| Notes: |
Step back in time to a simpler life! Before cell phones, before computers, before television, before radios and even before electricity, this lovely Queen Anne Victorian Twin with emerging Colonial Revival influences began its life on Woodland Road! For those that know & live in this little pocket community, it's a wonderful area of less than 1 square mile. For those that come to discover Wyncote, they love it's old-world charm. As the railroad barons began expanding their routes, the owners of the North Penn Railroad, at the urging of local residents & business owners, established a flag stop in 1859 at what is now the Jenkintown-Wyncote SEPTA train station. Usage of this stop became so frequent, that in 1890 (in conjunction with the building of the Reading Terminal Market), a more formal station was constructed to service this area. Now that frequent service provided easy access to the masses in downtown Philadelphia, real estate developers and wealthy citizens began purchasing large tracts of land. Woodland Road is one of the earliest developments that created a unique Victorian aesthetic in the late 1800's. Many of these original properties were constructed to provide housing to city dwellers that would take the train out for rest & relaxation in the country as boarding houses (think of an AirB&B of the time!) or summer rentals. In 1885, A real estate developer named Willis P. Hazard purchased 19 acres and immediately set out to lay the road and sell lots off to other developers. The first 4 housing units on the street, closest to the train station, were two sets of Twins. All four of these units were owned by a Dr. J. Elwood Peters. Dr. Peters was a practicing physician in Jenkintown and purchased 6 lots on Woodland Road. He likely kept these as rental units for those summer travelers. Perfectly sited high on the hill, and just 2 blocks from the SEPTA station (with the best scheduled service to Temple University, downtown Philadelphia, the Drexel University and University of Pennsylvania campuses and even the airport), it's located on a lightly traveled street with great long-distance, Southerly views beyond the fenced backyard. A welcoming front porch is the perfect place to relax during the evenings with a glass of wine & watch the sunsets. Step into the foyer, and all the rich, original details begin to unfold, from the Dutch door with intricate carvings to the hand-carved balusters. The large foyer has a coat rack and a powder room tucked under the stairs. Surprisingly open for the era, the living & dining rooms are one huge 31' room. The living room has a brick, wood-burning fireplace, while the dining room has a large pantry/china closet and a lovely bay window overlooking the rear yard. The efficient eat-in kitchen is certainly eclectic, yet has all the necessary S/S appliances including a 36 5-burner gas stove with two ovens and a French-door S/S fridge. A unique, step-down family room addition was added to the rear of the home that has a wall of windows and a vaulted ceiling. There are three large bedrooms on the 2nd floor, with the primary bedroom having 2 closets. There is a hall bathroom, and the most delightful office with an eyebrow dormer window! The hallway on both the 2nd & third floors are quite wide, and there is even a large Palladian window that floods the stairway with afternoon light. On the 3rd floor, there are 2 more large bedrooms, the 2nd full bathroom and the laundry. Rare for this vintage of homes, it has central A/C! Step outside, and you enter your own private oasis, affording complete privacy due to the elevated nature of the lot, privet hedges & fencing. A large deck wraps around the side & back of the home. It's a beautifully preserved property, within walking distance to everything that Wyncote has to offer. |
