Always wanted to grow your own bananas in the backyard? How about pecans? Well, you’re in luck with Millrock Estate, so long as you want to live in Quitman, Georgia, so far south in the Peach State it might as well be the Florida Panhandle. Quitman’s main (and possibly only) claim to fame is that it was the home of James Pierpont, who wrote a popular song called “Jingle Bells” in 1857, and who was the uncle of famed financier James Pierpont (J.P.) Morgan.
The 165 acres that surround an elegant 1908 Craftsman-style house in itty-bitty Quitman include numerous orchards that produce pecan, fig, banana, lemon, pear, persimmon, and mayhaw, which are similar to a crabapple. What can’t be grown outside can take root in the greenhouse, while other trees across the property include some lovely 200-year old live oaks, attractively trimmed with Spanish moss. Some of the land is used for hunting, so the grounds include nine pens and a kennel for bird dogs, as well as a shooting range. There’s also a lighted barn and a kitchen garden.
If Millrock Estate’s 3,549-square-foot residence seems bigger than it is it’s because of the fine old southern tradition of large, breezy porches, necessary in the days before air conditioning. Notable about the home’s deep wraparound porch is the attractively patterned mosaic tile floor from Spain, just one of several bespoke tile floors in the house. There’s also a good-sized second-story balcony.
The four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom house is done in the Craftsman style popular in 1908 and it’s nice to see so many original features kept in the house, like the window seats and built-ins, original light fixtures, and Honduran mahogany flooring and fireplaces. It might be even better if the next owners were a little more true to the home’s Craftsman principles, with less Victorian clutter, but that’s a minor niggle and besides, no one is buying the décor.
The foyer, with an elegant sweeping staircase, also includes a handsome bench seat, perfect for putting on or taking off boots. The living room includes mahogany floors and what looks like genuine Grueby tile on the fire surround. Another sitting room sports another mosaic tile floor, while the white kitchen is a spacious if utilitarian space that includes double ovens, a gas range, and a walk-in pantry, plus a separate butler’s pantry. Off the kitchen is the formal dining room, with a handsome, brick-shaped green tile fireplace.
Upstairs are the bedrooms, with extra pantries and sitting rooms as well as a built-in linen press. Each bedroom has a fireplace, and one of the vintage bathrooms showcases a light-blue-and-white mosaic floor with a Greek key patterned border.
So, if you’re a lover of Craftsman house who also loves fresh bananas, pecans and rural Georgia, maybe think about an offer? Deep pockets will be needed, as Millrock Estate is listed at $2.1 million by David Burnett of Canopy Realty. On the other hand, can you really put a price on an abundance of one’s own fresh fruit and nuts?
