Do homes ever truly shake their storied pasts? Sit quietly in any aged home and tales of former owners and their well-lived lives reverberate. The residence owned by Paramount pioneer Adolph Zukor is certainly high-spirited—it includes echoes of antics of such party guests as Mick Jagger and composer Kurt Weill. Further back, early stars that Zukor signed were a presence. They included Douglas Fairbanks, Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford and Rudolph Valentino.
Known as Mountain View Farmhouse, the 1930s Colonial-style residence recently came to market for $1.975 million. Set on nearly seven acres, the six-bedroom home was expanded in 1944, and in 2019, it underwent an $800,000 renovation. The 4,740 square-foot home, with a private lake and tennis and basketball courts, is located in the Rockland County hamlet of New City, located about 35 miles north of New York City.
The renovation lends the rustic home’s interior a a minimalist white-washed look, somewhat warmed by the retention of brick, sandstone, hand-hewn wood beams and wood flooring. Expansive windows frame the pastoral view. The surrounding idyllic landscape is graced with mature magnolias, weeping beech, dogwood and other plantings.
Cottontail Rabbits And Muskrats Favor The Home’s Lake
Approaching the home after passing through high gates, there’s a sense of comfort in seeing the home’s red stone, charcoal-stained wood siding and gables. The look perfectly pairs with the pastoral setting, as if geese might gather near the kitchen door and need to be shooed away.
“You can’t ignore the property’s location in the historic Hudson Valley,” says listing agent Richard Ellis, owner of Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty in Nyack, New York. “It’s a place to create and meditate as well as to entertain and celebrate. The vibe is exciting and energizing.”
The primary suite is adjoined by a den on the first floor, with additional bedrooms and baths on the second level. The layout feels logical, a flow that suits family living, as well as guests who love to roam and explore.
The renovation includes modern conveniences and a slate patio located off the open-concept kitchen. The kitchen blends into the great room, which is banked with white stone that frames a fireplace. Both the patio and great room face the lake, providing optimal views. Take a seat for a round-the-clock show: the ruffed grouse, cottontail rabbits, waterfowl and occasional muskrats that wander about, lured by the lake.
The Home Was Part Of An Artist Colony
In the early 20th century, Zukor, the engine behind Paramount’s success, acquired over 300 acres in Rockland County, transforming the land into a retreat. The property is adjacent to High Tor State Park, a 691-acre recreation area with hiking trails and views of the New York City skyline. The park can feel like an extension of the home’s acreage, the serene landscapes separated only by zoning boundaries on a map.
Zukor’s early movies include “The Prisoner of Zenda,” “Peter Pan,” “Beau Geste” and “The Docks of New York,” produced from 1913 to 1928. Zukor is also noted for the 1931 film, “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” as well “Shanghai Express,” made in 1932.
Zukor, born in Ricse, Hungary, immigrated to the United States in 1889 when he was 16. With just $40 in his pocket, he attended night school to learn business skills and improve his English. In 1903, after opening and expanding a fur business, Zukor made his foray in the movie business by launching a chain of penny arcades that showed films.
Zukor’s home was part of the South Mountain Road artist community, a gathering spot for celebrities, artists and intellectuals during the early-to-mid 20th century. The winding two-lane road is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The art colony was a chance for creatives to gather just outside of New York City to host events, discussions and party. Playwright Maxwell Anderson was a regular, along with composer Kurt Weill and his singer/actress wife Lotte Lenya. Others included the actor, director and producer John Houseman, artist Henry Varnum Poor and Norman Lloyd.
That circle of artists, and plenty of tragedy, is included in a memoir that Maxwell Anderson’s daughter, Hesper Anderson, wrote in 2000: “South Mountain Road: A Daughter’s Journey of Discovery.” The book revolves around the suicide of Anderson’s mother, and includes notables who frequented the area. The work is a “wrenching memoir of death and deception, family secrets and memories, and of a young girl’s trauma of self-discovery,” reads the memoir’s description.
Read the full article here