C O V E R S T O R Y

Hawk Hollow Ranch

Bucolic Elegance in a Coveted Setting

Privacy reigns supreme at this country retreat with a western vibe

By Barbara Louise Leiding

Bedminster, New Jersey--Tucked away in a corner of the earth known intimately to birds, horses and God, a superb and rather unusual home graces nearly 100 acres in the heart of the Somerset Hills.

Dubbed “Hawk Hollow Ranch,” it is located a stone's throw from the Trump National Golf Club, just beyond the Raritan River and the Fiddler's Elbow back nine.

Surrounded by woodland, the setting is supremely private--and yet shopping is within easy reach, along with access to major roads, airports and public transportation to New York City, approximately 50 miles away.

The unique blend of solitude, convenience and fine selection of golf makes the home equally suitable as a year-round residence or treasured weekend retreat.

It is this very dual quality--two diametrically opposed, yet desirable characteristics --that are prevalent throughout the home itself. Depending upon perspective, is it elegantly rustic? Or rustically elegant?

Either way, the bare wood motif hints at architectural roots more commonly found in Montana or Colorado, lending a note of the American west living large and well in New Jersey.

Upon first sight, the portico is enchanting, and yet exudes an air of rugged individualism with exposed beams, open air roof, and raw tree columns with outstretched branches.

Together, these design elements converge in a defiantly bold artistic statement and are reconfigured in the rear of the home for a covered patio.

There, spectacular views fill onlookers with an unparalleled sense of tranquility and peace--the kind only nature can supply.

On the grounds, an expansive and turnkey facility will be immediately accommodating to the equestrian with a dozen horses or more--or it could be run as an income-producing enterprise--with or without a herd of cattle.

The choice is yours in this captivating home. Name your lifestyle. Call it an east coast retreat infused with a Rocky Mountain vibe--or a place to unwind after an invigorating day on the links

This property was listed and sold by William Landesman of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Bernardsville, New Jersey. He can be reached on (908) 797-9424 or by email: homes@williamlandesman.com.

P L A C E S & E V E N T S

Natirar: A Royal Walk in the Park

The King of Morocco once owned Natirar, now a Somerset County Park

Everyone loves a park, a treasured public space designed for ball games, fireworks and exploring nature. But when is a park more than a park?

When your horse is allowed to trot freely on the grounds.
When a sign warns bicycles and people must yield to horses.
When dog walkers outnumber walkers without dogs.
When the King of Morocco once owned the country estate at the crest of the mountain, but never once stepped foot in it.

The correct answer is all of the above.

What's in a Name?

The curious experience of Natirar begins with its curious name. While many New Jersey towns and places have borrowed words from Native Americans, Natirar is not one of them. Instead, the name was derived from the Raritan River, which traverses the property, only the spelling is reversed to spell N-a-t-i-r-a-r.

This unusual naming convention was employed by the original owners of Natirar, Kate Macy Ladd and Walter Graeme Ladd. Before moving to the Somerset Hills, they had christened their Bar Harbor home "Eegonos," the opposite spelling of "Sonogee."

The couple later commissioned the same architect, Guy Lowell, noted for designing landmark buildings in New York and Boston, to construct a 30,000 square-foot country estate in central New Jersey on what was then 1,000 acres straddling Bedminster, Far Hills and Peapack-Gladstone. Read Story...

C O N T E N T S