A Look At Chatham Day School

An independent school established in 1998, the co-educational Chatham Day School enrolls students in pre-school through eighth grade. Intentionally small in size with about 165 pupils, there is a clear focus on personalized attention and individuality.

The school’s mission reads: “Chatham Day School celebrates and values each child as a unique learner with extraordinary potential. We offer an academically ambitious program that promotes intellectual achievement and emotional growth in a diverse and nurturing environment.”

Located at 700 Shunpike Road in Chatham, the school offers tours by appointment as well as open houses, usually held in November and January.  With an impressive academic curriculum, graduates of Chatham Day School have gone to some of the area’s top high schools including the Delbarton School, Gill Saint Bernard’s School, Morristown-Beard School, Kent Place School, Barnstable Academy and The Montclair Kimberley Academy.

The well-informed sales associates in our Chatham Office can share more information about Chatham Day School as well as many of the other fine public and private schools in the area.  Our knowledge of local amenities like schools, combined with the latest information about Chatham homes for sale, makes Turpin a smart choice when you are ready to buy or sell a home.

Sundays in the Park with Leonard J. Buck

Spring is in the air, and one of the best places to see how the season is progressing is the Leonard J. Buck Garden in Far Hills.  Stop by the garden on Sunday afternoons in April and May (except for holiday weekends) to join an afternoon Woodland Walk.  You’re likely to spy native wildflowers, colorful flowering trees and shrubs, and springtime perennials.  As the days get warmer, dogwood trees and azalea bushes will come into full bloom.

Tours take place on Sundays at 2PM on April 10, 17 and on May 1, 8 and 15.  There is a $4 fee per person for this informative tour led by a naturalist.

The Leonard J. Buck Garden is one of the premier rock gardens in the eastern United States.  Begun in the late 1930s, the garden has reached a breathtaking point of maturity. It consists of a series of alpine and woodland gardens situated in a 33-acre wooded stream valley.  Named for Mr. Leonard J. Buck, who developed the garden as part of his estate, it was donated to the Somerset County Park Commission by Mrs. Helen Buck in 1976.

The Leonard J. Buck Garden is part of the Somerset County Park Commission.  It is located at 11 Layton Road.  For more information or directions, call 908-234-2677.

Kenilwood is a legendary Bernardsville home which was originally owned by George B. Post Jr., founder of the Wall Street brokerage firm of Post and Flagg.  Post’s father was the famous architect who designed the New York Stock Exchange and other landmark buildings.  Built in the early part of the 20^th century, Kenilwood is an excellent example of gothic revival style.  The manor house’s façade is fashioned of stone.

Gerry-Jo Cranmer in the Bernardsville Office was involved in the sale of Kenilwood in the 1990s when it was owned by heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson. 

The high-profile sale also came with a high price tag, as The New York Times explained in an article from 1994.  “When Mr. Tyson bought the mansion, on Memorial Day 1988, many in this part of New Jersey’s hunt country said he had paid too much, especially for the two lots that bracketed the Bernardsville estate.  He paid a little over $4 million for the house on 14 acres and $950,000 for each of the two five-acre lots.  At the time, similar lots were going for $650,000, according to Jack Turpin of Turpin Real Estate in Far Hills, N.J.”  Gerry-Jo Cranmer says the selling price was the highest price of the year for an off-water property in the tri-state region that year.

Tyson added a tennis court where Martina Navratilova reportedly played at least once.  The 18,000 square foot mansion was set on 14 acres.  He lived there for two years. 

Selling Kenilwood didn’t come without an element of danger, according to Gerry-Jo Cranmer. “Mike Tyson’s sometimes vicious dogs were in residence when I was selling the house (Mike was not) and the caretaker was often not there when I had to show it.  So I always went armed with meaty bones to throw to them so that I could distract them and be able to show the house.”

Classic Brick Manor in Mendham Township

A new listing in Mendham Township presents a spacious, open floor plan with many refined details.  This brick manor is set at the end of a peaceful street on 5.5 private acres surrounded by mature trees and green lawns.  A dramatic point of entry is the two-story foyer with a sweeping staircase with railed gallery overlooks.  The formal dining room set beyond an arched doorway features a bay window with a roomy built-in seat.  The formal living room is anchored by an elegantly-manteled, wood-burning fireplace.  A full wall stone fireplace in the family room creates a welcome feeling in this comfortable space.  The gourmet kitchen adjoins a sunny dining area enclosed by a window walls.  Another main floor convenience is a guest suite with full bath.

