Tower Hill Farm Lists for $10 Million, Offering a Rare Gilded Age Estate in New Jersey

One of New Jersey’s most storied private estates has quietly reemerged. Tower Hill Farm, a 20-acre property in Middletown, is now listed for $10 million, marking its first time on the market in more than seven decades.

The offering stands apart not only for its scale, but for its layered history. Designed in 1932 by architect Alfred Hopkins, with landscape work by pioneering designer Martha Brookes Hutcheson, the estate reflects a level of craftsmanship and planning rarely preserved in its original form.

Originally commissioned by Herbert Straus of the Macy’s family, the property carries both architectural and personal significance, adding another dimension to its presence.

Tower Hill Farm reads less like a single residence and more like a small village. Its design draws from European precedents, with details that feel transported rather than replicated.

A clock tower rises above the property, acting as both landmark and focal point. Gothic arches frame passageways, while ivy-covered stone courtyards create moments of enclosure throughout the grounds. Ludowici tile roofs and hand-carved oak doors reinforce the estate’s attention to material and detail.

Winding pebble drives connect each structure, guiding movement through the landscape in a way that feels intentional yet unforced.

The estate’s equestrian elements have been carefully maintained, preserving a key part of its identity. Paddocks and a barn remain in place, alongside granite hitching posts and original stone fountains that speak to the property’s earlier rhythms.

These features are not presented as relics. They continue to define how the land can be used, offering opportunities that extend beyond residential living into equestrian or agricultural pursuits.

Wisteria and English ivy move across the structures, softening the edges and reinforcing the sense of time layered into the property.

Beyond its physical attributes, Tower Hill Farm carries a notable historical link through its original owner. Herbert Straus was the son of Isidor and Ida Straus, whose story aboard the RMS Titanic remains one of the most widely remembered from the tragedy.

This connection places the estate within a broader narrative, tying it to a moment that continues to resonate more than a century later. It adds a dimension that cannot be recreated, one rooted in lineage and legacy.

Set among open meadows and tree-lined boundaries, the property offers a level of privacy that feels increasingly rare in the region. At the same time, its location in Middletown keeps it within reach of New York City, allowing for a balance between retreat and accessibility.

That duality defines much of the estate’s appeal. It functions as a place apart while remaining connected to one of the country’s primary cultural and economic centers.

Tower Hill Farm is listed by Kelly Zaccaro of Heritage House Sotheby’s International Realty, presenting what can be considered a singular opportunity within the current market.

Properties of this scale, with this level of preservation and historical continuity, rarely become available. The estate stands as one of New Jersey’s last authentic links to the Gilded Age, offering a perspective on luxury that is shaped by time, craftsmanship, and the stories embedded within its walls.