To the editor:
I read with great interest and appreciation William Perry’s article about Emma Lazarus. You may be interested to know that she had a strong connection to the Berkshires.
My husband and I formerly owned Brook Farm Inn in Lenox (it is still a successful inn under new ownership). The main building was originally a home built in 1882, occupied in the summer months by Colonel Burton Harrison and his wife Constance, who was a good friend of Lazarus in New York City. Constance Cary Harrison wrote an autobiography in 1916, in which she documents their time in Lenox.
I have a copy of the autobiography, titled “Recollections Grave and Gay,” in which Harrison tells how Emma Lazarus stayed with them in Lenox. She documents how she solicited “The New Colossus” as a contribution to the portfolio which was a fundraiser for the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal.
I have attached photos of the relevant pages. Hope you find it interesting. Many thanks for your recent article.
Linda Halpern
Stockbridge
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