A 19th-Century Princeton Home with Original Details Throughout

Listing of the Day

Location: Princeton, New Jersey

Price: $2.37 million

Moses Pyne was a 19th-century stockholder in the railroad, the president of a bank, and the recipient of what was a pretty hefty inheritance for the time. He graduated from Princeton University in 1877, and in 1884, he joined the Board of Trustees as an ambitious 28-year-old. He had a deep love for his alma mater and would become one of the biggest benefactors in its vast history.   

He settled in Princeton, New Jersey, and commissioned the build of his mansion, Drumthwacket, by Raleigh Gildersleeve, a pioneer of Gothic Revival architecture (that home is now the official residence of the New Jersey Governor). But he was also a fashionable man, and at the time, it was en vogue for the well-heeled to build a rural retreat and showcase their outdoorsman prowess.  

The aim of these "model" dairies "was more aesthetic than anything," said listing agent Judson Henderson of Callaway Henderson Sotheby's International Realty. It was a place "where picturesque fields could be grazed upon by prize-worthy cattle."

But even so, Pyne’s 1901 Neo-Tudor country house, Rockwood Dairy, was spared no expense, and these intricate details are still seen throughout the home.

More:Historic New Jersey Mansion Hits the Market for $48 Million

 The Stats

Sitting on nearly two acres of land, the main house features 2,998 square feet of living space. There are four bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms, and in a separate space attached by a breezeway, there are two rooms (currently being used as work space) and a full bath.

Design Pedigree

Like Drumthwacket, Pyne outfitted Rockwood Dairy with top materials of the time. "Perhaps the coolest thing about the house is the Milk Barn," said Mr. Henderson, which is what is now being used as the extra guest/studio space. "It’s attached to the main house by an open colonnade, and consists of two subway-tiled rooms with dome ceilings, a light-filled gallery, and the original freezer room. The barn's tile was designed by Rafael Guastavino, whose ‘arch system’ was patented in 1885 and is found in such buildings as Grand Central Terminal (the Oyster Bar), the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Columbia University, and the Queensboro Bridge."

More:Home buyers get the most square footage for their money in this state

Neighborhood Notes

"The property has a sweeping front lawn and unrestricted views of the 700-acre Institute Woods, a pristine nature preserve and birders’ destination, and on the other side, the Princeton Battlefield," Mr. Henderson said. In the neighborhood, there are "several houses from the colonial period, as well as the 1726 Friends Meeting, the first house of worship in Princeton."  

Agent: Judson Henderson, Callaway Henderson Sotheby's International Realty

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