An internet-famous wedding venue outside of Dallas was recently listed by Douglas Elliman Real Estate. The 57-acre property became an overnight Instagram sensation and has been the location of celebrity retreats and music video shoots. Still, current owner Jennifer Horowitz said the property has always been about family.
When Horowitz and her husband purchased the property, they were only the second owners. The land had been in the original family since the 1800s, when Missouri farmers settled it, arriving in a covered wagon. Portions of the wagon remain on the property, but that is far from the oldest artifacts the Horowitz family has found.
“On the property, there is a circle of Osage trees,” Horowitz said in an interview with The Dallas Express. “We spoke with an arborist who said the trees are over 200 years old. That means they were planted by Native Americans before the settlers arrived,” she suggested.
She said that stone arrowheads and other artifacts had been found on the property, including a dutch oven found three feet underground.
Horowitz, who had experience as a designer before beginning the Thornbridge Estate project, said that she had carte blanche to design the home as she saw fit. Every room has an open, airy feel, and massive panels of glass windows throughout the home present views of the sprawling countryside.
“I wanted it to feel like the home had always been there,” Horowitz said. Portions of the home were decorated in stone to give the structure a pioneer-era feel though it is entirely modern. “The best compliment I have ever had is when people ask me if the stone part is the original homestead,” she added.
The main home measures over 3,700 square feet and offers four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Functionality is built into the home throughout, a feature that Horowitz paid particular attention to when designing the building. Touches like built-in dog kennels in the laundry room and a bunk room with a private showering and washing station make things simple when guests arrive.
Once, there was a church on the road the property resides on that was called the Center Church. Long gone today, its memory nevertheless lives on. The original owners of the property have petitioned to rename the farm-to-market road “Old Church Road” to honor the structure.
Horowitz explained that the on-property, year-round, fresh stream was used for baptisms when the church was still operating. Today, a chapel resides at the estate, visible from the home’s front porch. A second barn-like structure, named Osage Hall for the trees on the property, also serves as a party location that is perfect for entertaining.
When the Horowitzs bought the land, a guest house was converted to an Airbnb, giving the prospective new owner yet another source of revenue. The property even features a private helipad that can bring clients for private meetings or serve as a wedding arrival and departure point to the downtown Dallas hotels.
While the house and structures are all well-executed and stunning in their finishes, it is the land itself that Horowitz said is her favorite part.
“My favorite thing is to sit on the front porch and watch the sun set behind the chapel,” she said.
The property is located in Whitesboro, Texas. The venue has an Instagram account with more than 49,000 followers that can be found at Thornbridge Hill Estate.
“When Horowitz and her husband purchased the property, they were only the second owners. The land had been in the original family since the 1800s, when Missouri farmers settled it, arriving in a covered wagon. Portions of the wagon remain on the property, but that is far from the oldest artifacts the Horowitz family has found.” Now watch a CORPORATION buy it and build apartments, or something.