HIGHGATE — A beloved Franklin County landmark is returning to its former glory. Sharone Perlman and Jim Schmidt bought the Highgate Manor in 2023 and are ready to return the Victorian-era icon to the community. In just one year, they have restored the ballroom and started hosting public events.
“Jim and I always wanted to own a historic home,” Perlman said. “When we found the manor, it seemed like the perfect match for us.” Perlman’s affinity for historic homes started when she was a child.
Growing up in Milwaukee, WI, she lived in a 100-year-old house and enjoyed helping her father with home improvement projects. The bright yellow manor on Route 78 was vacant upon their purchase, but it has a 206-year history full of infamous owners, ghost stories and long-remembered parties. While Perlman and Schmidt currently reside in California, they live at the manor for part of the year and plan to retire there in the future to be closer to their grandkids.
To help bring the space back to its former glory, they enlisted the help of two Franklin County locals: contractor Brad Beyor and Renee Aube. The new Highgate Manor team: Jim Schmidt, Sharone Perlman, Brad Beyor and Renee Aube. The first order of business was reviving the ballroom, which so far this year has been used for private baby showers and anniversary parties.
The first wedding to be held in the space in more than 20 years is set for July 27. The manor also hosted a free community event, “Cars and Coffee,” on .