www.privateairny.com Private Air | Summer 2025
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Beyond the main home, the estate unfolds into a
carriage house with three apartments, a tennis court,
swimming pool, and outbuildings—all whispering of
a lifestyle once defined by long summers, croquet on
the lawn, and candlelit dinners overlooking the bay.
is is a property designed for gathering: for family
legacies, philanthropic retreats, or simply savoring the
rare luxury of time.
But it is the history that truly elevates Malt Hill
into legend. First recorded in 1856 and later
home to Samuel Torrey Morse, a Boston shipping
magnate, the estate was a summer sanctuary for New
England's elite. Notable visitors included the James
family—William James, Harvard's founding father
of psychology, and his brother Henry James, whose
lyrical portraits of American aristocracy mirror the
refined beauty of this place.
Malt Hill would later be transformed under
the stewardship of J. Lowell Blake, whose deep
Boston roots and philanthropic influence shaped
the property into a haven of cultured elegance.
Extensively renovated by architects Richardson,
Barott & Richardson, the estate was featured in
Country Life magazine in 1922, praised for its blend
of historical integrity and modern comfort. Blake's
legacy, much like the house itself, was one of vision,
social conscience, and appreciation for the finer—
and more meaningful—things in life.
