South Mountain was founded in 1918 by Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, who had moved to the Berkshires in a bid to improve her husband's health. A longtime supporter of chamber music, Mrs. Coolidge in 1916 established the Berkshire String Quartet, which at first gave concerts in her home.[2] Two years later she had the performance hall built on her property that continues in use today.[3]
South Mountain is set on 200 acres (81 ha) of primarily woodland, formerly part of the Coolidge estate. The grounds are operated by the non-profit that manages the facility as a nature preserve open to the public on a year-round basis. The hall is a single-story timber-frame structure, built to resemble a church. It has a hip roof with a cupola, at the center, and a porte cochere at the main entrance on one of the long sides. The long side opposite the entrance has five bays, each of which is fitted with a French door, and there are casement-style windows above them for ventilation. The main timbers for the building were taken from an old textile mill, and the seats were pews taken from a church. The interior is finished with old wooden paneling. The hall is sited adjacent to an open lawn, from which the music can also be heard.[4] In addition to the hall Mrs. Coolidge had cabins built to provide housing for performers.
