Snedens Landing home visited by George Washington listed for $1.9M. See inside

Robert Brum

The exclusive enclave of Snedens Landing has attracted its share of celebrity couples over the years.

Diane Sawyer and Mike Nichols. Laurence Olivier and Vivian Leigh. Harvey Keitel and Lorraine Bracco.

But for pure star power, you can’t top the Washingtons, George and Martha, who discovered the secluded Hudson River community centuries before the current wave of A-listers arrived.

Then-Gen. George Washington is said to have dined at The Meeting House, a fieldstone manor, in 1780 along with the Marquis de Lafayette and Baron von Steuben during the Revolutionary War.

The three men were likely there for the trial of the British spy Major John Andre in nearby Tappan, according to the Historical Society of Rockland County.

Martha Washington had a cup of tea while waiting for her husband on another visit, said Richard Ellis of Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty, which is listing the property for $1,895,000.

“It's so impressive for a house that’s almost 300 years old, because it’s in remarkable condition and it has so much original detail, from original 18th century cabinetry, paneled woodwork around the fireplace, ceiling beams and wide board floors,” Ellis said.

The English manor house dating from 1738 sits on 1.73 acres. The three-story Colonial features 23-foot-thick stone walls, 10-foot ceilings, hand-hewn beams, pine board floors, five fireplaces and a front porch that stretches more than 90 feet.
The English manor house dating from 1738 sits on 1.73 acres. The three-story Colonial features 23-foot-thick stone walls, 10-foot ceilings, hand-hewn beams, pine board floors, five fireplaces and a front porch that stretches more than 90 feet.

10-foot ceilings, original door hinges and front-door skeleton key

The English manor house dating from 1738 sits on 1.73 acres. An adjoining 2.7-acre lot can be purchased separately for $995,000.

It’s situated just off Route 9W, not far from the intersection of Washington Springs Road (named for you-know-who), within the Snedens Landing Historic District in the hamlet of Palisades.

The three-story Colonial features 23-foot-thick stone walls, 10-foot ceilings, hand-hewn beams, pine board floors, five fireplaces and a front porch that stretches more than 90 feet.

The home’s original door hinges, locks and front-door skeleton key have been preserved. Sidelight windows made of leaded clear glass set in metal near the front door also date from the 1700s.

The home’s expansions over the years have also earned it the name The Big House. In 1867, the roof was raised, and Gothic gables and the south-facing porch were added, according to the Historical Society. The Palisades Library occupied a wing of the house from 1899 to 1943.

The English manor house dating from 1738 sits on 1.73 acres. The three-story Colonial features 23-foot-thick stone walls, 10-foot ceilings, hand-hewn beams, pine board floors, five fireplaces and a front porch that stretches more than 90 feet.
The English manor house dating from 1738 sits on 1.73 acres. The three-story Colonial features 23-foot-thick stone walls, 10-foot ceilings, hand-hewn beams, pine board floors, five fireplaces and a front porch that stretches more than 90 feet.

Former owners include Captain Lawrence and William Merritt

The manor, which is on state and national historic registries, is currently owned by a descendant of Lafayette’s aid-de-camp, Ellis said. The home has been “lovingly restored” over the past 40-plus years, he added.

Former owners include Capt. John Lawrence, who captured a British spy during the Revolutionary War, and William Merritt, who served as mayor of New York City in the late 1600s.

“You walk in the house and you feel a sense of history because of its pristine condition and just knowing the people who have been there, especially during the Revolutionary War, just gives you a very special feeling,” Ellis said.

The English manor house dating from 1738 sits on 1.73 acres. The three-story Colonial features 23-foot-thick stone walls, 10-foot ceilings, hand-hewn beams, pine board floors, five fireplaces and a front porch that stretches more than 90 feet.
The English manor house dating from 1738 sits on 1.73 acres. The three-story Colonial features 23-foot-thick stone walls, 10-foot ceilings, hand-hewn beams, pine board floors, five fireplaces and a front porch that stretches more than 90 feet.

The Meeting House

  • 201 Route 9W, Palisades, N.Y. 10964

  • $1,895,000

  • Annual taxes: $26,394

  • 4 bedrooms, 4 full baths

  • 5,509 square feet

  • Detached 4-car garage

  • South Orangetown school district

Robert Brum is a freelance journalist who writes about the Hudson Valley. Contact him and read his work at robertbrum.com.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Rockland County NY home visited by George Washington listed for $1.9M

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