Former home of original Barnum and Bailey partner sells for $3.85M

306 Hardscrabble Road in North Salem, also known as Autumn Farm, recently sold for $3.85 million.

The 26-acre property doubles as a horse farm, with a home dating back to 1838.

Its historical roots center around Levi Bailey’s purchase of the land in the 1700s, according to North Salem historian Susan J. Thompson in a WAG Magazine feature from 2018. After several changes in ownership among the Bailey family, George Fox Bailey became owner in 1844.

His father, Hachaliah Bailey, started the North Salem circus. George later started his own circus. He subsequently became a partner in P.T. Barnum”™s “Greatest Show on Earth,” and is now known for his part of Barnum and Bailey fame.

Before this latest sale, the property was owned by Paul Friedman, a former network news producer, and his wife Gillian, who first asked $6.95 million for the home in 2017.

The new buyers chose not to be named in the report of the sale, but are said to be well-known trainers in the equestrian world.

The property features two barns, 25 horse stalls, an indoor ring, a grand prix ring and multiple paddocks, along with a heated pool and putting green.

Inside the 5,285-square-foot Greek revival-style house, which is separate from the equestrian areas, there are five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a Christopher Peacock kitchen and three porches. A detached building houses two separate apartments.

The property was listed by Julia B Fee Sotheby’s International Realty, with brokers Joanna Rizoulis and Amy Smith-Sroka. Sally Slater of Douglas Elliman brought the buyer to the property.