONE CAN IMAGINE TUXEDO GENTLEMEN, RANDY.
SO VANDERBILTS HUDDLED OVER THIS?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
WHAT YOU LIKE TO PLAY A GAME?
>> THE LISTING PRICE, $12.5 MILLION.
FREEMAN BELIEVES IT WOULD BE MONEY WELL SPENT.
>> MY WIFE AND I HAD BEEN ON THE PROPERTY FOR 10 YEARS.
WE ENDED UP GETTING MARRIED HERE.
IT HAS CHANGED OUR LIFE AND AS LONG AS IT IS IN GOOD HANDS AND
CONTINUES ON, THAT WOULD MAKE ME HAPPY.
>> WITH A HOUSE AS BIG AS ELM COURT, ENTERTAINING WAS STANDARD
FOR EMILY VANDERBILT.
THERE’S A RUMOR THAT SHE H CALL BUTTONS PLACED UNDER THE
RUG IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE HOUSE SO THAT SHE COULD
DISCREETLY CALL SERVANTS TO RESCUE HER FROM CERTAIN GUESTS.
WELL, CARETAKER LES FREEMAN CHECKED AND SURE ENOUGH, HE
FOUND THE REMAINS OF CALL BUTTONS EXACTLY WHERE THE RUGS
WOULD HAVE BEEN.
COMING UP, A QUI