Inside Peary Homestead, a $4.5 Million Manor in N.Y.’s Germantown

Upstate New York‘s Germantown is a place of great cultural significance. A group of German migrants known as the Palatines settled in the riverside town in the early 1700s, hence the name. The area also has ties to the Revolutionary War and the Rockefeller family. One 19th-century property steeped in that rich history could now be yours.

The Gothic Revival manor, dubbed Peary Homestead, has stood tall in Germantown for nearly 200 years. Captain Robert Peary had the namesake property built in 1835, and it remained in the family for hundreds of years, serving as a farm with pear orchards. Following a multi-year-long renovation, the pad has been listed for $4.5 million with Raj Kumar of Four Season’s Sotheby’s International Realty. It last traded hands for $1.2 million in 2019, property records show.

Set on over 3 acres of landscaped land, the main house showcases that quintessential “gingerbread” style, with a steeply pitched roof, perfectly positioned windows, and decorative wooden trim. The current owners tapped architect Chip Bohl and interior designer Louise Copeland to execute a complete interior renovation and construct the north wing. The latter is where the kitchen and primary suite are found.

A graveled driveway leads up past a pair of brick pillars and a blossoming garden to the main home. Past the small but inviting foyer, the formal living room sets the cozy scene with a tall fireplace and plush sofas. Hardwood flooring leads to a kitchen by Plain English that features Arabescato marble counters, a Lacanche range, another working fireplace, and a built-in breakfast nook. Nearby lies a separate butler’s pantry and bar.

Larger groups are hosted in the formal dining room, where green limewash walls add a touch of drama. Elsewhere on the ground floor is a library/office with built-in bookshelves, a gym, a wallpapered powder room, a tiled mudroom, and a large screened-in porch.

Heading upstairs, the elegant primary suite is outfitted with two walk-in closets, a large en suite with a soaking tub, and windows with views of the idyllic grounds. The second floor is also home to two identical kids’ rooms with built-ins and a laundry with a secret door that leads to a magical playroom for the children.

The guest suite, located in the original wing, comes with a walk-in closet and a full bath. If that’s not enough, the carriage house has two bedrooms and a full bath on the second floor. The first floor houses a dining room, workshop, and two-car garage.

Exterior highlights include a custom greenhouse with a fenced garden, a pool with two lotus gardens, and an alfresco dining area that lies beneath a vine-covered pergola. One final perk: the pad is 10 minutes from both an Amtrak station and Germantown’s main street, meaning you can nip into N.Y.C. or stay and explore the historic town.

Click here for more images of the upstate residence.