First-Time Find: Put Down Roots in King of Prussia for $299K

Back when King of Prussia was still a bucolic country crossroads, everyone knew "Hansen's." The home built in 1929 as the heart of their nursery operation is now a great place for you to put down roots.

472 S. Gulph Rd., King of Prussia, Pa., 19406 | TREND images via RE/MAX Achievers

472 S. Gulph Rd., King of Prussia, Pa., 19406 | TREND images via RE/MAX Achievers

Back before King of Prussia became King of Prussia, there were the Hansens, whose nursery was almost as well known locally as the inn that gave the community its name. Their Valley Forge Nurseries was an extensive operation; the property extended all the way from Gulph Road to Henderson Road, a distance of more than a mile.

Like any good farmers, the Hansens lived on their property. They were also good stewards of a legacy: they bought the nursery from its founder, Henry Frorer, who established it on the eve of the Great Depression. The cottage he built in 1929 at its entrance served as the nursery office and became a local landmark. Over the years, the Hansens expanded it and turned it into their home. The nursery has long since been subdivided, but the home remains intact, and now it can be yours for just a little bit of green.

The home retains the features that made it so picturesque on the outside, including mature trees, original stonework, stained glass and a clay tile roof.

On the inside, it’s been brought up to date in a historically sensitive fashion. Highlights include a stylish kitchen that’s open to the living room outfitted with all the latest in appliances and trim; a glass-enclosed sun room off the kitchen with a great view of the landscaped back yard, and a master bedroom with a soaring vaulted timbered ceiling.

The original pine floors throughout the home have been refinished, and there’s also a charming side porch and outdoor deck for you, your family and your guests to enjoy.

The Hansen cottage, the heart of Valley Forge Nurseries, in 1940. | Image: Postcard from the collection of the King of Prussia Historical Society

The Hansen cottage, the heart of Valley Forge Nurseries, in 1940. | Image: Postcard from the collection of the King of Prussia Historical Society

Plus, there’s a bonus. The original 1929 cottage, pictured in the 1940 postcard above, now forms one side of the current home, and its rear wing (on the left in the postcard) contains its own separate, wheelchair-accessible entrance that leads to a rustic family room and roll-in shower. The rear wing has its own separate zoned heat pump as well.

Located midway between the King of Prussia Mall and Gulph Mills, this English-style charmer is close to absolutely everything: shopping and dining in King of Prussia, the Schuylkill Expressway, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and SEPTA’s Gulph Mills station for transit into Upper Darby and Center City. Want to leave your car at home? A busy SEPTA bus route runs along Gulph Road and can take you to Valley Forge, King of Prussia’s center, Gulph Mills and the heart of the city.

THE FINE PRINT

BEDS: 3

BATHS: 2

SQUARE FEET: 1,854

PRICE:  $299,000

OTHER STUFF: This home is accessed via a private entrance and driveway off Glen Arbor Court.

472 S. Gulph Rd, King of Prussia Pa 19406 [ Marlene Sabella |RE/MAX Achievers]

Updated Dec. 8, 1:34 a.m., to correct the history of the home and the nursery.