- A historic Bethlehem home hit the market and went viral on Facebook
- It was featured on the page "For The Love Of Old Houses"
- The property sits along Union Boulevard in the city's Rosemont neighborhood
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – A stately Bethlehem home on the market for nearly $1.1 million has seven bedrooms, five bathrooms, an inground pool and a whole lot of character.
So much, in fact, that the 1920s “all stone masterpiece” was featured Wednesday afternoon on the Facebook page “For The Love Of Old Houses,” where it had thousands of reactions and hundreds of comments and shares by Thursday morning.
“It was unbelievable,” said Rebecca Francis, associate broker for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox & Roach.
The three-story Federal-Style Georgian Colonial mansion at 1880 W. Union Blvd., sits on 1.27 acres and boasts a grand staircase, gourmet kitchen, meticulous landscaping and gardens and garaging for six vehicles (a two-car attached and a four-car detached garage).
“That's all insulated and a really incredible space,” Francis said. “If you’re a [car] collector it’s wonderful.”
Original features throughout
Many of the home's original features remain, including the hardwood and antique tile floors, arched and French doors, wall sconces and handcrafted built-ins.
There’s also Zuber & Cie wallpaper, made by a French company that is said to be the oldest surviving wallpaper manufacturer in the world.
"Another favorite area is on the side of the home by the driveway, where you have French doors leading from the dining room out to a beautiful covered patio. When the doors or windows are open, a wonderful breeze can be felt throughout the home."Rebecca Francis, associate broker for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox & Roach
“That is very old, beautiful original wallpaper," Francis said. "It’s so stunning and unique.
"And the rounded doors leading from the kitchen to the dining room have glass on the back and the glass doorknobs.”
The home was listed for sale eight days ago and has been viewed thousands of times on sites such as Redfin and Zillow.
And now, the listing is being admired not only by curious neighbors and Bethlehem residents, but by thousands across the country.
“It’s the kitchen,” Francis said of her favorite feature in the home. “It’s so glamorous and beautiful, but it’s also usable and functional. It’s just so well done, and the lighting and the island are superb.
"Another favorite area is on the side of the home by the driveway, where you have French doors leading from the dining room out to a beautiful covered patio. When the doors or windows are open, a wonderful breeze can be felt throughout the home."
‘I love that house!’
The home not only sits on a corner of the city’s historic Rosemont neighborhood, but it also seemingly was designed as the “centerpiece” of the area, said Debra Protchko, the co-listing agent.
"I’m going back through some of my notes and it was interesting to learn more details about the development of this neighborhood," Protchko said.
"Last night a friend showed me the Facebook post and this morning people have been reaching out saying, ‘I can’t believe it’s on there. I love that house!’”Rebecca Francis, associate broker for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox & Roach
News archives cite Dr. Robert Klotz as a main developer of the Rosemont section of West Bethlehem.
“From our research, they were using that area as a corridor to connect the community from the Allentown area all the way through west Bethlehem," Protchko said.
The tree-lined streets are a quiet oasis from city life, and photos of the home show it’s clear the owners have worked to maintain its charm.
“This home also was featured in Bethlehem’s Rooms to View [house and garden tour] in 2015,” Francis said.
“In terms of showings, we recently had a broker’s open house that was for brokers and preferred clients. We really had a wonderful turnout and we’re very happy with the response we got.
"But last night a friend showed me the Facebook post and this morning people have been reaching out saying, ‘I can’t believe it’s on there. I love that house!’”
