On the Market: Historic B&B Inn in New Hope
The Umpleby House dates to 1833 and is all ready for you to become its next innkeeper — or turn it back into a private residence.
By the time William Umpleby built this house in 1830, New Hope had fully recovered from the 1790 mill fire that nearly sunk the town. Today New Hope is a tourist magnet for visitors from all over, and this house at 117 W. Bridge St., New Hope, PA 18938 has been redesigned to accommodate some of those visitors in grand Victorian style. You can either continue the tradition or turn it back into a private residence. / Photography by Sean Dooley via Addison Wolfe Real Estate
Of all the adult playgrounds scattered across the region, none quite equals New Hope. Long known for its welcoming residents, its acceptance of LGBTQ+ folks, and a unique vibe where artists and bikers happily get along with one another, the one-time mill town on the Delaware also attracts free spirits looking for a place where they can be who they are.
If that describes you, what might just be the ideal place to live in New Hope is currently on the market.
This New Hope historic inn house for sale is known as the Umpleby House. Built in 1833, it takes its name from the man who built it, a local mill owner named William Umpleby.
The house has both an interesting pedigree and an interesting history. It sits on the foundation of a house built in the 18th century that George Washington used as his army’s headquarters during the Revolution. And while its core, above, retains its original appearance, it has been modified several times over the years.
Exterior rear
Second-floor balcony
The first alteration was the rear addition, which the house’s then-owner, a Colonel Buckley, built in the 1880s. While the rear addition respects the original house’s colonial roots, its Victorian details inspired the house’s current owners to add the upper-floor balconies you see here in 2001.
Sketch promoting the Umpleby House B&B
The current owners rebuilt the Umpleby House as a bed-and-breakfast inn when they purchased it in 1985. If welcoming some of New Hope’s many visitors as an innkeeper appeals to you, all you need to do is buy this property furnished as is.
Living-dining room, front
Living-dining room, rear
That’s because the owners did a great job of loading it with Victorian charm. Stenciling in some rooms and patterned wallpaper in others give the house an authentic 19th-century feel.
Guest suite on first floor
So does the furniture in its living/dining room and its eight guest suites.
Guest suite on second floor
Third-floor guest room
Most of the guest rooms have fireplaces and en-suite baths.
Kitchen
The kitchen, while mid-century modern, also has stenciling in the style of the Victorian era.
Garage (left) and carriage house (right)
In addition to the main house, the property includes a garage and a two-story, one-bedroom, one-bath carriage house.
Carriage house balcony and backyard
The carriage house’s guest room has a covered balcony overlooking the shaded backyard.
Rear patio
The backyard also contains a patio.
As a going business, this New Hope historic inn house for sale is ready for you to take over as a turnkey property. But you don’t have to keep it an inn if you don’t want to. This house is also being offered for sale without the furnishings so that you can remodel it again and turn it back into a private residence. For instance, one of the first-floor guest rooms could become a formal dining room once again, and the third-floor bedroom — or one of the second-floor ones — could be transformed into a primary suite.
Follow this path and you will probably want to remove the jetted tubs in some of the bedrooms.
Whichever path you pursue, you will own a most conveniently located property in the heart of New Hope. It sits just uphill from the town’s central intersection. All of the restaurants, shops and attractions that make New Hope a visitor magnet lie within walking distance. And you (and your guests) can also walk to Lambertville, across the bridge over the Delaware River in New Jersey. There you will find even more antique shops, boutiques and restaurants.
So, are you ready to make yourself, and maybe your guests, at home in New Hope? You should find doing that really easy here in this oh-so-charming historic house.
THE FINE PRINT
BEDS: 8
BATHS: 8
SQUARE FEET: 4,392
SALE PRICE: $1,950,000
OTHER STUFF: This property is also being offered together with its neighbor B&B at 111 West Bridge Street as a commercial sale. The sale price the two together is $4,950,000.
117 W. Bridge St., New Hope, PA 18938 [Donna Lacey and Jay Ginsberg | Addison Wolfe Real Estate]
111 & 117 W. Bridge St., New Hope, PA 18938 [Donna Lacey and Jay Ginsberg | Addison Wolfe Real Estate]
Updated Oct. 6th, 7:12 a.m., to correct information about the neighboring property at 111 West Bridge Street.
