105 Rensselaer Road, Essex Fells, NJ 07021

Overlooking the Essex Fells skating pond on nearly an acre, this 1904 estate was designed by Philadelphia architect Laurence Visscher Boyd as part of the Drexel family's original development of the borough on land that once included the pond. A first story of rock-faced fieldstone sits beneath cedar shingles, and stone terraces step down toward the water, which becomes a skating rink in winter and a field of wildflowers each summer. Original craftsmanship defines the interior: Colonial columns and an elliptical archway, a recessed staircase with mahogany rail, an oak library with Pompeian brick fireplace, and an oak dining room with its original plate rail. Hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings and fine millwork run across 6,555 square feet on 3 levels, with 8 bedrooms and 4 baths offering room for guests and a home office. Modern updates include a custom kitchen and breakfast room with radiant heat, first-floor laundry, renovated primary bath (2015), and third-floor bath (2022), central...