The Michael Kittredge house, known as Juggler Meadow, is one of the most extraordinary private estates ever built in America. Sitting on over 60 acres in Leverett, Massachusetts, this Colonial-style compound covers nearly 120,000 square feet across eight separate structures. It’s not just a home. It’s a world of its own.
Most people have never heard of Juggler Meadow. That’s exactly how Michael Kittredge wanted it. Far from the flashy mansions of Bel Air or the Hamptons, this estate was built quietly in rural western Massachusetts — and it quietly blows every other private home out of the water.
Who Is Michael Kittredge?
Michael Kittredge grew up in nearby South Hadley, Massachusetts. When he was 16, he made a candle from crayons as a present for his mother, and a neighbor was so impressed she bought one. That single moment sparked everything.
Kittredge founded Yankee Candle in 1969 and made his first scented candles from melted crayons as a gift for his mother. By the late 1980s, that small kitchen experiment had grown into a national retail empire with stores across the country.
By the late 1990s, Yankee Candle had become the biggest scented candle company in the country. Kittredge sold the company for about $600 million to Forstmann Little & Co., the private equity firm. He used that fortune to build his dream life on his beloved Massachusetts land.
In 2012, Michael Kittredge had a stroke, which limited his movement and speech. He died in 2019 from liver failure at the age of 67.
Michael Kittredge House Location
The Michael Kittredge house sits at 113 Juggler Meadow Road in Leverett, Massachusetts. Think of a back road in rural western Massachusetts, tucked well away from any city traffic. Juggler Meadow is 30 miles from Springfield, 60 miles from Worcester, and 100 miles from Boston.
Juggler Meadow is one of the hidden giants of the mega-home world. Far from the traditional mansion habitats of Greenwich, Connecticut, the Hamptons in New York, or Bel Air, California, Juggler Meadow is tucked away on a back road in Leverett, Massachusetts, a town with a population of under 2,000.
The privacy here is no accident. The exquisitely private compound, well shielded from the outside world, features approximately 120,000 square feet of astonishing living space and consists of eight structures: a main house, two car barns, two guest houses, a clubhouse, a pool cabana, and a spa. Two gated entrances guard the entire property.
Michael Kittredge House Tour
Here’s the thing — calling this a “house tour” almost undersells it. This isn’t a home you walk through in 20 minutes. The estate covers over 60 acres and nearly 120,000 square feet of living and recreation space, with 14 fireplaces, 25 bathrooms, 16 bedrooms, and four tennis courts.
The main house ballooned to 25,000 square feet, with a formal dining room, great hall, lavish master suite, and offices. Down a winding driveway is an outdoor pool and pool house with a kitchen and guest quarters. Two car barns for the car collection are as spotless as museums.
Viewed from above, a network of winding ways and meandering paths connect the structures, which are nestled amidst park-like grounds dotted with gardens, mature trees, fountains, pergolas, waterfalls, ponds, and peaceful sitting areas. The analogy to a country club cannot be denied.
What started small grew into something massive. In 1984, Kittredge bought a small three-bedroom colonial home in Leverett for $144,000. As Yankee Candle expanded, along with Kittredge’s wealth, so did the house. Wings and floors were added. A tennis court was built. More land was purchased.
Interior of the Michael Kittredge House
Step through the front door and you’ll immediately sense that this place was built for people, not just for show. The entryway to the approximately 25,000 sq. ft. main residence is columned and formidable, yet offers no hint as to what is inside. The front door opens to a foyer, with a stairway to the second floor and two massive wings to the right and left.
The original home on this site was constructed in the 1980s and was quite modest. Upon acquiring the property, Kittredge added enhancements and square footage in eight stages, with the final completed in 2010. Each stage brought something better, something grander.
The rooms of the main house feature custom millwork, over 10 fireplaces, and more. The real showstoppers include the massive gourmet kitchen and the two-story great room, once featured on the cover of The Robb Report luxury magazine in 1997.
The main house holds 5 bedrooms, 6 full bathrooms, and 5 half bathrooms. There’s also a solarium, an oval office with glass walls, a pine-paneled family room with built-ins, and an elevator for accessibility throughout the floors.