Upstairs, the master bedroom is styled with an innovative ceiling containing high arched and angular pitches and circle top windows as well as several walk-in closets and a dressing area.  The property has a detached four-car garage topped by a finished room with full bath, making it an ideal home office or secondary guest quarters.

This sophisticated home’s floor plan is designed with a variety of classic amenities throughout, presenting an excellent backdrop for any style of decor.  Its traditional design sense combines with a flexible layout, making it a true standout among Mendham homes for sale.

Little Brook Farm is a charming and picturesque piece of New Jersey real estate set amid 28 acres on the Bernardsville Mountain.  A long, private drive passing by a spring-fed stream and lush valley enters the property leading to the main residence, a circa 1840 Dutch farmhouse with additions made in 1935.  The setting exudes the romance and charm reminiscent of the English countryside with pastures, woodland, ponds, stone walls, formal lawns and gardens.

Selling agent, Gerry Jo Cramner remembers the sequence of events leading to that Bernardsville home for sale:

“It was not on the market at the time that I sold it, but I knew that my buyers would love it.  I had been working with them for some time and had gotten to know their taste very well.  A Turpin colleague of mine had sold it to the people living in it, so I asked him to approach them about selling it.  They set a price and let me show it to my buyers, who immediately fell in love with it, bought it and were then married there in the rose garden.”

Dr. Frank Babbott, president of Long Island College of Medicine, built the home for his wife and five children and lived there from 1934 to 1961.  The additions and renovations he made were incorporated into the original stone farmhouse and created a unique building encompassing seven levels and 20 rooms.  In 1964, Dr. Babbott donated the main house, outbuildings and 28 acres of Little Brook Farm to Drew University.  He handed the keys to Drew’s president with the hope that the estate “would go on bringing beauty and happiness to others.”  Drew used the property as a retreat and conference center until it was returned to private ownership in 1993.

The stone and frame house with custom made clay tile roof features original architectural details like oak floors and beamed ceilings. In addition to the grand main home, this rambling estate includes a two-bedroom cottage, a barn with a one-bedroom apartment and loft, a two-bay garage/wagon shed and a second large barn.  A stone summer house, root cellar, poultry barn and sheep barn are also found on the property, as well as a pool with pool house.

For more information about Little Brook Farm, refer to New Jersey Country Houses: The Somerset Hills, Volume 2.

Grand Country Estate Home

It would be hard to imagine a more perfect Colonial estate than this 10-plus acre property on the Bernardsville Mountain.  Originally built in the 1700s, its sun-filled rooms brim with charm and sophistication.  The enchanting grounds include a long drive marked by stone pillars, sweeping green lawns, perennial gardens, rustic stone walls and a picturesque pond. 

The main house has been meticulously cared for and extensively renovated through the years, resulting in a bright, fresh interior graced with timeless design elements.  An open floor plan of six bedrooms and six full baths also includes elegant spaces for entertaining, an updated chef’s kitchen, plus a newer addition featuring a family room and home office.  Outbuildings include a three-car garage.

As one of the earliest homes on the Bernardsville Mountain, this estate is a rare offering in a coveted part of the state.  For more information about Bernardsville homes for sale, contact our Bernardsville Office.

‘80s Night Fundraiser on April 2 at the Chatham United Methodist Church

Tease your hair up big, get out your neon fashions and get ready to rock the 1980s all over again.  The Chatham United Methodist Church is hosting an ‘80s Night fundraiser on Saturday, April 2 to benefit local food banks.  This event is also supported by Methodist churches in Wayne, Caldwell, Franklin Lakes, Montville and Butler to raise money for the Center of United Methodist Aid to the Community in Paterson.

Musicians from Parish Drive, the Wayne United Methodist Church’s house band, will be joined by fellow musicians and friends to form the Amped Up Parish Drive Big Band.  In order to reach their fundraising goal of $10,000, the band took $20 song requests.  Each donor has the option to hear the band play their song, or hop on stage and play or sing along with the band for their selection.  According to the event’s website, the playlist is nearly sold out.

In addition to big hair music, the night will offer ‘80s makeovers for $50 each followed by a runway show; event t-shirts for sale; and food by Thyme and Honey Gourmet Catering.  Prizes will be awarded for the best costume and the winner of a Rubik’s cube competition.

Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door.  Dinner starts at 6pm and the show begins at 7pm.  Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be sold.  The Chatham United Methodist Church is located at 460 Main Street.

The Chatham United Methodist Church’s ‘80s night promises to be a spirited musical event that will bring friends and neighbors together.  It’s just the kind of community gathering that makes Chatham a special place to live.  If you are interested in finding out more about Chatham real estate or Chatham homes for sale, contact our Chatham Office at 186 Main Street, several blocks from the church.  Our sales associates live and work here, so we are always happy to share our knowledge of the area.

