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n 1986, John MacMurray's family bought a neglected 19th-century farmhouse in New Lebanon, New York, near the Massachusetts border. The property, known as Mossford Estate, had been left untouched for decades and was used as a boarding house. "We didn't even want to get out of the car because it was such a dump," MacMurray recalled. However, his father fell in love with its remote location on beautiful land.
The estate has now been listed for $2.47 million after 40 years under the MacMurrays' ownership. Spanning 144 acres, the property features a circa-1800 Federal-style home, an antique barn, a pond, a tennis court, and broad meadows surrounded by forests. The house was meticulously restored by John's late father with Hudson Valley architect Jeremiah Rusconi.
Original elements such as wide-plank floors, faux bois doors, and imported wavy glass were preserved during the restoration. The family's approach was uncompromising, spending several times more on renovations than they paid for the house. However, their efforts resulted in a home that feels remarkably modern despite its age.
The centerpiece of the main level is a soaring den with beams reminiscent of an Adirondack lodge. A breakfast nook and adjoining fireplace became the family's hub in the kitchen wing. Upstairs, the primary suite features a fireplace, while three additional bedrooms are connected by a hallway with a reading nook.
Furnishings were sourced over decades from Hudson Valley antique shops, often requiring painstaking effort to reassemble original pieces. MacMurray would consider selling some of the furniture to the future owner if they wished, including a vintage antique car his father had bought before passing away two years ago.
For John and his brother, the estate offered a childhood far removed from their Manhattan apartment. They spent summers swimming in the pond and winters skating across its frozen surface. The property has been maintained exceptionally well by MacMurray's late father, but with his brother now in Florida and his own family on Long Island, they no longer have time to use it as they would like.
Selling will be bittersweet for MacMurray, acknowledging that the estate holds many memories of his childhood. However, he believes it's time for someone else to appreciate its historical elements and enjoy the property as they did.
