It’s been a while since I’ve written a “Save This House” post featuring one that deserves to be rescued, but the minute I saw this great old Second Empire-style manor in Maryland on Old House Dreams, I knew it was a perfect candidate.
It has actually already been rescued from demolition, having been safely moved to this new location.
A site dedicated to Talbot County history shows photos of Mulberry Hill Farm as recently as 2007 standing vacant on its original site. Here’s one of the photos (you can see more here):
Then they moved it:
And they reopened the original porch that had been closed in:
It got a fresh coat of paint, too:
The interiors still need a lot of work, but the potential is definitely there:
Love the built-ins and all the woodwork in the house.
This poor kitchen might need more help than any other room:
It’s nice and big, though! And check out those back stairs:
There are 5 bedrooms and 4 baths.
The listing price is $325,000. The 3-story house sits on 2.69 acres of farmland that appears to include a barn.
When I see a house like this, I start imagining how I’d like to fix it up and how beautiful it could look. If you could be the one to save this gem, what would you do with it? Any ideas?
For more photos and information, check the listing and Old House Dreams. (Thanks, Katie!)
Remember the Inn from Nights in Rodanthe?
I’ve gotten a few questions about this one lately from readers asking me if it was ever rescued (it had been condemned at one point). The answer is yes! It was moved to higher ground and given a top-to-toe reno to look like the sets from the movie that made it famous. It’s open as an inn again. You can read the whole story and see the before and after photos here:
The Inn from Nights in Rodanthe: Rescued and Renovated
{ 54 comments… read them below or add one }
So glad to hear the Maryland home was saved!!!! I would love to retire to a home like that on a few acres of land. Oh the possibilities!!!!!
Gorgeous! What a great home and well priced. One would pay way more for this kind of character on a home build today. What a great project and I love a project.
Absolutely agree it is a bargain price. That grand staircase!
Love that the Mulberry Hill Farm House was saved – and wish I could buy it!! It’s a charmer.
I’m also happy to know that the Rodanthe house has been saved, moved and re-created in the movie image!!
Oh my the potential that house has to be a home again!! I hope that somebody rescues it. It would be a shame not to that is for sure. Such a beauty! I wonder why they went to the trouble of redoing the outside and did not go further with the inside? Maybe money I guess. Thanx for sharing!
Looking at this beautiful house I feel exactly like you! I imagine all the things to do to fix it!
This house sits just a few minutes from where my parents live and I grew up. It has sat there for what seems like forever. It’s a little random because around it is a new development full of the same looking houses. Always wondered why it sat there, never knew the story. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, really? I love it when I post a house that readers recognize!
Amazing! Looks like a HUGE effort has already been put into this place (hard part’s all been done right?) Now it just needs the right owner to finish the restoration!
What a treasure!
Although, it is a little disappointing that this historic beauty has been plopped down in a new development, as Kelly mentioned above.
I love this house! If only I had the money for a project like that, or had a husband who would want to move to Maryland!
What a beautiful house! If I had the money and it was possible for me to up and move I would take it in a heartbeat. I love old homes like this.
Those recent exterior shots really look like a painting by Edward Hopper. I don’t think the kitchen’s actually that bad–where there’s a large amount of space, there’s hope. The main problem that I see is that it is now set in a barren and somewhat bleak landscape–it looks more like a prairie than Maryland.
Yes, some mature trees would do wonders for the property!
I totally agree. My home sits on a similar “landscape”. Everyone loved the house and kept saying: “You can always plant trees. And they can be wherever and whatever you want”.
Well that’s true, but it takes forever for trees to mature and in the meantime you have a barren yard with these little spots of trees and bushes.
What a gorgeous home! So much potential, just the right owner could really make that something special!
I would buy that house in a heartbeat if I could afford it……it is sooooo charming!!! I wish I could save all the old houses but just saving mine is expensive enough!
~Des
Wow, if ever there was a house that fit the word ‘potential’! This house has great bones and could/should be quite the stunner with some work and creativity.
Thanks for the link to my site.
The house does need some extra loving, not only on the interior but some landscaping as well. If you read through the post comments, Clara Bow supposedly shot a movie at the original farm the home was located on (according to a newspaper about the home, also linked to in the comments.)
So cool about Clara Bow filming there. I love your blog, Kelly!
Ooh, the possibilities!!! It would be a dream to own that home (on acreage, how great!) and fix it up.
I hate to be the one who breaks your heart…..but, once you move a house it is destined for destruction . NOBODY should save this house , it’s ruined . Anyone who thinks they can save this house has more $$$ than brains .
I’m curious as to what makes you say this. My husband and I have been discussing buying it for the last hour or so and it would be nice to have ALL the pros and cons before leaning one way or the other.
Thanks!!