Buyers in New Jersey’s real estate market often go straight to the Internet to find out about the latest listings, additional home information, or community amenities.  But sometimes learning about the history of a property is simply the result of the long-lost art of conversation.  A perfect example of that is a land sale that took place in the Washington Valley section of Morris Township.  The property, totaling just over four acres, was sold by Turpin’s Mendham office in 1999.

Barbara Barisonek, currently the Chatham Office Manager and Vice President of Business Development, relates a firsthand story from the former property owners about the land’s unusual background.  “The information on the property when we bought it was strictly word-of-mouth, but from ‘old timers’ who had lived in Washington Valley for a long time.  According to the stories, the property with its log cabin was originally a Boy Scout camp.  No one could ever give me a timeframe as to when it stopped being a Boy Scout camp.”  While the location of the Boy Scout camp was never confirmed, it was local lore that added some color to the sale, Barbara notes.

The owners continued their story, adding, “Apparently the property had been unused for several years before we bought it.  When we started building our house, neighbors were annoyed that they had lost their private park with a cabin and pond.”  Barbara reports that the cabin is still on the property, and the new home is like a private oasis with a swimming pool in the backyard amid the peaceful surroundings.

Turpin successfully marketed this parcel of land, prime acreage which included a stocked pond and stream set back from Gaston Road at the end of a long drive on a flag lot.  It is an enviable location minutes from downtown Morristown and near the protected land that comprises Washington Valley.  “It was a wonderful property to market,” Barbara adds.

Gracious Hedgerows Colonial in Chester Township

“Elegant simplicity” is a phrase that comes to mind when describing this custom-built home in Chester’s Hedgerows neighborhood.  Taking its design cues from Early American architecture, this classic white Colonial adjoins a red barn-style garage with three parking bays, giving it the look of a vintage farmstead.  The difference is that this home is filled with up-to-the-minute amenities and design elements that speak to a 21^st century lifestyle. 

Natural light spills into the spacious 12-room floor plan of five bedrooms, four full baths and a powder room.  Set amid 2.48± acres of rolling property, the home was built by the current owners in 2007, making it one of the newer residences in Hedgerows.  This desirable Chester Township community consists of just 39 New England reproduction homes based on 18^th century architecture.  Careful attention to detail is evident in all the homes in this sought-after enclave.

Among the outstanding amenities gracing the interior are red oak hardwood floors (which were fashioned from the property’s oak trees) on the main and second floors, traditional millwork, plantation shutters, built-ins and French doors.  Three fireplaces on the first floor are delightful focal points in some of the main gathering spaces.  Other highlights include a teak and granite gourmet kitchen fitted with stainless steel appliances, a private master suite on the second floor, and a partially finished lower level with full bath, exercise area and play room.

Hedgerows truly captures the one-of-a-kind charm of Chester real estate.

Spruce Hill Farm is a landmark estate in Mendham Borough.  The historic all-brick mansion is set on 27.9 acres overlooking a two-acre pond, manicured grounds with formal gardens and stone walls, windswept meadows and a 1,000-tree spruce farm.  In 2002 the Bernardsville Office listed the estate which sold for $4.55 million.  It was again successfully marketed by the Mendham office of Turpin in 2008.

Originally built in 1917, the 22-room main home was completely updated in 2003 and shows pride of ownership throughout.  A long, gated and tree-lined drive leads to the handsome Colonial Revival home, which was designed by the New York architectural firm of Lord & Hewlett.  Its elegant presence amid the open land is reminiscent of a grand manor found in the English countryside.

Timeless interior design details such as hardwood and parquet flooring, ten fireplaces with unique mantelpieces, many original interior doors, wood paneling and hardware, multiple sets of French doors and oversized windows lend character to the spacious rooms.  A delightful layout includes a grand center hall, a paneled library, and a sunroom overlooking the formal garden. Additionally, this noteworthy home has a billiards room, a private study, elevator and a staff wing. There are seven bedrooms, each with a full bath, many large walk-in closets, multiple kitchens, wet bars and powder rooms.

Spruce Hill Farm also features a pool and multiple outbuildings, including a two-story caretaker’s house with an attached six-car garage, chauffeur’s cottage, equipment barn, brick shed, wooden shed, and root cellar. 

Turpin took great pride in handling the transfer of Spruce Hill Farm on two occasions, giving it the same amount of care and attention as it does to every Mendham home for sale, or for that matter, every New Jersey home the firm represents.