874 Middletown RoadGrafton, VT 05146Price: $1,650,000

Set along picturesque Middletown Road, just beyond the historic village of Grafton, this elegant five-bedroom residence enjoys a setting that feels both timeless and deeply peaceful. Perhaps it is the pleasing symmetry and classic proportions of the c.1815 brick Federal home with its Georgian floor plan. Perhaps it is the views of rolling meadows and rounded hills that unfold in both directions. Or perhaps it is simply the feeling of being here--a quiet sense of belonging that is difficult to explain and impossible to forget. Filled with natural light, the property has a welcoming spirit. A pond, apple orchard, perennial gardens, blueberry bushes, ancient maple trees, and historic stone walls create a landscape rich in beauty. The home sits along a quiet gravel road that forms part of one of Grafton's favorite four-mile walking loops, while trails meander through the property's 66 acres of fields and woodland. The Saxtons River traces one edge of the property. In the early nineteenth century, Major Benjamin Dwinell and his wife, Mehitable, built this home and raised eleven children here. The family prospered from the land, tending a large flock of sheep and cultivating one of the most productive apple orchards in town. By the late 1800s, Grouse Hill had begun a new chapter as a country retreat for a New York family. Over the years it has served as a boarding house, an inn, a full-time residence, and a cherished second home. Through each chapter, it has remained what it is today: a gracious and welcoming place that draws people in, encourages them to linger, and leaves a lasting impression. 22 miles from Okemo. 2 hours 44 minutes from Boston and 4 hours 19 minutes from New York.