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By Beth S Buxbaum
High school sweethearts in the 1970s in Long Island, Gene Ferraro and Carol Sabatino were young and in love. Their future together was sidelined by parental obstacles and life circumstances. Fast forward 50 years later when they reconnect. A most unexpected and unlikely turn of events occurred as they were reunited on the dance floor at their 50thhigh school reunion.
Following the reunion, Carol and Gene continued to correspond long distance for months. Carol was living in Doylestown and Gene was in Colorado. As they continued to become re-acquainted, they realized they still had feelings for one another. A mutual decision was made to give this relationship another chance. For the second time around circumstances were in their favor. After several visits and many hours of conversations, emails and texts, Carol and Gene decided to move forward with their newfound connection. Not so simple, since at the time they were living on separate coasts.
After high school they went in very different directions. Gene left Long Island to pursue a career as a carrier pilot with the marines in California. More recently he was living in Colorado. Born and raised on Long Island, Carol spent many years in that area, but was familiar with the Bucks County. Her parents used to visit Bucks County and stay at the Inn at Philips Mill. “My ex-husband and I came for visits and fell in love with Bucks County, especially New Hope,” she continues. “Thirty years ago, after my divorce, I moved to Doylestown from Long Island and found a place to live in Furlong,” Carol explains. Establishing her life in Bucks County and utilizing her background in psychology and social sciences, she became a drug and alcohol therapist in Doylestown.
Carol had a life here and Gene was busy maintaining his business across the country. While discussing where they should reside, Carol suggested they live in Bucks County. “I knew he was going to love this area since he was relocating from a 160-acre ranch in Colorado,” she explains, “and he wanted land.” Finding the home was the most challenging, living on different sides of the country. Carol added that Gene was searching on Zillow and sending her possible properties to consider. Then Gene came to visit to explore the area. Initially they were considering renting for a year. “We wanted to allow time to get to know each other and to find our dream house,” Carol continues. But during their search for a place to live, they found a property that had many features they admired and it was in their price range. “The exposed stone, the barn, the land, the pond, and an old historic home attracted us both to this homestead,” she adds. They submitted a bid.
“We made settlement on July 2023 and Gene moved here in October,” Carol adds. On June 8, 2024 Gene and Carol were married, surrounded by close friends and family, under the canopy and backdrop of their historic homestead in Bedminster. Settling into their centuries-old Bucks County homestead marked the beginning of their future together. “This property was bucolic, reminiscent of the English countryside,” Carol describes. “I’ve never seen a property like this. We found our forever home,” Carol adds. Combining their lives to rewrite their future, Carol and Gene were the newest stewards of this historic property. Settling into their centuries-old Bucks County homestead, Carol and Gene were combining their pasts to build a future. With a shared appreciation for history and the past, Carol and Gene continued to acquaint themselves, not only with each other, but also with their new home.
This property’s earliest structure was built in 1830 on land that was purchased in 1801 by Bevig Hiser. The original house was an all-stone, modest building with two rooms; one with a huge walk-in fireplace for cooking and the other a greeting parlor. Architectural features include the original wood beam ceilings, wide-width plank floors of mostly pumpkin pine, Pennsylvania stone masonry, and multiple fireplaces. Carol and Gene’s property consists of seven-plus acres and includes the house, bank barn, summer kitchen, carriage house, pond and two acres of farm land. Both Carol and Gene had a great appreciation for their home’s authenticity. When they moved in there were not a lot of things they needed to fix or change. Carol says, “We pulled-up all the carpeting and refurbished the original floors.” These aesthetic additions were the extent of any changes they made, with the intent of honoring the house’s historical relevance.
