Owners put 'Groundhog Day' house in Woodstock up for sale

A piece of Woodstock movie history is up for sale.

After 19 years and five children, the Jacobs have decided to sell “The Piano Teacher’s House,” where scenes from the 1993 movie “Groundhog Day” were filmed.

As of Saturday, only 72 hours after being listed with Redfin for $249,000, the1893 historic home also known as “The Charles Rushton” house had 1,500 online views and four showings. The 1,772-square-foot, four-bedroom craftsman structure has been marked as a “favorite” by at least 35 prospective buyers, owner Steve Jacobs said.

“It’s kind of fun to see so many people interested in the house,” Jacobs said. “Of course, we love it. We are basically the caretakers of a historic gem.”

Right down the street is the house used as a bed-and-breakfast in the film.

The Jacobs are recent “empty nesters” now that their children are between the ages of 18 and 30 and leading their own lives. They are relocating to Florida. Still, they take with them some pretty fond memories of their famous house, Jacobs said.

He recalled visitors from all over the country randomly showing up to take pictures of his home, as well as tour groups gathering out front during Woodstock’s annual Groundhog Day festival. His then-young daughter would hand them hot cocoa.

He said on one cold February morning during the first year he moved in, he woke up to “100 people in our front yard.”

The Jacobs and their neighbors hosted summer movie nights, and each year, they watched “Groundhog Day” at least once.

Mary Jacobs said when they first looked at the house, the real estate agent told her about its movie connection. She had not yet seen the movie.

“I got the movie right away, and then I really wanted to buy the house … and I fell in love with the town,” she recalled.

Every time someone would come to visit, the movie was played.

“The movie is always fun to think back on,” she said.

She also recalled all the visitors, many who came annually on Groundhog Day, and the dedicated fandom for the movie. She said many would come by in the prognostication hats worn in the movie.

The couple has refurbished parts of the house but kept it pretty much as it was seen in the film – including the front door, mailbox and room where Bill Murray’s character took piano lessons.