Key Features of the Michael Kittredge House
- 120,000 sq ft of total living and recreation space
- 8 Colonial-style structures on 60+ acres
- 25 bathrooms and 16 bedrooms across the estate
- 11 fireplaces in the main house alone
- Indoor water park kept at 89 degrees year-round
- Concert stage with professional sound and lighting systems
- Nine-hole golf course on the property grounds
- Three-lane bowling alley and two-story arcade
- Two climate-controlled car barns for a 60-vehicle collection
- Wine grottos featured in Wine Spectator magazine in 2003
- 10-seat home theater with plush seating
- Bellagio-inspired indoor water park with pools, slides, waterfalls, and palm trees
Living Area of the Michael Kittredge House
The living spaces here feel warm, not cold. That’s what makes Juggler Meadow different from what you’d expect of a $23 million estate. The family room is filled with pine paneling and multiple built-ins. It’s clearly a room designed for real family moments, not magazine shoots.
Surely one of the most spectacular rooms on the property is the two-story great room: it is easy to envision elegant gatherings in this sun-drenched space, and it is not surprising that it was featured on the cover of The Robb Report. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the room with natural light year-round.
The estate also features a full solarium, an oval office wrapped in glass walls, and a billiards lounge with a relaxed, club-like feel. Every room tells you that someone lived here and enjoyed it deeply.
“There was nothing he loved more than bringing his family and friends together and hosting parties at his home.” — Michael “Mick” Kittredge III, son of the founder
Bedrooms of the Michael Kittredge House
The main house features five bedrooms across multiple levels, but the primary suite is in a league of its own. An entire wing of the house belongs to the primary bedroom. It features the main bedroom with a fireplace and private balcony, two auxiliary bedroom suites, a kitchenette, and an office space.
That’s not just a bedroom. That’s a whole private apartment within the house. Another wing features two bedroom suites, a spacious office, a music room that doubles as a sixth bedroom, a billiards room, a dog room, and an attached three-car garage.
There are also two additional private homes for guests or staff on the estate: one has three bedrooms and two baths, and the other has four bedrooms and two baths. Across the entire compound, there are 16 bedrooms in total.
Bathrooms of the Michael Kittredge House
With 25 bathrooms spread across the property, nobody is ever waiting in line here. The main house alone carries 6 full bathrooms and 5 half bathrooms, each finished with top-tier fixtures and custom details that match the overall craftsmanship of the estate.
The spa building adds even more bathroom and grooming facilities, including dedicated massage rooms designed as part of the full wellness experience on site. Every guest suite and auxiliary building also includes private bathrooms. This was a home where comfort was never an afterthought.
Kitchen and Dining Area of the Michael Kittredge House
This is where the numbers get almost unbelievable. The lower level houses a massive commercial-grade kitchen with professional-grade stainless steel appliances, including a custom-made 17.5-inch hood that is practically unheard of in even the largest restaurant kitchens.
The showstoppers of the building include the massive gourmet kitchen, which has five separate islands and a dishwasher with a 60-second setting. That’s right. Five islands. Seven sinks. A dishwasher faster than most people can wash a single pan.
On the lower level, you’ll find a commercial-grade kitchen, two grotto-like wine cellars, and two dining rooms. There’s also a 10-seat theater with plush seating. The wine cellars were so impressive they earned a feature in Wine Spectator back in 2003. That’s serious recognition for a private home collection.
“I think there are at least six, maybe seven kitchens? Bars? Eight at least, maybe nine? We’ve had pub crawls just on the property.” — Mick Kittredge III
Exterior and Outdoor Space
Step outside and the estate transforms into something that feels closer to a private resort than a personal home. The compound features meandering paths that connect the structures across beautiful, park-like grounds featuring mature landscaping, fountains, pergolas, waterfalls, and incredible outdoor living and entertaining opportunities.
Also on the compound is a nine-hole golf course, three outdoor tennis courts, one indoor tennis court, two climate-controlled car barns, and a clubhouse with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a full kitchen.
