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Naumkeag, located in the heart of the Berkshires, was the summer "Cottage" of Joseph Choate, a well-known lawyer during the 19th century. The 44-room cottage is set on a hill overlooking the valley below and Monument Mountain beyond. The estate has come to be known for its stunning garden-rooms, which were a thirty-year collaboration between Joseph's daughter, Mable Choate and landscape architect Fletcher Steel. The most iconic element on the property is without a doubt The Blue Stairs. The double-sided stairs lead up from what was Mable Choate's' flower garden. Each graduating tier of steps is highlighted by white railings and built over a blue fountain pool flanked by graceful birches. This was to be one of the last collaborations between Mable Choate and Fletcher Steel and was designed for the simple purpose of easing her walk from house to flower garden and back again in her later life. In 1958, the Estate was bequeathed by Mable Choate to the Trustees of Reservations to preserve the property for generations to come. Naumkeag has been open to the public ever since. Special thanks:
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