With America’s 250th anniversary just weeks away, eyes are turning to the last remaining legacy properties built by the country’s founding fathers more than two centuries ago. One newly listed North Carolina estate is vying for a place among those historical dwellings, despite being built just 103 years ago.
Located in Asheville, NC, the extraordinary abode looks almost identical to the home of George Mason, who was a delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 and is considered a key author of the United States Bill of Rights.
In 1750, 26 years before America declared its independence from Great Britain, Mason constructed an incredible personal residence named Gunston Hall in Virginia, where it remains to this day, having been turned into a museum.
More than a century later, his descendant paid tribute to the 18th-century dwelling by creating a near-identical property in Asheville aptly named New Gunston Hall, which is believed to be the first-ever real estate replica built by the ancestor of a founding father.
Today, that 1923 copy has hit the market for $9.75 million, offering not only a chance to own one of the country’s more intriguing homes, but also an opportunity to write the next chapter of what has already been a fascinating history.
“The gentleman who had the house built was the great, great grandson of George Mason, who is a founding father for the country,” says listing agent Alec Cantley with Premier Sotheby’s International Realty.
“As far as it is described on the National Registry, this is the first home that a direct descendant of a founding father replicated. It’s just such a cool aspect of the property. It’s not just another 1920s beautiful old home.”
The replica 8,688-square-foot home retains much of its original character but with modern conveniences.
All of the spaces including nine bedrooms and five full bathrooms underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation between 2013 and 2016, bringing them back to their original glory from the early 1920s.
“It’s a house that you now walk in and you simply appreciate for the beauty of the millwork and just how immaculate all the original detail is from the house,” Cantley said.
“But [you] still get to appreciate the fact that you’ve got a phenomenal central heating and air system and all of these things that you’re not used to seeing in houses of this age.”
While there are plenty of properties dotted around Asheville with histories that stretch back more than 100 years, the listing agent notes that there are few that have been so thoughtfully updated, making New Gunston Hall a unique offering.
“They need millions of dollars to truly be restored, so the intentionality and thoughtfulness of the owners [of New Gunston Hall] to go through and invest the time and money into this property really just blew me away from the get-go,” he added.
Located at the heart of a beautiful 11-acre parcel, the dwelling features more than 8,600 square feet of living space, including several spectacular formal entertaining areas.
On the main level, there is a formal dining room with a glittering chandelier and marble fireplace, as well as a cozy den with yet another fireplace, a modernized kitchen, and an enormous foyer.
However, Cantley admits that the wood-paneled library is his favorite indoor space.
“The scale of it, the feel of it, the millwork. It is just captivating in a way that I think you rarely see,” he said. “It’s one of those spaces that when you step into it, you truly feel the historical context and the magnitude of that time, so I love that room.”
The 11.26-acre estate sits in Biltmore Forest, a swanky area that was originally part of George Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate. The town was incorporated the same year this house was built.
“This was one of the first three or four homes built in the neighborhood, so it’s very iconic from that perspective alone,” Cantley added. “It’s one of the larger estates in the community.
“This house being on over 11 acres makes it extremely special from not only the size of the house but also the acreage component.”
Much of that acreage is already filled with beautiful landscaping that makes the outside just as jaw-dropping to look at as the interior of the property.
“The back lawn is just out of this world gorgeous. You come out on the back terrace, and they’ve got this perfectly manicured lawn with a paver pathway that leads down with a water fountain,” the listing agent noted. “Just that whole ambiance in the space and what’s created there, it’s magnificent.”
While this house would be a perfect mountain getaway, Cantley said there is another type of purchaser out there.
“I think the perfect buyer for it is someone who really appreciates history and appreciates historical properties, especially from a preservation standpoint,” he shared. “It’s so rare to find a property that’s been so beautifully restored.”
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