The 19th-century North Fork farmhouse at 1200 Indian Neck Lane in Peconic has recently come on the market for $1.75 million under owner and broker Rachel Louise Rushforth-Worrell and Marianne Collins of of Brown Harris Stevens, Sag Harbor.
“When we bought the property, it was called the William Henry King House,” Rushforth-Worrell tells Out East. “I reached out to the great-granddaughter of former owners Henry and Edith Prellwitz, and she told me that the house was always referred to as the Old King Farmhouse.”
The home, set on a one-acre compound, is absolutely full of history. According to Rushforth-Worrell, the Prellwitz family were American Impressionist painters who lived there. Though it was originally built in 1867, and the home has maintained many of its features from the original construction, new owners won’t feel like they’re living in the 19th century: “As the story goes, the house was supposedly painted in an array of psychedelic colors in the ’60s and ’70s, when a Campbell Soup heiress owned it,” the owner tells us. “Although, I’m not sure how accurate this is!”
History buffs will love the original features: crown moldings, parquet floors, woodwork, and the staircase are all still inside of the main Italianate-style home on the property. Meanwhile, the property’s barn has been restored and moved so that it faces north, a move made because “northern light is favored by painters,” Rushforth-Worrell says.
“My husband is a fine artist and loves working in the barn, as well as the studio above the kitchen,” she says. “The studio was noted in our research as the kitchen attic, where herbs were dried. The walls and ceiling are completely clad in old tongue-and-groove wood paneling.”
Sited on an acre of land, the main house includes four bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and four wood-burning fireplaces that are all originals from the 19th-century construction. The first floor is host to a living room, a den, a library, and a study, offering plenty of space for living and entertaining, as well as being productive for those who work from home. Upstairs, the master suite has a walk-in closet and a fireplace.
Renovated in 2018, the barn spans about 1,150 square feet and hosts a great room with a stage, a full bath, a half-bath, and a living room with a kitchenette. Both the barn and the main house have rental permits in place, and they each have their own driveway.
Rushforth-Worrell and her family purchased the home in 2012 for $965,000 with the intention of restoring and renovating. “We bought the property and immediately saw the opportunity,” she says. During their time with the property, they renovated, restored, and updated the mechanical and septic systems, all while maintaining the historical integrity of the property. The family is planning on moving, as their lives are more focused on the South Fork. “It’s a bittersweet decision, but we are all super excited about our move. We would like to live in a modern building and be as eco-conscious as possible, with a smaller footprint.”
Homeowners will be located close to Main Road vineyards and wineries. The property is about three miles west of Southold’s Main Street shops, and about seven miles from Greenport village.
See the listing: 1200 Indian Neck Lane in Peconic, listed by Rachel Louise Rushforth-Worrell of Brown Harris Stevens – Sag Harbor.
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