Rare opportunity to buy a country retreat, an easy drive away from Boston, a place to appreciate the natural world and to treasure life in an authentic setting. Birds and wildlife abound on this 23 acre property of fields and woods abutting protected forestlands and trails that are maintained by both Harvard Forest and The Trustees of Reservations. Set out from the front door to hike, bike, fish, horseback ride, swim, pick blueberries, tap trees for maple syrup, ice skate or cross country ski.

Unique for both its privacy as well as its easy access to Petersham's charming town center, this special property is a peaceful walk to The Country Store for coffees, teas, newspapers and delicious treats such as freshly baked in-house pastries, breakfast sandwiches, homemade soups, salads, wine, craft beers and select groceries. Enjoy summer Sunday bandstand concerts on the Town Green or fill your baskets with locally grown foods from the outdoor Friday Market with its live music and village feel.

The Home and Property:

This magnificently restored, sunlit, antique colonial farm house sits atop a hill surrounded by mature oaks and maples. Built as a formal residence with 10 fireplaces, it boasts an unusually spacious and gracious floor plan with many original features as well as turn of the century flourishes. New systems from top to bottom include roof, plumbing, heating, electrical, septic, and deep artesian well.

Gorgeous eat in kitchen features commercial range/oven, an extra large farmhouse sink, and a 2 inch thick walnut island as a center around which to gather cook and share. Step outside onto a mahogany deck to sit and watch the sun set. Invite friends to feast, surrounded by a hand painted mural in the dining room. Double fire-placed living room, perfect for entertaining, has French doors spilling out to a landscaped terrace. Four season glass porch, two parlors and bathroom complete the elegant first floor.

Four second floor bedrooms all have fireplaces and closets. The master bedroom suite with dressing room/study and huge copper bathtub welcomes you to relax.

Ground level, full laundry, boasts laundry shoot from second floor and antique soapstone sink. The windowed art room/ project area with tool bench has new electric zone heating. Fieldstone walled, full height utility service room with connecting basement spaces allows for ample storage and wine cellar location.

Perennial beds, lilac grove and established plantings surround the house. Moss covered field stone walls bound the side yards and wind through the entire property. Pea stone kitchen garden has raised beds filled with lavender, basil, geranium, citronella, parsley, rosemary and thyme. Apples, crab apples and walnut trees make the gardens a resource for the table.

The Town:

Seventy-five minutes west from Cambridge. Set up high to capture cool summer breezes, the historic colonial town of Petersham has long been a retreat for Bostonians. Neighboring the Quabbin Reservoir and home to Harvard University's Fisher Museum and 3,000 acre Harvard Forest, more than eighty percent of Petersham's open space is conserved. Pristine ponds, streams, and rivers tempt naturalists, outdoor and sports enthusiasts of all kinds.