Tolstoy Park (also known as the Henry Stuart House and the Hermit House) is a historic residence in Montrose, Alabama, United States. The house was built by Henry Stuart, an Englishman who had emigrated to the United States as a child. Stuart was living in Nampa, Idaho, when he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and advised to move to a warmer climate to live out his days. In 1923, he purchased 10 acres (4 ha) outside Fairhope, Alabama, which he named Tolstoy Park.
Henry Stuart House | |
 The house in September 2012 | |
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| Location | 22787 AL 98, Montrose, Alabama |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 30°33′23″N 87°53′38″W / 30.55639°N 87.89389°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1926 |
| Architect | Henry Stuart |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000841[1] |
| Added to NRHP | October 27, 2006 |
Stuart began building a circular, domed hut in 1925, pouring each concrete block himself. Construction was completed in less than a year, although delayed by a hurricane in September 1926. The house is about 14 feet (4.2 m) in diameter and sunk 2 feet (61 cm) into the ground. Six top-hinged windows circle the building, and there were two skylights in the roof that are now permanently closed. Stuart sought to live a simple life, growing much of his own food and weaving rugs on a loom he brought from Idaho. He kept a guestbook for visitors to sign; notably, lawyer Clarence Darrow visited the hut six times. Stuart left Alabama in 1944, moving to Oregon to live with his son, where he died in 1946.
Today, the hut and a large oak tree are all that remain of Stuart's estate; a parking lot for a real estate office surrounds the hut.[2] A novel based on Stuart's life, The Poet of Tolstoy Park, was published in 2005. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.[1]
References
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- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
- ^ Wilson, Shaun. "Stuart, Henry, House". National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. National Park Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 3, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2014. See also: "Accompanying photos". Archived (PDF) from the original on August 3, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2014.
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