The four-bed, two-bath clubhouse has a full kitchen and opens to a T-shaped Gunite pool with an expansive deck. The cabana houses a fully equipped kitchen and bar, ideal for outdoor entertaining. Whether it’s a summer afternoon or a winter evening, there is always something to do on these grounds.
There are two climate-controlled car barns where Kittredge, an avid collector, housed his collection of 60 vehicles. Both barns are kept museum-clean, which says everything about how seriously this man took the things he loved.
Where Does Michael Kittredge Currently Live?
Michael Kittredge passed away in 2019, so he no longer lives at Juggler Meadow. His son, Michael “Mick” Kittredge III, is now selling the property, which he described as “like having Disneyland in the backyard,” for $23 million.
Mick Kittredge said he’s selling Juggler Meadow because “it’s too big for one person. You try vacuuming 120,000 square feet. No really, I want to see this property used to its full potential.”
Mick went on to build his own legacy. In 2010, Michael Kittredge joined his son’s fast-growing candle business and together they launched Kringle Candle Co., which continues to expand. Mick now focuses his energy on that venture while the legendary Leverett estate waits for its next chapter.
Michael Kittredge Other Properties
The Juggler Meadow estate wasn’t Michael Kittredge’s only remarkable property. He clearly had a taste for spectacular real estate that went beyond just his Massachusetts home.
The Nantucket home sold for $19 million in 2019. That sale happened the same year Kittredge passed away, giving some sense of just how significant his broader real estate holdings were during his lifetime.
Back in June, a neighboring Leverett property owned by the Kittredge family hit the market for $3,990,000. Even the properties next door to Juggler Meadow carried price tags that most buyers would never dream of. The Kittredge name touched nearly every corner of that stretch of western Massachusetts.
Listing agent Johnny Hatem Jr. of Douglas Elliman summed up the estate’s value simply: “It’s incomparable to any other estate in the country. If someone asks me about the price being high, I say ‘try to build it today for $23 million.'” Real estate experts estimate rebuilding it today would cost well over $50 million.
FAQ
What is the Michael Kittredge house called?
The Michael Kittredge house is officially known as Juggler Meadow, named after the road it sits on in Leverett, Massachusetts. It’s one of the largest and most unique private estates in the entire country.
How much is the Michael Kittredge house worth?
The estate was listed for $23 million. Real estate experts say rebuilding the property from scratch today would cost well over $50 million, making the asking price a significant value for what you get.
How big is the Michael Kittredge house?
The total compound covers nearly 120,000 square feet of interior space across eight structures on over 60 acres of land. The main residence alone is approximately 25,000 square feet.
Did Michael Kittredge build Juggler Meadow himself?
Yes. Kittredge started with a modest three-bedroom colonial home bought for $144,000 in 1984. He expanded it in eight stages over more than two decades, completing the final phase in 2010.
What entertainers performed at the Michael Kittredge house?
Hall and Oates, The Doobie Brothers, KC and The Sunshine Band, Eric Burdon and The Animals, and more have all played private concerts in Juggler Meadow’s auditorium.
Who is selling the Michael Kittredge house?
His son, Michael “Mick” Kittredge III, listed the property through Douglas Elliman real estate with agent Johnny Hatem Jr. handling the sale.
What is the indoor water park like at Juggler Meadow?
The centerpiece of the Spa is an indoor water park that’s always a steamy 89 degrees, even in the cold Massachusetts winters. It features pools, slides, waterfalls, and palm trees, modeled after the Bellagio resort in Las Vegas.
Final Words
The Michael Kittredge house is the story of one man who started with a box of crayons and built something that experts say can’t be replicated today for less than $50 million. It wasn’t built to impress strangers. It was built to bring people together. That’s what makes Juggler Meadow genuinely different from every other mega-mansion in America.
Kittredge didn’t grow up wealthy. He made his first candle as a teenager because he couldn’t afford a gift for his mother. Every room in Juggler Meadow, every arcade machine and concert stage and golf hole, reflects that same spirit. He got it all, and then he gave it to the people around him.
If a home can tell you who someone really was, this one speaks volumes.
