Dating to 1783, 38 Van Road is an exceptionally early Catskills stone house set in a quiet vale between mountains and the pristine waters of the Schoharie Creek. The house sits at the heart of an extraordinary 155-acre property in Lexington, NY. Nearly everything within view is yours or forever-wild land as the property abuts thousands of acres of state land, extending the wilderness far beyond its boundaries, with no visible neighbors--just quiet and a profound sense of privacy.
Originally built by French Huguenots, the property was carefully renovated in 2016 to combine its old-world charm with modern living. With radiant flooring throughout, new plumbing and electrical, updated HVAC systems and a new standing-seam roof, this is a property that is as updated and turnkey as it is hand-hewn and handmade. A small solar array at the edge of the property reduces energy expenses to almost nothing while retaining connection to the grid, backed by a whole-house generator.
The house retains the wonderfully imperfect character of its nearly 250-year history: wide-plank floors hand-milled from old-growth trees, massive hand-hewn beams, thick stone and plaster walls, all anchored by extraordinary original hearths--enormous open fireplaces that feel almost architectural in scale. You'll find additional woodstoves in the living room, sunroom and upstairs bedroom.
Connected directly to the original house is an extraordinary 18th-century timber-framed artist's studio. Enjoy this wonderfully creative space with soaring ceilings, monumental old beams and enormous windows that create a dramatic, volume-filled space. The potential to retain or transform it abounds. Bathed all day in natural light thanks to a strategically sited wall of north-facing windows, the space is both open and cozy, with a woodstove and heat pumps for effortless heating and cooling year-round. Above, on a mezzanine level, additional sleeping quarters and an exercise room look out across gorgeous mountain views, creating a wonderful space for guests or a personal spot for restorative retreat.
Once a cattle and later a flower farm, the land surrounding the house is particularly beautiful, with mature magnolias, thousands of peonies, a fruit and nut orchard and remarkable specimen trees. Trails and old farm paths continue deep into the acreage and up the mountainside, offering the rare experience of wandering for hours without leaving your own land.
Outside, a cedar hot tub provides another way to experience the setting throughout the seasons, though the greatest amenity is the land itself. With 155 acres and thousands more acres of state land directly adjoining it, 38 Van Road feels immersed in a wilderness far larger than its boundaries. To find a historic property like this, intact and removed from a main road, is a rare treasure. There are woods to wander, your own mountainside to explore and over 1/4 mile of water frontage on one of the Catskills' most pristine creeks to swim in on long summer afternoons. The property is minutes from two ski areas, has a trendy grocery within walking distance and several delicious cafés and restaurants up the road. A conservation easement protects the wild character of the landscape while allowing for further development within its provisions and reduced taxes- a compelling balance between possibilities for the future and long-term protection of this special swath of land.
38 Van Road is ultimately much more than an early stone house on acreage. It is the rare opportunity to become the next steward of an extraordinary piece of the Catskills.
