About 117 Hopewell Rocky Hill Road
Booknoll Farm | An Exceptional Circa 1750 Hopewell Farmstead on 2.5 Acres
Set on serene, tree-lined private grounds at the edge of Hopewell Borough, this circa-1750 homestead – held by only three families in well over a century – offers a rare combination of historic character, comprehensive modernization, and enduring privacy, just fifteen minutes from downtown Princeton. Bordered on three sides by a working horse farm and set approximately 410 feet back from the road, Booknoll Farm enjoys a uniquely quiet, protected setting, with open field views, a meandering front-yard stream, and grounds layered with mature trees, gardens, and old stone walls. The result is a true countryside retreat, remarkably close to town yet removed from it.
The main residence offers generously proportioned rooms. Exposed structural beams and freshly refinished pine and oak floors carry the home's original character. A sun-filled eat-in kitchen, anchored by a fireplace, granite counters, wine fridge, and a new KitchenAid hyper-heat range with built-in air fryer, flows to a formal dining room and twin front parlors that serve as living and family rooms. Five bedrooms occupy the upper levels, including a primary suite with a beautifully renovated 2025 ensuite featuring a custom shower and Kohler rainhead, and a handsome north-facing study, the writing room of former owner Keith Robertson, author of the beloved Henry Reed children's series. Beyond the main house, a pergola frames long views across the surrounding fields to Mt Rose, while a private tennis and pickleball court and multiple outdoor living areas give the property the texture and quiet of a country estate.
A newly renovated 1,200 sq ft carriage house – once the home of Elisabeth Woodburn's internationally renowned rare-book firm, whose collection was famously called the "Library of Congress of gardening," and which gave the property its lasting name – is ideally suited as a guest house, studio, library, or workspace. A detached three-bay garage with Level 2 EV charging, and capacity for additional chargers, completes the offering.
Behind its historic finishes, the home has been comprehensively brought current: a new 2025 anaerobic septic system rated for five bedrooms, updated electrical, public water, new 2026 Samsung hyper-heat pumps, replaced windows (2018), freshly repainted exteriors (2026), refinished hardwood floors throughout, a remodeled living room and primary ensuite, a new backyard pergola, and integrated indoor/outdoor Bluetooth audio.
All permits are closed.
Booknoll Farm sits within easy reach of the village it pre-dates: the cafés, shops, and restaurants of Hopewell Borough, the new Whole Foods ten minutes away, Princeton just three miles, and Princeton Junction twenty-five minutes. Manhattan is reachable in 43 minutes on Amtrak's fastest service, or roughly 50 on NJ Transit.
A setting this storied, this private, and this comprehensively renewed rarely comes to market. A named historic estate at the edge of the Borough, ready for its next chapter.