Rachel
Rachel–I would say just make sure you get a thorough inspection first to make sure everything’s in good shape and get an idea of how much it’ll cost to fix any issues. I’ll echo what Kelly said–there are many examples of houses that were successfully moved (the “Nights in Rodanthe” inn, for instance!), so I know it’s possible. If you do buy it, let us know. I’m in love with this house and would like to see what becomes of it!
L Clare’s comment makes no sense. People have been moving houses around for hundreds of years and some of those houses are still around. Anyone who thinks they can’t renovate this house has no clue what they are talking about.
Thanks Julia and Kelly. We’ve been back and forth on this all day, and I think we’re really going to look into it. Since my husband is fortunate enough to telecommute, we’ve been looking to move out of Colorado for some time now, but hadn’t really settled on a place. I’m a big believer in fate, and this house popping up on my radar today (Thanks Julia!) seems to be a nudge
Thanks again ladies. I’ll keep you posted on what we find out and decide!
Yes, please do!!
OMG!I would buy it if I’d live in US! It’s such an amazing house and not expensive at all! It would be a shame to destroy it. It’s unfortunately what happens a lot nearby my place; every old but stylished houses are destroyed to leave space to aweful buildings! Such a shame!
What a gorgeous house. My parents actually saved a house, very similar to this one. It was the old library in my hometown in MA and they actually had it cut in half and moved a couple of miles up the street to transform it into a residential home. It came out wonderfully and we had Christmas there one year. It was amazing with the beautiful staircase, just the same as this house. Ahhhhhhh memories.
Wow! Very cool, Adam.
Oooh!!!
I LOOOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!
It will definitely be a long journey – but the house could be fixed up beautifully. Does anyone know what year this house was built? I love historic homes.
What a beautiful place. This house has so much potential. Let’s hope this place will be bought and saved.
Wonderful house…I hope someone does make it a home again, I wish I could.
xo J~
Be still my heart – just discovered your blog, took the test and confirmed that I’m addicted to old houses! We’re in the process of completely renovating a 1900 Victorian in Maine. Lots of work, but we love it and enjoy sharing our progress.
http://sopocottage.blogspot.com/
Speaking of “be still my heart”…those old Victorians in SoPo are HEAVENLY! I grew up in Biddeford, and always loved heading up your way whenever I could. Walking through SoPo is like walking through a classic novel. Lucky!!
Thanks Rachel – we really do love this area, lots of character!!!
It’s beautiful. I could live in it as is. I’ve seen people work that distressed wall look. OK, I would probably have to do something about the kitchen floor.
We live in an old house, and just when I think I really want a brand new house (with level, straight floors), I see something like this and fall in love all over again! Thanks for featuring this one, it took the itch to move off a little bit!
The 1870′s farmhouse I grew up in was moved to another town in 1976 – across a river bridge, no less – and it’s STILL standing and being used as a residence. So much for being ruined…
What a beautiful home! I wouldn’t even know where to begin redoing it.
Sigh. Why couldn’t they have moved it just a little farther. Like, um, California?
I would LOVE!!!!! to live in this house and fix it up! Too bad I don’t live anywhere near there.
Omg. The fact that it has the back stairs makes me love it. I love houses with those!
Wow..I’m from England and as far as I know, we don’t physically move houses here (probably cos most of them are too old!) – it amazes me that it’s done in the US! I don’t understand how it’s done but I guess that’s part of the amazement..the house looks great, anyway
OMG…LOVE this house!!! So glad it was rescued…and would love to see any after photos once someone has redone the place. We just redid our dining room, so I can’t imagine the time it is going to take someone to redo the entire house!
Great to hear there was a happy ending for this storybook house:) There is this much endangered house that my husband and I have had our eye on for years on Carleton Island, NY. It’s a major MAJOR restoration project – but we can totally imagine it all fixed up. How cool would it be to live on your own island?!
http://www.thecarletonislandvilla.com/
There really is something fascinating about that house on Carleton Island. I’d love to see it brought back to life!
Love this house!!! I’d gut the kitchen and take out those yellow and black tiles, ick. They can’t be original to the house, 50′s maybe? Love the staircase.
Yeah, just remove that whole pantry area and totally expose the back stairs. The kitchen is so wonderfully big, surely you can find another place for the pantry.
I’m a Marylander and would live in this home in a heartbeat. The Eastern Shore is gorgeous, and Easton in particular is quite lovely and usually super expensive – so this is a fantastic deal. I can’t wait to see if Rachel buys it. If we wouldn’t have to uproot the kiddos I’d be bugging my hubs about it too
What a great house! Plenty of potential there without a doubt. I love the big bay window in the foyer and I’ve always had a thing for hidden back stairs in kitchens. Now if only I needed/could afford a country house in Maryland!
I love seeing old houses being saved, too many are quick to knock these historic beauties down to put up a standard brick cookie cutter. My husband and I saved an 1890′s farmhouse and couldn’t imagine life anywhere else. It was worth the sweat, tears and empty bank account.
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