Luxist

A peerless piece of property by one of the great but overlooked architects of the era - Lewis Bowman a former Cornell University grad who cut his teeth so to speak at the sterling firm of McKim, Mead & White.

Sadly what is not shown in the photos is the very unique and dramatic facade of the manor house from the forecourt. It is wonderful and Bowman rightfully won recognitions for outstanding design with this property. It was also featured by the Architectural League of New York in 1932.

When Ohrstrom divorced wife Emma [nee Riggs] in the 1940's she got this estate and he moved to The Plains, VA. There he retained Bowman again to modify a manor house he bought which is lovely but not as magnificent as Old Mill Farm. Emma died in 1952 and it left Ohrstrom hands.

G.L Ohrstrom in his early 20's (and post WWI where he was an ace fighter pilot) was one of the original big league, self-made multimillionaires via buyouts. His private equity firm continues today with a few mild acquisitions: see glohrstrom.com

The Ohrstrom family (3rd generation) via their Whitewood Stables in Virginia continue to run steeplechasers [and some flat track racers] as well as retain ownership of the preeminent equestrian magazine: The Chronicle of the Horse. They also own the first maker of aluminum racing horse shoes with The Victory Racing Plate Company.

Anyhow regarding this property I do hope it isn't parceled off. When Gibson bought it in 1994 it had been approved for subdivision into 4-lots by seller, the estate of the late Herbert Mayer. In the mid 1980's the estate was still on 137 acres so it has already suffered some cuts.

At $39.5 million it will sell without question. By comparison the 80-acre estate of Henryk de Kwiatkowski (also owner of THE Calumet Farm in Kentucky) set the record at $45 million in 2004 with his Lower Cross Road estate. This is an even better mix of private lands and superior architecture.

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