The McElroy House - Set on five private acres in Willistown Township, The McElroy House is an extraordinary contemporary residence designed and built in 1975 by legendary builder Robert McElroy as his own family home. With its wooded backdrop, stream, and rare privacy, the property embodies the qualities McElroy championed throughout his career: architecture that grows from its landscape and invites daily life to flow in rhythm with nature. McElroy, a true pioneer of contemporary design from the late 1950s through the 1970s, crafted homes along the Main Line and atop Valley Forge Mountain known for their dynamic rooflines, expansive floor-to-ceiling glass walls that invite sunlight and views, vaulted ceilings, and exposed beams—all optimized for hillside privacy and harmony with the land. Yet The McElroy House carves its own path with an artistic depth that sets it apart from his broader commissions, inviting you to reimagine daily life amid the trees. While McElroy provided the vision, the soul of the house resides in its extraordinary woodwork by Horace Hartshaw, the esteemed woodworker who apprenticed under and collaborated closely with the iconic Wharton Esherick. Hartshaw designed and built nearly every wooden detail inside the home: the bespoke kitchen cabinetry, multiple staircases—including the sculptural spiral that serves as a functional centerpiece—solid doors with custom handles, stair rails that flow like sculpture, and built-in elements that are both practical and expressive. Each piece was crafted specifically for this home, creating an atmosphere that feels at once natural and highly personal. The home’s atmosphere is one of creativity and sanctuary — equally suited for art-making, gathering, or quiet reflection. Every element, from the fluid millwork to the spatial flow, reflects McElroy’s belief that a house should “interfere with [the environment] as little as possible, ” living as one with its site. For those drawn to pedigreed architecture and private natural settings, The McElroy House represents more than a residence. It is a piece of living history — the personal masterpiece of a builder whose work helped shape modern life on the Main Line.
RU Rural Districts are intended to facilitate agricultural, conservation, recreation and other open space purposes; to protect and preserve prime agricultural land and the continued viability of agricultural security areas; to recognize the relationship and continuity of development with viable agricultural operations; to protect and preserve natural and historic resources; and to promote and provide for a rational pattern of Township growth. Accordingly, the districts contain use and area regulations which provide for farming and very low density dwellings; discourage premature and scattered, isolated higher density development which is difficult to service adequately, yet make provision for higher density development under given conditions; facilitate the conservation of agricultural, creek valley and woodland areas; and facilitate the conservation and proper utilization of groundwater supplies and control of surface water flooding
Permitted uses
Include but are not limited to:
Agriculture
Housing-Single unit
Educational/school
Climate risks
7/10 Flood Factor
Estimated 74-82% chance of a flood reaching the building in the next 30 years
1/10 Fire Factor
Unlikely to be in a wildfire in next 30 years
5/10 Heat Factor
7 days above 101° expected this year, 15 days in 30 years
6/10 Wind Factor
27% chance of strong winds in next 30 years
4/10 Air Factor
3 unhealthy days expected this year, 6 days in 30 years
Provided by First Street
Historical weather
Malvern, PA • 19355
Average low and high temperatures (°F)
35
21
39
25
57
37
66
45
71
53
83
63
87
70
82
63
78
59
68
47
56
38
41
26
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Sun exposure
80/ 100
Very good sunlight
Sunscore
There appears to be minimal shading by surrounding buildings, terrain, and vegetation.
8.5 hrs
4.8 hrs
JuneDecember
Provided by Shadowmap
Redfin Estimate for 36 Rabbit Run Rd
$1,887,625
$102K under list price of $1.99M
Nearby comparable homes
The Redfin Estimate uses 6 recent nearby sales, priced between $1.2M to $2.4M.