Built 1902 (1902) Opened 1902 Added to NRHP 14 July 1988 | NRHP Reference # 88001044 Area 6 ha | |
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Location Juniper Hill Rd., Windsor, Vermont Architectural style Colonial Revival architecture Similar Old Constitution House, Mount Ascutney, Cornish Colony Museum, Ascutney Mountain Resort | ||
Juniper Hill Farm, also known historically as Juniper Hill Inn and the Maxwell Evarts House, is a historic estate and mansion house on Juniper Hill Road in Windsor, Vermont. Built in 1902 by Maxwell Evarts, it is a large and elaborate example of Colonial Revival architecture. Evarts was a prominent New York lawyer, who played host to two presidents of the United States here. The property has seen a variety of commercial uses since the death of Evarts' son in 1936. As the Juniper Hill Inn, it was featured in the opening episodes of Hotel Hell. It was sold at a foreclosure auction in 2014, and in 2016 reopened as the Windsor Mansion Inn. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
Description and history
Juniper Hill Farm stands atop the crest of a hill northwest of Windsor's main village, and is accessed via a winding drive on the north side of Juniper Hill Road. The main house is a large U-shaped 2-1/2 story wood frame structure, oriented with the open end of the U to the north, facing terraced landscaping. The central portion of the U is covered by a dormered hip roof, while the wings are only two stories in height, also covered by hip roofs. The original main entrance is at the center of the southern facade, sheltered by a small gabled portico; it has flanking sidelight windows and a semi-oval transom window. A portion of an open colonnade of fluted Doric columns (once extending across the entire facade and covered by an arbor trellis, all since removed) projects in front of the entrance. The interior retains many original features, including elegant woodwork, a butler's pantry with original cabinets, and a library with paneled walls and fine oak shelving.
Maxwell Evarts was the son of William M. Evarts, a prominent lawyer notable for (among other accomplishments) his role in the impeachment of Andrew Johnson. The younger Evarts followed his father into the profession, also moving in high political circles due to his involvement with the Union Pacific Railroad. The Evarts family was also closely associated with sculptor Augustus St. Gaudens, whose summer studio (now a National Historic Site) was just across the Connecticut River in Cornish, New Hampshire. This house was built (apparently to designs by Maxwell Evarts) in 1902, on land that had been accumulated by the elder Evarts. Evarts made the estate his home until his death in 1913, playing host to Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson in that time. The property remained in the Evarts family until 1944, when it was sold by the ex-wife of Maxwell Evarts' son. The property has served most of the time since then as an inn and restaurant, but has also seen use as a retreat center and nursing home. It was sold to a bank for $405,000 at a foreclosure action in 2014. It reopened in 2016 as the Windsor Mansion Inn.