109 Pearl Street

For the first time since 1892, one of Kingston's remarkable historic stone houses is being offered for sale. Set privately back from the street yet just steps from the heart of Uptown, 109 Pearl Street is a designated Kingston landmark with a story spanning three centuries. Built circa 1750 for Cornelius and Catherine Masten, the original stone house survived the burning of Kingston by British forces in 1777 and evolved over generations into the distinctive home that stands today. In 1892, the house became the home and studio of the beloved artist Julia McEntee Dillon, whose talent flourished alongside Hudson River School painters, including her cousin Jervis McEntee. Regarded during her lifetime as ''the greatest living flower painter'' in the United States, Dillon left her own architectural imprint on the property, where artists and friends gathered. Period accounts recall evenings by the fire and the pleasures of its ''room-like porch and garden.''The house was later expanded and updated by noted Kingston architect Myron Teller and, in 1940, was bequeathed to the Old Dutch Reformed Church, serving as its parsonage ever since. Today, generously proportioned rooms, high ceilings, five fireplaces--three currently in use--original stonework and layers of architectural detail give the home its singular character. Its substantial scale and flexible layout offer abundant possibilities for living, working and gathering, including a suite of upstairs rooms with a private entrance particularly well suited for hosting guests. The expansive covered porch creates an outdoor room of its own, overlooking quarter-acre grounds that feel remarkably private for a home in the heart of the city. An attached garage completes the setting. Such ample space is uncommon among Kingston's legendary stone houses. And yet the historic Stockade District is right at hand, with restaurants, cafés, galleries, shops and the farmers market all within easy reach--a compelling combination of privacy, space and walkable city living. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a Kingston landmark, the property is eligible for New York State's Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit program for owner-occupied homes. Not offered on the open market in more than 130 years, 109 Pearl Street is ready for its next steward--and the next chapter in its story.