Edith Wharton's New York - Day 4
Another beautiful morning, we met Wharton expert and architectural historian Francis Morrone for a second walking tour, this time of Wharton's own neighborhood in the Flatiron District.
The famous Flatiron Building, 175 5th Avenue
From her childhood home (now a Starbucks), to Trinity chapel where she married Teddy Wharton, to Madison Square Park where she would have likely passed her neighbors Herman Melville and Henry James, to the original Scribner's Building (her first publisher), this walk - accompanied by Morrone's stories - truly brought Wharton's spirit to life.
Edith Wharton's Childhood Home
Scribner's Building
Francis Morrone
After a final lunch in the neighborhood, we said good-bye to several of our group who were ending their trip at this point. The remaining travelers took a leisurely hike up 5th Avenue to Bryant Park, located behind the New York Public Library. Filled with people, relaxing, reading, playing chess on cafe tables . . . it felt like we'd been transported to Paris.
Bryant Park
Outside Reading Room
After returning to the hotel and gathering our luggage, we packed up for the drive to Lenox, MA - the last stop on our five day excursion. With our tour guide, Karen Bergenthal at the wheel, we headed off for a beautiful drive through upstate New York and into Berkshires.
Tomorrow: Our final stop - Edith Wharton's home and gardens - The Mount.
P. Kiely