Photos by Alon Koppel
In Columbia County, the Ancram Public Schoolhouse is an 1880 delight with tall ceilings, a metal roof, and a light-filled kitchen made for country living.
Address: 1261 County Route 7, Ancram
Description: The historic charm of the Hudson Valley comes alive at the Ancram Public Schoolhouse in Columbia County. Built in 1880 as a public school in the Hudson Valley, the property has been converted into a single-family residence that sits on a pristine 1.3 acres.
The home is eye-catching from the start, with a soft charcoal exterior, vintage school bell, and merlot red doors that stand out against a verdant landscape. The standing seam metal roof is new and at a height that hints to the tall ceilings that can be found inside. Upon crossing the threshold of the 1,750-square-foot residence, visitors walk into a picture-perfect open plan dining and living room that are loosely separated by columns and a Neo-Greek triangle arch trim. The space is welcoming and airy, with recently updated windows that reflect light onto the crisp walls and rustic wood beams that run throughout the interior.
Further into the house, the kitchen is ideal for any aspiring country chef, thanks to smooth hardwood floors and an abundance of natural light. Upstairs, two bedrooms with attached baths and an additional bedroom or office mean the property is ready to welcome a family or couple in search of a live-work residence upstate.
On the grounds, the property’s schoolhouse roots extend to the old bus shed, which now boasts a restored roof and enough space for a large studio.
Asking price: $725,000
Selling points: If the Ancram Public Schoolhouse’s Hudson Valley history isn’t enough to steal your heart, its central location in Columbia County most certainly should be. While quietly nestled in Ancram, it’s only a 20-minute drive from Hudson’s thriving restaurant and shopping scene and 15 minutes from Millerton, where local favorites like Harney & Sons and Irving Farm await.
For commuters, the train station at Hudson runs the Amtrak line straight into New York City.
Listing agents: The Lillie K. Team at Select Sotheby’s International Realty
