O
wning a slice of Bronx heritage now costs $1.39 million— a $100 k reduction from the $1.49 million price tag it carried when first listed in mid‑April, per StreetEasy. The Old Hadley Farm House, situated near Fieldston and touted as the borough’s oldest dwelling, has been on the market since 1999 and has never changed hands.

    The stone‑built home’s origins are debated; some claim it dates back to 1747, which would predate the Van Cortlandt Mansion and even the founding of the United States. Its exterior fuses original stonework with later wooden siding and shutters, giving it a distinctly historic charm. “It tells the story of New York in one house,” says historian Nick Dembowski of the Van Cortlandt House Museum. “It sits right on a typical Bronx street, not on a tree‑lined drive.”

    The property, now listed as a development and renovation opportunity, offers five bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms, and 2,660 sq ft of living space on a 0.34‑acre lot that includes a detached garage. The house itself is landmarked, though the garage is not. The 1915 renovation by architect Dwight James Baum preserved original features such as bark‑intact beams from split trunks.

    Historically, the house served as a British outpost during the Revolutionary War. In 1778, a French officer led rebel troops in a night raid; Colonel Armand reportedly ambushed them, humiliating the attackers. The first recorded resident was tenant farmer Isaac Green, who lived there with five enslaved people.

    James Endress of Julia B Fee Sotheby’s International Realty notes that the home requires a comprehensive renovation. “We’ve adjusted the price to reflect market conditions and attract a buyer with a vision for this landmark,” he says. “This is a rare chance to steward one of the Bronx’s most historically significant properties and transform it into the trophy estate it deserves.”

    Dembowski hopes the new owner will have the resources to preserve the house’s unique character, as it needs significant restoration work.