SALISBURY, Conn. — The historic White Hart Inn closed its doors abruptly on Tuesday and was placed on the market for $5 million.
The 204-year-old Litchfield County inn was rescued from an uncertain future when Scott Bok, a Manhattan investment banker, and his wife Roxanne purchased it a decade ago.
A feature in Rural Intelligence described how the Boks ordered major renovations last fall to update and reduce the number of guest suites to 15 as well as to expand the restaurant. This renovation followed on the heels of the Boks' 2008 purchase of a 115-acre farm down the road from the White Hart, which they named Twin Lakes Farm.
According to a New York Times article two years ago, the farm had a $3 million price tag and its sole purpose was to provide locally sourced beef (more than 50 cows) to the restaurant portion of the inn. The fate of the farm, where the Boks reside on weekends, is unknown at this point.
No one connected with the inn was available for comment. In a statement sent to the Register Citizen, Bok said it seemed appropriate to close the inn with the quiter winter season coming up and that it was "debt free."
The couple enjoyed operating the inn but "it was also a heavy responsibility and time commitment to oversee a 24-hour, 364-day-a-year enterprise, despite having a young family and full-time job 100 miles away," he stated in the press relesase.
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation had planned a press conference at the inn on Wednesday that had to be moved to another location.
The inn has been listed with Best & Cavallaro Real Estate in Salisbury. The Register Citizen said those seeking room deposit refunds or with questions on related matters should call 860-435-0030.
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It is pretty unfortunate that The White Hart has been put up for sale. it is such a big thing for a smaller town like salisbury to have as big of a reputation as it has. The inn has had a really big possitive impact on the town and it is depressing to see it close its doors and go up for sale. hopefully whoever buys it will keep it well maintained and possibly open it back up to the public either as a museum or as an bed and breakfast. there is so much history behind those walls and also alot of stories. whoever does eventually buy it will be a very lucky person and the community will be thankfull if it reopens its doors.
We visited the White Hart Inn back in 1995 & fell in love with it. We live in the Dallas area & were up there on business & just happened upon it. We were so impressed that we ended up naming one of our cocker spaniels Ch. Wendadam's White Hart (call name "Bucky"). We have always dreamed of going back. We hope someone buys it & wish we had the funds to do so. WOW!