Lambertville's historic Mayor's Mansion is for sale for $1.9 million.
LAMBERTVILLE - One of the city's historical gems built for the mayor and his family in 1867 is now on the market for $1.9 million.
Referred to as the Mayor's Mansion, this residence sits on .47-acres of land, the largest lot downtown on a stretch of road locals refer to as "Millionaires Row." The property encompasses two lots, 119-121 N. Union St.
The mansion is being sold through Lisa James Otto Country Properties, a Realtor specializing in high-end historical properties. The house has been on the market for eight months, but Broker Associate Bonnie Eick said this is not unusual for a specialty home.
"This is the town's 'grande dame' and no detail has been overlooked," Eick said.
Lambertville's Mayor's Mansion (MORE PHOTOS)
The house is listed as having 17 rooms, but Eick said there is an 18th "secret" room accessible through a closet in the old maid's room. The house may have served as part of the Underground Railroad, with the room serving as a place to hiding former slaves, Eick said.
Although the house was constructed after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 and the end of the Civil War in 1865, the Underground Railroad continued in a reduced form until 1870 when the Fifteenth Amendment extended suffrage to African-Americans. In some cases it served to provide protection to those who escaped to Canada and now wanted to return to the United States.
"It's a small room the size of closet that has a few windows only able to fit one or two people," Eick said.
While extensive restoration work has been done, the property still maintains its historical charm while also having modern amenities. The most recent addition was an outdoor pool installed in 2007.
The home still holds some of its original features, including its original flooring, moulding, stone walls imported from Italy and fireplaces, which have been converted to gas. All of the furnishings inside the house are also for sale, including dining room chairs from the Louis XV period.
Restoration of Clawson House continues
The residence is split down the middle, with two connecting doors. Fred Eisinger of the Lambertville Historical Society said it is not known why it was built that way.
Rumor has it that the mayor built the house to include an in-law suite for his mother-in-law, Eisinger said.
Eick said prior to the current owners, who bought the property in 2005, one side of the house was used as a residence while the other was used as commercial space. Tenants included an art gallery and a furniture store, and it also served as a church for a congregation before they formed Old Rocks Church in West Amwell.