Filed under: Design, News, Buying, Lifestyle
They had me at the fireplaces. There is something about a massive stone fireplace or nine that just gets my heart going pitter-patter. The Camp Kwenogamac lodge on New York's Long Lake -- listed for sale now at $6,495,000 and built in 1903 for the surgeon who literally wrote the textbook on the use of antiseptics -- hosted diplomats, opera singers, and a number of celebrity contemporaries, including Helen Keller and her teacher, Anne Sullivan, and Gene Tunney, the champion prizefighter.
Secluded and surrounded by wilderness, the 42-acre gated estate was completely renovated, beginning in 2000, and is now a green, self-sufficient home. The original historic lodge, now used in summer, has six bedrooms and three fireplaces, along with a historic library.
The new guest lodge, suitable for year-round use, has three bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, a great room with full kitchen, and another three fireplaces.
%Gallery-126751%
The piece de resistance may be the year-round-use floating boathouse, with a second story great room that I wouldn't ever want to leave. And yes, another three fireplaces.
The property has 1,233 feet of sandy beach frontage, and a hiking trail loop that's also suitable for snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, and which goes past the original owner's graveyard. There is a 750-foot deep well.
There is also a ton of history here. The property was built for Dr. John Gerster who, in the interests of serving his guests' sophisticated palates, often had fresh lobster delivered from New York City by train and iced at every stop.
Actress Sigourney Weaver and her husband own the property next door. John Burke of Sotheby's International Realty has the listing.
Got a tip for House of the Day? Know of an exceptional or unusual property currently listed for sale? Please email ann.brenoff@huffingtonpost.com with your suggestions and be sure to include links to listing details and photos. (Due to the volume of response, we unfortunately are unable to respond to each submission.)
See more Houses of the Day on AOL Real Estate.
More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
Get property tax help from our experts.