For the very first time in its storied history, an iconic waterfront property has just become available for sale in Madison, Connecticut. The discerning buyer now has the rare chance to purchase a property that has been owned for generations by one family. The property’s origins date to 1917, when noted architect Herbert C. Wise from Philadelphia took a unique approach to building a pair of large, crescent-shaped cottages. His plan involved creating the design for the first house and then flipping it over for the second, so that the two residences effectively became mirror images of each other. The founder of House and Garden magazine in 1901, Wise was primarily recognized for his offerings to collegiate architecture, having designed buildings at Princeton University, Wellesley College, the University of Colorado and many others. As evidenced by this compound at 61 Middle Beach Road, his contributions to residential architecture were important as well. Today, the property still features these two cottages, each with its own carriage house, as the significant centerpiece.
In 1930 the first twin was purchased, and from there the summer compound came together in stages. As the family grew, they decided to buy the second twin a few years after the first, and a few years after that the need for even more space became apparent once the owner’s four children married and began to have their own families. An adjacent property with a third residence and its own tennis court was acquired in 1951, offering enough land to construct a fourth home. This third home was winterized by the owners, and while they kept the original two as summer houses, these too can be converted for year-round living if desired.
Today the compound provides plenty of accommodation for extended or multi-generational families, weekend visitors and staff, offering three homes, room to build a fourth, and two carriage houses. With 4,500 square feet of living space each, the two original homes feature 17 bedrooms between them, and the third home has four. Virtually every room in all three homes has breathtaking views of Long Island Sound, with the two-acre property spanning 500 feet of frontage. The idyllic summer lifestyle is completed with the property’s heated swimming pool. Serving as the treasured summer destination for a single family for over 80 years, the $10,000,000 compound is now ready to be enjoyed by a new owner for many more.
To schedule a private viewing, please contact Margaret Muir at +1 203 415-9187.
