This Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ, home has been around longer than the United States itself. Dating to 1757, the nearly 270-year-old residence began its life as a tavern before eventually becoming the 4,000-square-foot home that stands today. Now, it’s looking for its next chapter at $1.799 million.
Its long history comes with plenty of stories. Current owner John Blute says Continental soldiers were captured here during its days as a tavern in the late 1700s. Arnold Gingrich, founder of Esquire magazine, later called the property home, further adding to its storied past. The residence is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the New Jersey Register of Historic Places.
Despite its age, the four-bedroom home balances its historic character with modern comforts. Three working fireplaces add Old World warmth, while seven-zone heating, two-zone air conditioning and a full-house generator bring things into the present. One particularly curious detail remains in the office: a hatch door that Blute says once led to the basement where animals were kept when the room served as a kitchen.
Blute and his family have owned the property for 11 years, hosting everything from 30-person Friendsgivings to book clubs around the fire. Outside, a terrace and tiered grounds offer more room to gather, while the property’s steep hill has even served as a winter sledding run.
“We love it here and have poured our hearts into it,” says Blute, who hopes the next owners will appreciate its “Old-World-meets-2026 aesthetic.”
Ready to take the torch? Max Stokes of Keller Williams holds the listing.
