Friday Front Porch Feature: A Historic House in Williamstown
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Are you looking for a historic home near many attractions? Then this is the 261-year-old home is for you.
Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 196 South St.
This home was built in 1764 and was moved from Main Street three decades later. It is now adjacent to the Clark Art Institute on nearly four acres with a possible additional building site. This 2,437 square feet Georgian boasts four bedrooms and four bathrooms and comes with a barn.
It has wide plank floors, fireplaces, wood paneling and multi-paned windows, along with modern appliances and finishes.
It is on the market for $1.1 million.
We spoke to Carolyn Umlauf with Harsch Associates, which has the listing.
What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?
Generally, inventory of available properties is still very low in Williamstown. Although this is a very unique historic home, its location makes it particularly special in that it sits on almost four acres across the street from the world-class Clark Art Institute with its own 140 acres of hiking trails, in addition to its impressive research library and renowned various art collections. Although a historic home, it is not restricted regarding changes and has had the baths and kitchen updated with specific finishes and modern appliances.
What was your first impression when you walked into the home?
It is rather museum-like, as the owner is an American preservationist and is a Deerfield fellow, attesting to its unique restored interior details.
What kind of buyer do you see this home being perfect for?
Someone who appreciates history and living in an 18th-century property with some acreage that allows for the feeling of a country setting but yet is easily walkable to downtown restaurants and theater plus the campus of Williams College.
What is the neighborhood like?
This property sits on one of the prettiest streets in Williamstown with unique privacy created by its almost four acres.
Are there any standout design features and/or recent renovations?
This home is a Georgian style with center chimney and feather-sheathing restored walls with faux-painted wall treatments, wide pine board floors, 12-over-12 windows with interior and exterior storm sash, a replacement of the original double front doors, a cage bar with wet sink, a large keeping room with a working fireplace and adjacent beehive oven, an additional working fireplace in the living room across from an intimate small library.
The primary bedroom has been updated to include an en suite bath with dressing room and the primary guest room has its own 3/4 bath, with two back bedrooms with a shared bath and access to the back staircase. A surprise space is the colonial children's bedroom over the garage that could be a studio, as well, with heat and electricity. The barn has a new roof and the owners are seeking a replacement roof on the main house.
Do you know any unique stories about the home or its history?
Built in 1764 by Williams Horsford, it was moved in 1802 from the Main Street of Williamstown where currently the president of Williams College's home now sits, by an eight-span team of oxen driven by Obadiah Bardwell — consequently named the Horsford-Bardwell house. Many other stories abound in its printed history.
What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?
Your home will be like no other but reflective of a time prior to when our country was even established — a rare opportunity to experience a visible piece of American history.
You can find out more about this house on its listing here.
*Front Porch Feature brings you an exclusive to some of the houses listed on our real estate page every week. Here we take a bit of a deeper dive into a certain house for sale and ask questions so you don't have to.
Tags: historic structure, Real Estate,
