Seaside Estate In Greenwich

Still looking for a summer getaway? How about an estate with 50 acres of oceanfront land, two private islands and a Victorian mansion with views of Long Island Sound? The catch: it’s on the coast of Greenwich, Connecticut — one of the most expensive ZIP codes in the U.S. — and accordingly priced at $200 million. Let’s take a look inside the home that’s currently the most expensive listing on the American market.

Pass through the gates of Copper Beech Farm and down a long drive to the main house’s turreted front entrance. It was originally built in 1898, at the height of Greenwich’s popularity as a summer resort for high-society New Yorkers, and the home’s age shows a bit in the small-ish windows.

Looking up from the waterfront, however, the home is as distinguished as ever. And as other properties in Greenwich are divided into smaller lots and historic homes torn down in favour of massive new ones (thanks to the town’s resurgence among high-flying hedge-funder types), it’s refreshing to see an older mansion aging gracefully on an equally expansive patch of green.

The house clearly hasn’t been neglected over its 115-year history; the library’s wood panelling and stone fireplace still gleam, and the heavy Victorian mantel and built-in bookcases are balanced by modern metal-and-glass furniture.

There’s more well-preserved oak panelling in the dining room, but not all of the turn-of-the-century details are quite so charming: though there is a kitchen just off the dining room, the main kitchen is in the basement, along with the original laundries and staff quarters.

A more relaxed, non-panelled living room opens at the far end to the solarium, which has windows (and probably water views) on three sides. There’s also a screened-in porch, and several of the 12 bedrooms still have sleeping porches attached from the sweltering days and nights before central air.

And here’s where all those floral arrangements come from! The main house is grand, of course, but it’s outbuildings like the greenhouses, stone carriage house, and three-bedroom gatehouse that are really the ‘they don’t make them like this anymore’ elements. For more leisurely pursuits, there’s also a grass tennis court and private beach.

Could you stomach the price tag for this piece of history?

For more historic seaside style in New England, check out our blog post on Katharine Hepburn’s Connecticut retreat.

Photo credits:
1-6. David Ogilvy & Associates