The second-oldest home in the sleepy Massachusetts town of Longmeadow is on the market for $725,000.
Built in 1710, the 3,800-square-foot, Colonial-style home known as The Hale House originated in the New England of yesteryear and what was once a rural farming community.
For context: This home is older than the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which remained a colony until 1788.
It “is one of the more preserved examples of construction of that time,” says listing agent Nick Gelfand.
The town’s oldest home, at 14 Fairfield Terrace, is thought to be associated with none other than Johnny Appleseed — an American missionary who introduced apple trees to large parts of Pennsylvania and the Midwest.
Home with history
As for the home on the market, the four-bedroom place at 37 Birnie Road is also known by the name of its first owner, Thomas Hale, who lived there with his family until 1750.
“The Hales were involved in early town government, and two of their grandchildren served in the Revolutionary War,” Gelfand says.
Despite the polished finish of a recent remodel, the home has plenty of period charm.
The full renovation created an open layout comprising a kitchen/dining area and a primary bedroom with an en suite bath and a walk-in closet. There are also modern conveniences such as central air.
And yet, the home’s antique allure remains, thanks to the original beams, wide-plank floors and wainscoting.
“The original frame is chestnut, and you can still see the ax marks on the beam sill on the basement stairs,” says Gelfand.
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The location of the .76-acre property — set on a parklike, private lot — is also noteworthy. It actually sits across the street from Longmeadow Town Green, which was originally ‘Long Meddowe.” But the home wasn’t always in this prime spot.
“The house formerly stood on Longmeadow Street,” says Gelfand. “It was moved in 1894, prior to construction on that street of trolley tracks.”
