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History for Sale

By Cindy Hodnett
HomePlace Writer

Anyone who has ever lived in a historically significant home can attest to the challenges of owning one. Although often found in cohesive communities of people who share an appreciation for the past, historic homes can be expensive to maintain and tricky to renovate. However, the future owners of 2103 Bethabara Road will have the best of both worlds — a home that blends effortlessly into the picturesque surroundings of historic Bethabara while also offering modern, flexible square footage that can accommodate a variety of households.

"This is 18th-century charm with 21st-century construction," said Leonard Ryden Burr's Tish Vilar. "Located in a designated historic district, this unusual house combines country ambience with city convenience and forms the perfect backdrop for an antique collection."

Many people who drive by 2103 Bethabara Road think they are passing a centuries-old barn. The homeowner said that she built the home to resemble a barn so that she could position the house back farther from the road.

"Houses in Bethabara were built very close to the road, and there were no trees in front of them," said the homeowner. "I wanted to build back from the road and have trees in front, so I designed it to look like an early barn in the community. Many people are surprised when they find out this is a house."

Although the outside of 2103 Bethabara Road might have people wondering if they have stumbled upon some sort of rural wonderland, the inside evokes images of a wealthy early-American household. Antiques are scattered throughout every room, complemented by amenities like a spacious kitchen island, extensive built-ins and an upper-level suite with a kitchenette.

"This exceptional home features a large, eat-in kitchen with a fabulous pantry, flexible living space with lots of French doors and huge windows, and two master bedroom suites, each with a full bath and large walk-in closet," Vilar said. "The downstairs master suite includes a cozy library and a dreamy dressing room opening onto a private sunken garden with a fish pool. The upper master suite adjoins a large, airy room with a wet bar/kitchenette, accessible either from the ground floor or a private, ground-level entrance with parking at the rear of the house."

Vilar will hold an open house at 2103 Bethabara Road during the upcoming Celtic Festival at Bethabara on May 9 and 10. During the open house, she plans to introduce visitors to a property unlike any other on the market.

"This home, with ground-level entrances on both floors, would be ideally suited for a family with teens or adult live-in relatives," Vilar said. "The clever orientation of this house on its .88-acre wooded lot affords a degree of privacy normally found only on private estates, and its proximity to the 194-acre Historic Bethabara Park provides for instant access to miles of woodland trails through a wildlife preserve in an historic, 18th-century setting."

This historic home lists for $248,650 and has two bedrooms, three baths and more than 2,700 square feet. For open-house hours during the Celtic Festival at Bethabara, call Vilar at Leonard Ryden Burr at 336-986-2121.