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The Forester's Cottage, A 19th C. French Chateau

The Forester's Cottage, A 19th C. French Chateau

Photo gallery for The Forester's Cottage, A 19th C. French Chateau

This 19th century French country estate resonates with beauty and history.
Morning light on the Forester's Cottage.
Front porch overlooking the walled garden, mountains & stable house.
Cascading lawns and walled garden below, here is the view from the front porch.
Property grounds

Overview of The Forester's Cottage, A 19th C. French Chateau

9.8 out of 10 Exceptional
5 bedrooms4 bathroomsSleeps 10

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Free WiFi
  • Outdoor space

Explore the area

Milford, PA
  • Popular LocationGrey Towers National Historic Site9 min walk
  • Popular LocationThe Upper Mill18 min walk
  • Popular LocationDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area4 min drive
  • AirportAllentown, PA (ABE-Lehigh Valley Intl.)88 min drive

Rooms & beds

5 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Corner Suite

Forest Room

Garden Room

Porch Room

Tower Room

4 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Bathroom 3

Bathroom 4

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining Area

About this property

The Forester's Cottage, A 19th C. French Chateau

The Forester's Cottage is a historic 19th century French country estate only 1.5 hours from New York City. Designed by architects McKim, Mead and White, the Forester's Cottage was built in 1897, with wide porches, thick stone walls, French windows, intricate ironwork and a slate-roofed tower. The chateau is part of the original Grey Towers Estate, home of Gifford Pinchot, the nation's first conservationist. It was designated by Congress as a National Historic Site in 1990.

The elegant interior of this 6-bedroom, 4-bath house has all the original details. You will feel as though you have stepped back in time. The bedrooms are spacious and comfortable. The old-fashioned kitchen is fully equipped with modern appliances and yet utterly charming. The working fireplace in the living room makes the house cozy and delightful in every season. There is wifi throughout the house.

Due to its sophisticated 19th C environmental design, its location and its thick stone walls, the house maintains comfortable temperatures during very hot weather without requiring air conditioning. Simple instructions for maintaining comfortable temperatures (ie windows closed on hot days, open at night, etc) are provided on the premises.

The Grounds

The stone house sits at the edge of a pine forest within hearing distance of a 60-foot waterfall fed by a mountain stream that courses through a cathedral of ancient moss-covered cliffs. The veranda is the focal point of the house. As you sit on the wicker chairs, you can hear the Sawkill Falls and watch your children as they play on the lawn. The view is breathtaking. In the distance the clouds and sky mingle with the hills of the Delaware Valley. In the middle distance sits the walled garden enclosing boxwood hedges, giant Italian urns, fruit trees, a vegetable garden and open lawns.

Also within the walled garden, discreetly tucked out of sight, is the fenced and beautifully landscaped swimming pool. The pool may be shared with occupants of another, smaller house on the property, The Stable House, also rentable.

Secure behind a wrought-iron electronic gate, the Forester’s Cottage is a private setting for family gatherings and yet only a half-mile from the charming town of Milford, PA, with its shops, art galleries, and restaurants.

History

This property is the privately owned part of Grey Towers, a Richard Morris Hunt mansion commissioned by James Pinchot in 1884. Pinchot’s two sons, Gifford and Amos, inherited the property in 1908 and went on to offer distinguished service to their country. Gifford was one of the nation’s first conservationists and first head of the United States Forest Service (1905-1910). Later, he was a two-term Governor of Pennsylvania. Both Amos and Gifford were founders of the Progressive Party. They spent their summers at Grey Towers until they died. Amos’s children inherited the Forester’s Cottage, and Gifford’s son, inherited Grey Towers, which he later donated to the Forest Service to serve as a center for environmental and natural resource policy. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy dedicated the Pinchot Institute for Conservation Studies as “a living memorial” to Gifford Pinchot’s “practical idealism” in developing “a professional approach to the management of our nation’s resources.”