While acclimating themselves to their new home and surroundings, they were curious about the homestead’s past. Initially they spoke with the prior owners who gave them some information. “The couple who sold us the property lived here for 44 years and named the property Pine Farm, for business purposes,” says Carol. With no official documentation, it is evident from the house’s structure and appearance that several expansions took place over the years. There was a scarcity of records about any major changes to this homestead during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
“We believe that Clare Scott, who moved to this property in the late 1950s, may have moved the kitchen to the current location,” Carol explains. “She also added on the patio, downstairs bathroom, hall, closet and porch, as well as adding a bathroom and dormers to the third floor,” she continues. Carol notes that in the 1960s, the former owners transformed a portico and screen-in porch on the side of the house into a new entrance. This construction added a foyer, a powder room and laundry room. Carol explains that in the 1980s the prior owners built a fireplace within the original fireplace in the dining room, which was the early cooking or keeping room. “They used stone from the property to build the interior fireplace,” she adds. All the structural changes from the 1900s were revealed to them in their conversations with the prior owners.
To find more extensive historical details, they contacted Jeffrey Marshall, the former president of the Heritage Conservancy, to trace the history of the house. Marshall noted that the primary residence is a Bucks County farmhouse built with features that characterize a Greek Revival styling. “Marshall noted that the rounded walls are a prominent feature of Greek Revival,” Carol explains. “We learned that the original land, at some point more than 200 acres, was subdivided and was mostly hay farms,” she continues. It was believed that many of the modest homes built on the land in the 1800s were tenant homes. The homes on the land changed hands with more tenants than owners. Marshall’s research found that the first structures were log cabins and when the owners had enough money, they built their homes.
This home’s exterior was all stone and later the stone façade was plastered over. Primary entrances have changed over the years, originally entering the house into the 1830s parlor. The 1960s addition, that created a new entry foyer, has become the entrance. An addition was built on the back of the house in 1995 creating an expansive atrium great room with a cathedral ceiling, skylights and wet bar. An expansive space, the new great room has a more modern, ethereal presence than the rest of the house. A step down from the kitchen leads into this new great room. The original exterior stone wall frames the opening into this addition.
The kitchen is part of the original 1830 footprint and was redone in 1996. “The former owners gutted the kitchen and renovated this space with all new cabinets, backsplash and appliances,” Carol explains. The original wood beam ceilings and pumpkin pine floors accent the space. Few changes were made to this space. “We wanted to have a larger counter top to create an eating bar. Working with Relic Live Edge, they designed a custom eleven and a half inch 11/walnut slab to expand the existing counter top. “We added bar stools and created a comfy informal spot at the kitchen counter space,” Carol adds, “as well as replacing the lighting over the sink.”
Aside from the few aesthetic modifications, Carol and Gene were challenged to combine two households and lifestyles. “Every room has a style of its own,” Carol says, “mixing pieces from Gene’s ranch in Colorado and pieces from my residence in Furlong.” But it all seemed to seamlessly fit into their new living space. “Our furnishings are an eclectic mix of family heirlooms and select pieces we bought at local antiques shops and barn sales,” she adds.
Together they created their new home, redefining themselves now as a couple. As their paths crossed once again, while establishing this new union, Carol and Gene are sharing their accomplishments and passions. Both have great interest in history and historical artifacts. From historian to corporate private investigator, Gene has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and authored several books. An avid collector of historical artifacts, Gene has a collection of signed presidential documents and paintings of prominent figures that are displayed around the house. Filling the house with all that they admire and value has been fulfilling
Sharing this journey as the newest owners of an historic home has added much to their lives. A perfect setting for their wedding last summer, both note that this entire journey has been life-changing. “We have experienced our unexpected joy living on this property,” Carol adds. They appreciate all the beauty that nature brings, taking in the landscape surrounded by towering trees, the east Perkiomen creek running through North side of property, and Blue Herons visiting the pond. “This is a magical place,” she continues. Carol and Gene are reminded of their incredible reunion with a wooden plaque that hangs on the back patio that reads: “Once in a while, in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale.”
Beth S. Buxbaum is a freelance writer from the Philadelphia area.