Historic Mansion Goes to Auction (AGAIN)

The Mr. Local History Project (MLHP) shared the history of this iconic property back in 2000 when the Froh Heim estate in Far Hills went up for auction. Fast forward to 2024, and we recently found out that the historic home is once again on the market. So if you like historic estates and want to be right in the mix for the next Far Hills Race Meeting, you have a chance again to own a piece of Jersey history.

The Founder of Far Hills Estate Hits the Auction Block

Go back to 1917—Grant Schley dies, and son Evander B. (known as Van / 1883-1952) takes ownership of Froh Heim, tears it down, and builds a new Spanish-styled Froh Heim. The year before, The New Jersey Hunt Cup moved to Grant Schley’s Froh-Heim Estate in what was then called Bernards. (Today, it is Far Hills/Bedminster.) The New Jersey Hunt Cup race remains on the Far Hills Race Meeting’s race card today at the same location.

Few Froh Heim Facts

Grant B. Schley, a wealthy banker and broker, began constructing Froh Heim (which means “Happy Home” in German) in 1887. It was the centerpiece of the Schley family’s 3,000-acre estate in Far Hills. The town of Far Hills owes its name to Elizabeth Schley, who was inspired by the picturesque landscape of the surrounding “far hills.”In its heyday, Froh Heim boasted a live-in staff of 36 servants and played host to various events.

The original house, built in the late 1800s, had Japanese accents and was eventually torn down by Evander B. Schley, Grant’s son after his father died in 1917. A Spanish-style stone and stucco house replaced the original estate with a red-tile roof designed by architects Peabody, Wilson & Brown of New York.

In the 1930s, architect F. Burrall Hoffman, Jr. carried out further alterations. In 1916, Froh Heim began hosting the annual New Jersey Hunt Cup Steeplechase, one of the first such races in the United States, which is now known as the Far Hills Race Meeting. The current property, located at 132 Liberty Corner Road, Far Hills, includes the tile-topped mansion and approximately 11 acres of surrounding land, with a modern three-bedroom home on the footprint of a former horse stable.

2009 Auction Description

Concierge Auctions is having a sale in Far Hills – September 28, 2009.

The newly restored Froh Heim estate, German for “Happy Home,” features a stone and stucco exterior with Mediterranean-style architecture.  It boasts 16 rooms with seven bedrooms, eight and a half baths, and an array of luxury appointments including an elegant new Leonardis kitchen, two new Waterworks custom baths, and eight fireplaces.  A dramatic 47-foot great banquet hall dining room with a majestic fireplace and soaring ceiling is illuminated by four elaborate crystal chandeliers and features French doors opening onto a private formal courtyard garden with a fountain.  Rare period details are found throughout the residence: intricately laid hardwood floors (some original to a Spanish Galleon and some to a French chalet), imported French limestone, delicate moldings, rich paneling, hand-crafted fireplace surrounds, 19th-century European crystal chandeliers, hand-hewn beamed wood ceilings, and antique windows, doors, and hardware.  Modern plumbing, electrical systems, and central air conditioning ensure comfortable, hassle-free living.

There is also a restored swimming pool with a cabana and fireplace, a separate “Gentlemen’s Retreat” including a wine cellar with hand-hewn beams, and a stable and barn with eight stalls and two caretaker apartments.  The expansive walled gardens, originally created by noted designer E.B. Shipman, have been faithfully restored and provide a tranquil setting ideal for entertaining.

Step back a few years, and here’s what used to make up the estate:

“Froh Heim stables and this two-story recreation building complete with bowling alleys, glass-roofed tennis court, game rooms, living room, and even a Turkish Bath are on the Moorland Farms. The estate’s inside was also said to contain a full-size teepee and a room with 60 silver grey wasp nests on the ceiling.”

Designed by noted New York City architects Peabody, Wilson & Brown, Froh Heim was originally the home of Grant B. Schley, a mining industrialist.  Schley’s wife Elizabeth remarked over the beautiful view of the “far hills,” thus giving the village of Far Hills, NJ, its future name.  F. Burrall Hoffman Jr. made additional alterations in the 1930s. The property was recently renovated by respected local builder Heritage Premier Properties. It garnered the coveted 2009 Award of Excellence for Best Historic Residential Renovation by the Community Homebuilders Association of New Jersey.   This noble property has been masterfully restored to showcase its inherent charm and splendor while incorporating every conceivable modern luxury.  The result is a thoroughly livable estate with an unparalleled pedigree.

Address:
132 Liberty Corner Road, Far Hills, New Jersey

Other Fun Jersey History