Former Dairy Farm Where George Washington Once Bought Cheese Offers Historic Style, Modern Comforts

From September to November 1778, during the American Revolution, General George Washington based the Continental Army in and around the upstate New York town of Pawling. Washington decided on Pawling because he needed a location from which he could easily move his troops up to New England, down to New York City, or over to the Hudson Valley. The troops were garrisoned on Quaker Hill, and Nord Farm, on Pawling’s Quaker Hill Road, was then a dairy farm, having been built in 1759. The farmwife was an accomplished cheesemaker, and Washington visited the farm in the autumn of 1778 and bought 16 shillings worth of cheese.

Today, Nord Farm may not produce cheese, but it does offer authentic antique farmhouse charm in harmony with high-end finishes and modern luxuries. Spread over almost 12 rolling acres, the old dairy farm is for sale asking $2.4 million. Jody Rosen and Mary Palmerton at Houlihan Lawrence hold the listing.

The 3,360-square-foot, four-bedroom, three-bath home is set back from the road via a long driveway lined with sugar maples and stone walls. Inside are period features like wooden beams, refurbished chestnut floors, the original staircase, and a couple of stone fireplaces.

The expanded and up-to-date kitchen is the star of the home’s main floor. Original beams are combined with bluestone floors and beautiful cabinetry. The marble-topped island even boasts a built-in dog bed, and there’s a fireplace in the kitchen as well. High-end appliances include a Miele refrigerator and a large Wolf range, while the classic French sinks are from La Cornue. Off the kitchen is a breakfast area with French doors to the terrace, while the dining room and living room both offer fireplaces and lovely old wide-plank floors.

The main staircase, in the center hall foyer, leads to the home’s bedrooms. The primary suite sports more vintage woodwork, plenty of closet space, and an en-suite bath. Two more bedrooms share a bath with a clawfoot tub. A separate staircase in the kitchen leads to a family room (this counts as the fourth bedroom) with a vaulted ceiling and a fireplace.

Outside, a graveled patio includes a built-in grill. Just up the hill there’s a small shed or writer’s cabin, and out front, there is a particularly fetching blue barn, currently being used as a shed and home to a full-size golf simulator. Adjacent to the barn is a large organic vegetable garden. And if you’d like to revive the spirit of the old dairy and make some cheese to enjoy with your just-picked produce, the nearby Quaker Hill Creamery can hook you up with some raw milk.