Grey Towers is open to visitors for tours. But as our guest, you can walk their grounds until dusk as if you were a 19th century guest of the Pinchots, wandering its beautiful gardens and gazing into the “Finger Bowl,” a wisteria-covered dining table where dinner guests floated food on wooden bowls as they sat around the bluestone rim.



Property manager

Tammy

Amenities

Pool
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Outdoor space

House Rules

Check in after 2:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 28
Check out before 12:00 PM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
We ask you to only smoke outside on the porches.
Final agreement contingent upon signing additional lease and liability agreements upon booking. Draft agreements can be viewed on the site.
If pool is shared with renters in adjacent house, renters must work out space and time for the other house to use pool or be able to share pool.
No heavy partying.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector

We should mention

A car is required for transportation to and from this property

About the area

Milford

Located in Milford, this vacation home is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Grey Towers National Historic Site and The Upper Mill are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and High Point State Park. Take in the nearby slopes with cross-country skiing and skiing, or check out other outdoor activities such as sledding.

What's nearby

  • Grey Towers National Historic Site - 9 min walk
  • The Upper Mill - 18 min walk
  • Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area - 4 min drive
  • The Columns Museum - 4 min drive
  • Delaware River - 5 min drive

Getting around

  • Newark Liberty Intl. Airport (EWR) - 87 min drive

Restaurants

  • McDonald's - 12 min drive
  • Wendy's - 11 min drive
  • Perkins Restaurant and Bakery - 11 min drive
  • Taco Bell - 12 min drive
  • Dunkin' - 4 min drive

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 35 out of 37 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 37 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 37 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 37 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 37 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Robert S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing Stay at the Forester's Cottage!
We had an amazing time staying at the Forester's Cottage. It was a fun, unique experience that we will all cherish and remember for years to come. Our stay at the Cottage and exploring the grounds truly gave us a sense of peace and respite. It was rejuvenating and reinvigorating. We felt as though we stepped back to a simpler time where we could focus on good conversation. All of us -- including the kids -- enjoyed wandering around the house, the grounds, the pool, the forest, and just sitting on the porch during sunset. The home was much larger than we had expected. The pictures do not do it justice. It was a wonderful time and I hope we will be able to take another trip here again. One thing that we were a little concerned about before our stay was the lack of air conditioning. However, that concern was all for nothing. Even though we stayed in the middle of the summer, the home was quite cool, especially at night; it was well designed for summer use, with its construction and its location up the mountain and next to the forest. I wish my home was anywhere near that efficient with keeping me cool.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Mary A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Living with History
Our family had a wonderful time at the Forester’s Cottage. Our stay there was a step back in time, modern comforts but an overall feel of living one hundred years ago. As soon as you pass through the gate, you feel as though the modern world has slipped away, leaving you to fully enjoy family and nature. The falls are spectacular, as are the trails and grounds about the cottage. All in all, a beautiful experience that we hope to have again.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Julie S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
One of a Kind!
We were transported to a French estate for a week. The Forrester's Cottage was well appointed with antiques and filled with rich history. We all agreed sitting on the porch gazing at the beautiful view of the property was exquisite. We walked to the waterfalls several times which was a great thing to do in the morning or late afternoon. Having access to Gray Towers was an added benefit. The town of Millford is quaint and close to everything you need. Highly recommend this property. Thank you Tammy!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

8/10 Good

Andrey K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect quiet getaway
A beautiful chateau with old world charm - we were able to cook every day and just spend the vacation at the house with its private pool and beautiful grounds.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Lee C., Chatham

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Gorgeous property and home
A unique property with a beautiful pool and a short walk to one of the most beautiful waterfalls one could imagine
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022

About the host

Hosted by Tammy

Host profile image
Grandchildren of the Pinchot family still own this 20 acres of land and we are happy to make available the Forester's Cottage especially to environmental buffs who will appreciate the historical importance of this site that housed Gifford Pinchot's first Forestry School.
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