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stunning Northern New Jersey estate, once the home of philanthropy titan Brooke Astor, has hit the market for $2.95 million. The 9,800-square-foot Bernardsville mansion, known as Denbrooke, boasts nine bedrooms and 10 bathrooms in a grand Classic Revival style.
The property's opulent features include towering columns, a two-story portico, ornate woodwork, soaring ceilings, and multiple fireplaces. A manicured lawn with mature trees leads up to the entrance, where six pillars stand tall. The interior spaces are equally impressive, with a grand foyer, library, sun room, and beautifully appointed bedrooms.
Denbrooke was Astor's residence during her tumultuous first marriage to John Dryden Kuser, a New Jersey politician from a prominent family. Despite the challenges she faced in this marriage, Astor went on to lead a remarkable life, marrying Vincent Astor, inheriting a fortune, and becoming a renowned philanthropist.
The estate, set on 6.6 acres, has been professionally landscaped with a deer fence, mature trees, expansive lawns, a perennial garden, and an oval swimming pool. Ashley Christus of Turpin Real Estate holds the listing for this timeless gem, which has hosted family weddings, graduation parties, and intimate gatherings over the years.
Astor's life story is one of resilience and triumph, from her early marriage to Kuser, who was known for his efforts to make the eastern goldfinch New Jersey's state bird, to her later success as a philanthropist and her eventual Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998.
