The Old Stone House of Butler County
Reconstruction Period
After World War II, there was drastic change in the American lifestyle. Without the worries of war, and veterans now able to use their G.I. Bill’s to spend more time with their families, more U.S. families were going on vacations. This was something unheard of for American families before the 1950’s. My grandparents have told me numerous times that we don’t know how easy we have it with the leisure activities we have today. In spending more time with the family and traveling, Americans were also getting more involved in saving areas of interest to them.
The conservation movement really started to take of in the 1960’s. Because of steel production in cities like Pittsburgh, and the expelling of chemicals into the environment, people were getting more involved to make others aware of the problems that industry brings. Along with conserving the environment many new committees have taken form as well to restore historic sites. The Old Stone House Restoration Committee was created in the 1960’s.
The Old Stone House had been abandoned for many years. The house was deteriorating very fast and was in shambles. The Restoration Committee had plans to put it back on the map. They took a different direction for plans of what would be at the site. When the final product was finished a lot of residents that have seen the house in its original form had said that it is a lot different from the original. The Committee had intended for the house to face the road. Which was probably to attract tourists from the highway.
The Restoration Committee had completed the project on August 11, 1963. They used identical stones for the walls made of limestone. For the beams that ran along the ceiling they used lumber from Harry Hickman Lumber Co. They original plans for reconstruction were to include more than just the house which is what the original house contained. The plans were to make it into a ‘historical village’ which would have included a schoolhouse, church, small working farm, and living demonstrations of blacksmithing, carpentry, and agriculture.
Slippery Rock University is now in charge of operations of the Stone House and has been since the mid 1980’s. The curator is Slippery Rocks Dr. Aaron Cowan who seeks a greater future for the site. He said that his “initial plans are to use the facility for more public events.” He also said that he “wants to give people a reason for coming” by updating and establishing new exhibits. The Old Stone House is open on the weekends for tours, and special events for holidays and reenactments. To find more information on events and new for the site refer to my links page for The Old Stone House.
The conservation movement really started to take of in the 1960’s. Because of steel production in cities like Pittsburgh, and the expelling of chemicals into the environment, people were getting more involved to make others aware of the problems that industry brings. Along with conserving the environment many new committees have taken form as well to restore historic sites. The Old Stone House Restoration Committee was created in the 1960’s.
The Old Stone House had been abandoned for many years. The house was deteriorating very fast and was in shambles. The Restoration Committee had plans to put it back on the map. They took a different direction for plans of what would be at the site. When the final product was finished a lot of residents that have seen the house in its original form had said that it is a lot different from the original. The Committee had intended for the house to face the road. Which was probably to attract tourists from the highway.
The Restoration Committee had completed the project on August 11, 1963. They used identical stones for the walls made of limestone. For the beams that ran along the ceiling they used lumber from Harry Hickman Lumber Co. They original plans for reconstruction were to include more than just the house which is what the original house contained. The plans were to make it into a ‘historical village’ which would have included a schoolhouse, church, small working farm, and living demonstrations of blacksmithing, carpentry, and agriculture.
Slippery Rock University is now in charge of operations of the Stone House and has been since the mid 1980’s. The curator is Slippery Rocks Dr. Aaron Cowan who seeks a greater future for the site. He said that his “initial plans are to use the facility for more public events.” He also said that he “wants to give people a reason for coming” by updating and establishing new exhibits. The Old Stone House is open on the weekends for tours, and special events for holidays and reenactments. To find more information on events and new for the site refer to my links page for The Old Stone House.
