Kennedy Stone House 2

In 1837, Benjamin Kennedy, formerly of Ireland, purchased an 80-acre tract of land in Guernsey County and commissioned the construction of a large two-story stone house from native sandstone quarried nearby. The Kennedy Stone House is forty feet long and eighteen feet wide, built of stone blocks up to nine feet long and fourteen inches in width and height. The blocks used in the construction of the house were finely crafted and tightly fitted, exhibiting the kind of superior workmanship that has become something of a lost art in our present age. The house and a stone fruit cellar nearby were constructed for a total price of about $600 — quite a bargain, even in those days.

The Kennedy Stone House was home to several generations of Kennedy descendants ending with Don Kennedy, the great-grandson of the builder, who occupied it until 1966. The state of Ohio purchased the Kennedy property and surrounding lands to create Salt Fork State Park, and in 1967, the valley below the house was impounded to create Salt Fork Lake. Today, the house overlooks the lake and is nestled in the woods, accessible only by foot or by boat. The Kennedy Stone House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, signifying its importance to history.

After sitting vacant for nearly 30 years, the roof of the Kennedy Stone House was damaged when a limb fell from a massive pine tree planted near the house by Benjamin Kennedy. The Salt Fork park staff had been concerned for some time about deterioration of the structure, so this incident prompted quick action. The park staff found that the local community shares their vision to rescue and preserve this unique historic landmark. The project has been a true team effort with all segments of the park staff working together with the local community and pooling resources. Over the next few years, the park staff and interested citizens hope to restore the interior of the Kennedy Stone House to its original condition.

http://www.usgennet.org/usa/oh/county/guernsey/places/kennedyhouse.html

me and my buddies have been here well after dark, about 1 or 2 am. Verry scarry if you want to take the foot trail to the house at night, maybe you will find a bigfoot.