Who says we have no real historical homes in the US?
Just about anyone who’s ever visited here from another country, that’s who.
Although in the grand scheme of world history, the U.S.A. is a fairly young country, we still have plenty of homes dating back to the birth of our nation and beyond, many of them still livable and in tip top shape—a few of them worth millions.
We thought, on this most patriotic of all weekends, it would be fun to take a look at 5 homes built in 1776, when the Continental Congress issued the Declaration of Independence on July 4th and started the Revolutionary War.
These are fascinating structures that were built almost hundreds of years before farmhouse became chic. While the illustrious history is more evident in some than others, it’s still fun to take a peek at how our forefathers may have lived (and survived without the internet).
5 US Homes Built in 1776
1. 8 Old Coach Rd, Kingston, NH
Price: $750,000
Peaslee Tavern: What a great story! This antique colonial structure, once a sort of road house, has been owned and loved by only two families—one for the first 186 years, and the second for the last sixty years.
It currently has five bedrooms and 2.5 baths in 3,739 square feet, but it also features a ballroom with a built-in wooden bench around the perimeter, where dances were held, militias were trained and circuit court sessions were convened.
Ale was served in a niche via a sliding window beside the stairway, under which barrels and glasses were located. Guests warmed themselves during cold New England winters in front of any of seven fireplaces.
Other original details include wide plank pine floors, paneling, wainscoting, mantel pieces, cabinetry, exposed brick and trim. By the way, there’s an adjacent 100 acre, wooded parcel that’s also available available to the new owner.
2. 28 Hanover St, Pemberton, NJ
Price: $280,000
Historically unassuming: You’d never notice it when passing by, but this four bedroom, two bath Colonial frame home in New Jersey was built in 1776, and still has a few vestiges of its lengthy history, like woodturning fireplaces and chimneys built at both ends of the house.
Much of the 2,328 square foot interior has been updated in the last several years, including the plumbing, bathrooms and the windows. They just don’t make those features like they used to, thank goodness.
We’re guess a barn once stood on the sizable, 9,296 square foot lot where there is now a detached, 4-6 car garage. It’s not the only historic building in the area, but it’s certainly one of the least expensive.
3. 57 Oliver St, New Castle, NH
Price: $3,995,000
Cushy Colonial: Can you imagine the looks on the faces of the original owners if you told them that one day their humble home would be listed for $4 million? You could have probably bought most of New England for that price back then.
Of course many modern conveniences that were inconceivable in those days been added to this stately waterfront home, but still…
Described as “thoughtfully reconstructed,” the four bedroom, 4.5 bath colonial (were there any other popular styles back in 1776?) has been so tastefully remodeled that it could rank right up there with any of the finest upscale homes built in the last five years.
But there are still nods to its origins, in the used brick fireplaces, the heavy wooden beams, and its convenient and strategic location on the Piscataqua River, near where it feeds into the Atlantic. Now, just as when it was first built, there are water views from almost every room.
4. 7500 Ironwood Ln, Warrenton, VA
Price: $29,950,000
National treasure: Known as “North Wales,” this 1.471 acre Virginia estate feels fit for American royalty, if such a thing existed, with its stately 23 bedrooms, and 13.5 bathrooms in 25,939 square feet.
The property includes a stately Georgian-style manor house (answering the question about styles other than colonial being popular back then). It also comes with a two-story Georgian Revival-style stone carriage house, a farm, elaborate equestrian facilities, a guesthouse, a few additional residences, a large pond (lake) and a shooting preserve—just about everything an entire colonial village would have needed back then.
The estate is listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register. Many of the original features have been preserved and incorporated into more current designs. Also, newer luxuries, like a pool and a tennis court, have been added.
5. 1297 Hope-Bridge, Hope, NJ
Price: $225,000
Stone cold historical: The walls of this Moravian stone structure appear to be standing the test of time, but the interior may need a little work, as there doesn’t seem to be a bathroom or kitchen on the premises. The listing mentions only two bedrooms.
It’s among the original homes nestled in the quaint and historic Hope Township, one of the earliest planned communities in the United States. It was established by German Moravians in 1769, who intended to build a village with streets, homes, wells, businesses, farms, a school, a tavern and church.
Today Hope Township has all that and more. This structure is located right next to the local bank, and needs a complete restoration, but you wouldn’t necessarily have to live there—the area is zoned for commercial use. We could imagine a colonial themed restaurant, ice cream parlor, or just about anything else a community with a population of 1,952 could desire.
The post Buy a Bit of History: We Salute These 5 Homes Built in 1776 appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
With asking prices from the low hundred thousands to as much as $30 million, these homes built in 1776 will surprise and delight you. Take a look inside and see what’s available now.