A Home Fit for a Playwright

Address: 155-153, 151 Long Ridge Rd., Danbury, CT
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 7
Square feet: 6,625
Price: $5,000,000

Sitting in the private sunroom off the primary bedroom of this more than 53-acre estate in Danbury, CT, one can almost see how renowned turn-of-the-century dramatist Rachel Crothers of Broadway fame ended up making this her weekend retreat more than a century ago. More than 180-degree views of lawns, trees and rolling hills beyond are sure to ignite the imagination.

“There’s an elegant ease of living at this home,” says Katie Harrison, the listing agent for the property with Coldwell Banker Realty in New Milford, CT. Affectionately known as Roadside, it’s a historic country estate and the largest of its kind in the area. Built in 1710, the estate has undergone additions and renovations over the years, including when former owner Rachel Crothers, a pioneering female playwright and Broadway theater director in the 1920s, purchased the property to escape to on the weekends. The area, at the time, was a thriving creative community of luminaries from the art and literary world who spent much of their time summering in the area, particularly on Long Ridge Road. The primary bedroom and living area below were part of an addition Crothers orchestrated herself. Crothers frequently used her suite with an adjacent sunroom as a writing retreat. “She is also said to have used an elevated area in the large walk-up attic to stage her plays,” says Harrison. Today, the primary bathroom has a large soaking tub, expansive walk-in shower and marble floor with river rock inlay.

Modern sensibility

The current owners, who bought the property in 2011 as a weekend retreat from their apartment in Manhattan, brought the home up to date with the modern touches you see today. The renovations created a flexible floor plan of more than 5,800 square feet of living space. They were drawn to the property by the light and views and wooded acres filled with chestnut, oak, hemlock, white birch and sugar maple surrounding the home.

“The light was just gorgeous, a beautiful view into this valley that takes you up into the woods,” the current owner told Harrison. Much of the landscaping was designed in recent years to enhance the property’s natural beauty. More than two miles of easy-to-maintain graded trails and pathways now lead to a ridge with a vista of the meadows below. A stream-fed reflecting pond and two stone bridges as well as a fruit orchard and cutting, herb and vegetable gardens, all offer beautiful views, fresh produce and flowers.

Just off the house, a gunite swimming pool and patio have a glass fence so as not to take away from the views.

Inside the home, the grand foyer has a working fireplace, one of six in the home, and leads to a light-filled library (open to the second floor) on one side and an open dining room and living room on the other. Antique chestnut beams and wide plank flooring throughout has been preserved and is original to the home. Two kitchens, a chef’s kitchen with a Lacanche range and dual fuel ovens, and a breakfast kitchen with a Bosch cooktop, provide ample storage and prep areas for entertaining and family life. There is room for a large kitchen table and a sunny window seat for enjoying morning coffee. A three-stool bar with marble waterfall countertop unites the kitchen and living room/dining room area.

A sunroom and den with stone surround fireplace are both suited for intimate gatherings and quiet moments, but a wine cellar and tasting room on the lower level also makes for a suitable spot for entertaining. A guest room with jungle print mural wallpaper is currently used as a reading nook and sometimes as sleeping quarters for guests. “The morning light and view in that area is exceptionally beautiful and serene,” says Harrison, noting that the views and the privacy this property affords are exceptional. “It’s a unique offering in that there are no other parcels in this area that offer 54 acres,” she adds.