1. New Jersey
2. Princeton
3. 82 LIBRARY PLACE

82 LIBRARY PLACE, Princeton, NJ 08540

• 7 beds |
• 6 baths

Property Description

Presenting the meticulously restored and sensitively modernized home of Woodrow Wilson, a spectacular Tudor Revival on Princeton’s most iconic Western section block. The award-winning project, overseen by architect Ron Berlin and the master builders of Baxter Construction, was a seven-year labor of love. The goal was much broader than just creating a welcoming home for future generations or a sophisticated venue for lavish entertaining. Reviving the burnished woodwork and repairing countless leaded glass windows also paid homage to the artisans of bygone times and, most importantly, the costly undertaking rescued an irreplaceable piece of history from neglect. Along with Monticello, it is one of only two functional houses in the country to have been designed and built by a US President. The Wilsons moved into their dream home in 1896 and the door was always open for Princeton students who wished to meet with their revered professor or attend classes in his grand foyer. The splendid library, an oak-paneled room off the foyer created by the current owners, feels like the perfect spot for intellectual fireside debate. The dining room, through stained glass pocket doors, is a tribute to Princeton’s beautiful campus with its most treasured landmarks hand-painted on the canvas-lined walls. Bright and elegant describes the adjoining living room crowned with a plaster tracery ceiling. One of the few added spaces is a greenhouse-inspired sunroom with custom wood windows, glass ceiling, French doors and a bar for keeping both plants and guests hydrated. It can be hard to distinguish between original and new cabinetry in the kitchen, where a copper drainboard sink and working dumbwaiter join a double Wolf range and an oiled bronze pot rack that lifts/lowers over a honed granite island. There is plenty of adjoining space for comfortable relaxation, plus access to two patios serenaded by a fountain and a cascading koi pond. A porte cochére-turned-office is positioned for privacy and stunning views through arched windows. Casual space for lounging exists both downstairs in the multi-room finished basement and upstairs in a former sleeping porch overlooking Wilson’s prized beech tree. Window seats and period mantels are some of the charming touches decorating four bedrooms on the second floor, including the primary suite with a coffee bar and a radiant-heated marble bathroom opening to a balcony. The skylit third floor with up to 3 more bedrooms feels like a private apartment with its own laundry, bath, and a cedar walk-in closet. There are countless details to admire within the home and innumerable plantings to discover in the gardens redesigned by Holly Nelson in 2022. Even the garage is a fully restored sight to behold.

Listing Status:

Active

Date Added:

May 12, 2025 at 05:00AM

Listing Office:

Callaway Henderson Sotheby's Int'l-Princeton : 6099211050

Listing Agent:

Barbara J Blackwell : 6099155000

MLS ID:

NJME2055422

Interior

• General: Primary Bath(s)Kitchen - IslandButlers PantrySkylight(s)Stain/Lead GlassElevatorDining AreaBathroom - Jetted TubBathroom - Walk-In ShowerBreakfast AreaBuilt-InsCedar Closet(s)Exposed BeamsFloor Plan - TraditionalFormal/Separate Dining RoomKitchen - Eat-InKitchen - GourmetUpgraded CountertopsWalk-in Closet(s)Wet/Dry BarWindow TreatmentsWood FloorsWine StorageBathroom - Tub ShowerCeiling Fan(s)Chair RailingsCrown MoldingsWainscotting
• Rooms: Living RoomDining RoomPrimary BedroomSitting RoomBedroom 2Bedroom 3Bedroom 4Bedroom 5KitchenGame RoomFamily RoomLibraryFoyerBreakfast RoomSun/Florida RoomLaundryOfficeSolariumStorage RoomBedroom 6Hobby RoomPrimary BathroomFull BathHalf BathAdditional Bedroom
• Appliances: Built-In RangeOven - DoubleOven - Self CleaningDishwasherRefrigeratorBuilt-In MicrowaveSix Burner StoveStainless Steel AppliancesWasherDryer - ElectricOven/Range - GasRange HoodWater Heater
• Laundry: BasementUpper Floor
• Basement: Fully FinishedWindowsHeatedInterior AccessWalkout StairsShelving
• Flooring: WoodTile/BrickStoneMarble
• A/C: Central A/CZoned
• Heating: YHot WaterRadiatorZonedRadiantNatural Gas
• Fireplace: WoodMantel(s)Non-FunctioningFireplaceFireplaces: 9
• Disability Feature: None

Exterior

Construction

Location

Lot

Utilities

Financial

This listing courtesy of Barbara J Blackwell, Callaway Henderson Sotheby's Int'l-Princeton