Weekend of the Gilded Age
Special Events

Schedule

Fri, Sep 10 - 4:00PM
Sat, Sep 11 - 9:00AM

Description

September 10
Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum will kick off this year's 10^th Anniversary “Weekend of the Gilded Age” with an illustrated lecture on “Frank J. Sprague: The Father of  Electric Traction”.  The program will feature two speakers, Frederick Dalzell, author of Engineering Invention: Frank J. Sprague and the U.S. Electrical Industry, 1880-1900, and John L. Sprague, retired President and CEO of the Sprague Electric Co.  They will discuss the subject of Dalzell’s book along with the also recently published book Frank Julian Sprague:  Electrical Inventor and Engineer” by William D. Middleton and William D. Middleton III.  The talk is slated for Friday, September 10, at 4:00pm, to be followed by a Victorian Tea.  Copies of the books will be available for purchase.

 

The program is part of a weekend of activities in Lenox that includes the annual Tub Parade, vintage train rides and more on Saturday, September 11.  Immediately after the parade at about 2:00pm Ventfort Hall will host an Ice Cream Social on the Veranda and Great Lawn.  That evening, from 6:00 to 9:00pm, Ventfort Hall will continue its 10^th anniversary celebration as one of the Berkshires' top cultural attractions with a Gilded Age Gala.  The event will honor those who have played a significant role in the revitalization of the historic property, including the Sprague family, members of which are descended from Frank J. Sprague, founding board members and founding donors.

 

Frank J. Sprague was born in 1857, grew up in North Adams, MA, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy.  After completing several tours, he worked briefly, beginning in 1883, for the Thomas Edison Laboratory.  One of Sprague’s significant contributions was the introduction of mathematical methods.  Prior to his arrival, Edison conducted many costly trial-and-error experiments.

 

In the following year, Sprague left Edison to form the Sprague Electric Railway and Motor Co. and it was there that he developed an efficient industrial motor which through further research led to the first commercially successful electric streetcar line in Richmond, VA, in 1888.  By the following year, 110 electric streetcar lines incorporating Sprague’s equipment had been begun or planned on several continents.   

 

He also worked on another electric motor application:  elevators.  The first such installation occurred in New York City and by the mid 1890s, 584 electric elevators had been installed worldwide.  These replaced slower moving hydraulic or steam elevators, thereby creating the possibility of taller skyscrapers.  He sold his elevator business to a consortium of companies, which eventually became Otis Elevator.

 

In 1897, Sprague came upon what is considered to be his most unique and important invention:  multiple-unit control.  Up until then, all trains were operated with locomotives that by themselves had to pull the dead weight of a line of passenger or freight cars.  In the multiple-unit system, each car of the train carries electric traction motors.  By means of relays energized by train-line wires, the motorman commands all of the traction motors in the train to function in unison.

 

Sprague’s first M-U order came from the South Side Elevated in Chicago, beating the competitive General Electric Co.  He sold his company to General Electric in 1902 and with it the rights to M-U.  He remained a consulting engineer with GE into the 1920s.  

 

During the late 1890s, he served on the Commission for Terminal Electrification of the New York Central Railroad, including Grand Central Terminal.  Along with William J. Wilgus, he designed the Wilgus-Sprague bottom contact third-rail system that affected the movement of electrified trains in and out of Grand Central and under Park Avenue.   Sprague also designed a system of automatic train control to ensure compliance with trackside signals.  With these developments, the value of property along the avenue rose dramatically.

 

The effect of Sprague’s many inventions was to permit an expansion in the size of cities, concentration in cities’ commercial sections and increase the profitability of commercial buildings. His work also made possible modern light rail and rapid transit systems, which still function on the same principles today.

 

John L. Sprague of Williamstown and Peter Sprague of Lenox are the grandsons of Frank Sprague.  John graduated from Stanford University with a PhD in Chemistry.  He joined the Sprague Electric Co. as Research Chemist in 1959, retired as President and CEO in 1987.  He is currently an independent business consultant and author.  Among other enterprises, Peter was chairman of National Semiconductor from 1965 to 1987.

 

Dalzell received his PhD in the History of American Civilization from Harvard University and has been a researcher at the Harvard Business School.  He is co-author of Changing Fortunes: Remaking the Industrial Corporation and Driving Change:  The UPS Approach to Business.

September 11

In 1999 Ventfort Hall was added to the prestigious “Save America's Treasures” program sponsored by the White House. On Christmas week, 2000, Ventfort Hall opened its doors to the public with a series of inaugural tours after several difficult years when the initial efforts to rescue the historic property from continuing deterioration and possible demolition took place. Restoration work included vital stabilization of certain exterior walls and parts of the interior. During those early years Miramax Films rented Ventfort Hall to film scenes for the Oscar-winning film The Cider House Rules. By the following year the public could view the Great Hall and the magnificent Dining Room with its rich mahogany paneling, where a hole from the roof to the basement had exposed the space to the elements.  As the years progressed other rooms were restored and opened, such as the Morning Room, the Billiard Room, the Library, and more recently the Drawing Room and several of the Bed Rooms on the second floor. Other exterior walls, the South Porch and Gables became part of the major work to bring the 28,000 square-foot, 35-room mansion back to life.

 

 At the same time that major restoration work continued throughout the decade, Ventfort Hall has been the scene of ever expanding tours, theater, exhibitions, concerts, lectures, children’s summer day program and other year-round programs. Staged plays presented in cooperation with Shakespeare & Company have attracted enthusiastic audiences and rave reviews since 2002. The Color of War; Fanny Kemble's Lenox Address; Morgan O Yuki, Geisha of the Gilded Age; Paris 1890 – Unlaced!, and this summer's Revels and Revelations are some of the successful world-premier productions. 

 

Ventfort Hall's exhibition Les Petites Dames de Mode created by John R. Burbidge has been described as “worthy of any major museum in the world!”  By 2008 public attendance had increased by an astounding 125%.  This year's art exhibit, Dreaming of the West – Reality and Romance, gives a new dimension to the museum's programs.  Ventfort Kids Summer Programs instill a young interest in the historic site.

 

The Gilded Age Gala will honor those who have played a significant role in the revitalization of Ventfort Hall, including the Sprague family of Lenox, founding board members and founding donors.      The evening will begin with special hors d'oeuvres prepared by the chefs at Wheatleigh, Blantyre and Cranwell. After a recognition ceremony has taken place, a buffet will be served, Kathryn Anderson's Orchestra will provide dance music, and champagne and desserts, including a chocolate fountain and crepes, will conclude the evening.

 

 

Price

Lecture $14 member $16 non-member/ Gala $125 per p