It’s our pleasure to now offer for rent the charming house we lovingly call ‘Slagmire’. Our commodious four-bedroom Craftsman-meets-Colonial Revival creekside property is located in the heart of the vibrant village of Chatham, NY.
We purchased this remarkable house from last of the fourth generation of a well-known local family that built it and occupied it for 100 years. We've been gradually restoring it room by room since 2013. There are 5 more to go (out of about 14) but every room is hospitable and comfortable just as it is.

The bright 13' x 15' kitchen is the heart of the house for us. It combines charming vintage details with modern functionality and is well equipped for people who like to cook, whether alone or as a group. The connecting pantry leads to the first floor bathroom. Who knows, it might be a smart little powder room by the time your stay begins, or it might still be the drab (but clean) holdover that we've endured for 12 years.

Also on the first floor, there is the ample dining room with numerous windows and funky old details; the study with its bookcases and beamed ceiling; and the living room, papered in William Morris and with more ceiling beamery and a working wood-burning fireplace. All the rooms have antique furnishings as can be seen in the pics.

From the gracious entry hall rises the oak main staircase (yes, there is also a back stair), to the broad second floor hallways. Two of the bedrooms have queen-size beds, and two of them have double beds. On the south end is the sleeping porch, basically a many-windowed, unheated fifth bedroom (and another double bed) overlooking the yard and pool (covered for winter) and the wooded Stony Kill creek far below the yard. Two full bathrooms are on this floor, both recently remodeled in vintage styling. One has a big clawfoot bathtub; the other has a splendid shower with steam-bath function.

The expansive, well-lit basement houses our work studios which aren't intended for tenant use, but the great big laundry room with three washtubs and five clothes lines for drying is at your disposal. There is even another (half) bathroom down there. 
As this is a winter rental, it’s important to note that the silent, steady heating of the house is done with cast-iron radiators operated by a quiet modern, efficient, propane boiler and a Nest thermostat. A young man is on call to shovel snow from the village sidewalk out front, and the front porch steps have automatic snow melting.

Outside, there are 2.3 acres of land keeping the neighbors at a polite distance, with the creek serving as the back boundary. It can be seen in winter from the west rooms upstairs. There is a detached carriage barn in which two cars could be parked.

The real magic of the place is this: from the back door you access a wooded slice of nature; from the front door, you can walk up the hill and be on Chatham’s quaint and busy Main Street in about four minutes, with the newly restored Crandell Cinema, a multitude of truly remarkable specialty stores, yoga, banking, Chatham Brewery, a friendly pub, and amazing dining. (The surrounding towns are also known for a variety of sumptuous restaurants.) For stocking the pantry, there is the sizable Price Chopper at the edge of town, the mostly organic Berry Farm just outside of town, and the Real Food co-op in the middle of town, to name a few.
While the region is still predominantly bucolic pastureland with working farms, a great number of the business proprietors are creative former New Yorkers, so the commercial atmosphere is full of pleasant surprises. 

The distance to the Amtrak station in Hudson, NY is 25 minutes. The ride to New York is 2 hours, rolling along the east bank of the Hudson River all the way.

As for us, retirement means exploring Europe in the cooler months and returning home for the gardening months. In our absence, we hope our home brings inspiration, cozy holidays, delight and discovery to the discerning and deserving occupant(s) who treat themselves to five months at our ‘Slagmire'.

About This Lister

We are three guys: a couple and a friend, who took on this house together and have enjoyed 12 years of using, improving and sharing it with friends and our families. We are collectors of interesting vintage objects, furnishings, books, and art, and we enjoy gardening and maintaining the property.