Florida Sporting Estate & Field of Dreams

By Kimberly Ridley

Few childhood dreams are as enduring as having a baseball field in the backyard. For generations, the sport has been woven into American family life, from neighborhood sandlots and Little League diamonds where summer afternoons become lifelong memories to packed professional stadiums where fans gather to cheer for their hometown teams. For one Tallahassee family, that dream became part of everyday life on a 100-acre Florida estate, where a professionally irrigated, full-sized baseball field sits alongside a custom home, spring-fed ponds, orchards, and abundant wildlife. Known as Old St. Augustine Hills, the luxury sporting estate has been listed for $9.63 million.

The unique property’s story began in 1960, when retired Navy Captain Albert Gallatin Neal purchased the land, dug its ponds, and planted more than 4,000 trees. When he died in 1980, his widow, Margaret Neal, continued caring for the property for another two decades. Developers repeatedly courted her, but she refused their offers, determined that the land should go only to a family who would care for it as the Neals had. In 2003, she found that family in David and René Hanselman, who built the existing home and raised four children beneath Captain Neal's trees.

The 6,000-square-foot residence, built in 2005, contains six bedrooms and seven-and-a-half bathrooms and was designed by René Hanselman and architect Ken Pieper. The fully furnished home features hand-selected cypress, extensive custom millwork, original artwork, and distinctive stained glass. A 25-foot great room is anchored by massive beams and a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace, while a wall of glass opens completely toward the covered porch, pool, and water beyond. The chef's kitchen features Viking appliances, quartz islands, custom cabinetry, and a stone arch over the range. The primary suite includes a fireplace, spa-style bath, soaking tub overlooking the water, and direct access to the pool deck.

The estate grounds were designed for both recreation and entertaining. A resort-style waterfall pool surrounded by Tennessee boulders includes a jump rock, shallow play platform, lighting, and heating, while an outdoor kitchen and private entertaining courtyard allow the property to accommodate large gatherings without compromising the family's privacy. The baseball field is the compound's most memorable feature, providing a genuine Field of Dreams for family games and gatherings. The irrigated field could also be adapted for tennis, pickleball, a putting green, or equestrian use.

Beyond the field, the 100 acres encompass spring-fed bass ponds, cypress wetlands, rolling uplands, fruit orchards, raised gardens, and a workshop. Wild bobwhite quail inhabit the property, along with turkey, whitetail deer, and wood ducks. A paved drive more than half a mile long winds beneath southern magnolias and across a wooden bridge before reaching the residence. Despite its rural character, the estate is only eight miles from the Florida Capitol, with Florida State University’s Doak Campbell Stadium about 15 minutes away and Wakulla Springs and the Gulf Coast within easy reach.

The estate fronts Old St. Augustine Road, a route whose history stretches back to the 1680s, when it formed part of the Spanish El Camino Real between Tallahassee and St. Augustine. Today, the road is a protected Leon County Canopy Road shaded by towering live oaks. After 65 years of stewardship by the Neal and Hanselman families, Old St. Augustine Hills is now being offered to its next owner, carrying with it not only a remarkable home and sporting amenities but also a legacy of land carefully preserved for generations.

The listing is held by Lori Bembry Weldon at Jon Kohler & Associates.

Photo Credit: 850 Media Productions; personal and family photos courtesy of David and René Hanselman.

Source: jonkohler.com