The Totten-Tolley House

An opportunity that comes just once in a generation, the Totten-Tolley house was the first home built in the prestigious Laurel Hill neighborhood in 1935 by botany professor Henry Roland Totten and his wife, Addie. Totten's mentor, William C. Coker, platted the neighborhood in 1927 as the third Chapel Hill "suburb".  Dr. Coker personally approved all house plans and Chapel Hill architect, H.D. Carter, designed the Tudor Revival style home for the Tottens. Dr. Aubrey Tolley and Jeannette "Nancy" Tolley purchased the home in 1974.  The youngest of their four children grew up here and the older children have 45 years of fond memories.  The Tolleys preserved the home while enhancing the botanical gardens.  Casement windows, weathered oak floors and rich plaster walls cannot be replicated in present times.  Craftsmanship from an earlier time is evident in the stone work and detailed trim.  The living room has a wood burning stone fireplace flanked by custom bookshelves.  The formal dining room is perfect for entertaining with period corner cabinets with glass doors.  The den is filled with natural light with walls of windows overlooking the gardens and leads to the stone patio that sits above the trees for a commanding view.  Three family bedrooms and two baths are upstairs and make sure you find the "secret" staircase that leads to the kitchen! Natural rock lined paths wind through the many different gardens on 1.32 acres.  There is the "mountain" garden with specimen plants collected from the North Carolina mountains and a stone fish pond that is a quiet place to pause in this often too busy world.  Bulbs bloom throughout the spring and the azaleas turn the hill into a sea of color.  The gardens delight year round!  The house is structurally sound (inspection and engineer reports are available) and is waiting for the next owner!  The neighborhood is a designated national historic district, Rocky Ridge Farm Historic District, but renovations and expansion are not subject to any town restrictions found in other historic districts.  Just steps to the University, this is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to purchase one of the most significant properties in Chapel Hill!