Serene, historic beauty in Redding

It may have been named "Stormfield,” but the house that was built in Redding for Samuel Clemens – better known to readers as Mark Twain – was anything but.

“How beautiful it all is,” Twain said of his Tuscan-style villa, where he lived from 1908 until his death two years later. “I did not think it could be as beautiful as this.”

Twain named it Stormfield after his short story "Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven." Perhaps it was an omen. In 1923, a fire destroyed the house. Two years later, though, it was rebuilt on the same foundation, retaining the original terraces, stone walls, stone pillars and formal gardens.

The house is sited on 28.53 private acres on Mark Twain Lane and adjoins 161 acres of the Redding Land Trust. It enables you to feel like you've stepped back in time as exquisitely appointed period details artfully blend with today's modern amenities. The grand formal rooms include an elegant dining room overlooking a stone terrace and rolling lawn and a formal living room with a striking hand-painted coffered ceiling and adjoining library. The 6,300-square-foot main residence also contains four to five bedrooms, five and 1/2 bathrooms and three fireplaces.

But that’s just the beginning. This country compound features a detached pool/carriage house, offering a heated gunite pool, three garage bays and a second-floor guest/caretaker cottage with two bedrooms, a full bathroom, a living room and a kitchen.

This is one of Redding's signature properties — and a rare opportunity to own a piece of American history.

For more, call Laura Freed Ancona at 203-733-7053 or 203-438-9531, ext. 6422.