As you step into the Stone House today, you enter a home built by Robinson Bertwell in 1848 of granite building blocks cut from large rocks or boulders taken from the property.  as recounted years later by his son, A. A. Bertwell; Robinson built the home of stone to resemble buildings of his native England where he spent his first 14 years before emigrating to America in 1818 with his parents, John and Mary, and 3 siblings..

    The granite home took shape in Robinson's mind for many years - long before the first granite block was split.  On arriving in America the Bertwell family first lived on a farm in Roxbury.  In 1825, the Bertwells "loaded their household goods on an oxcart and 21-year-old Robinson drove the team to New Hampshire.  The family bought 52 acres on this site and lived in a wooden farmhouse (no longer standing).  The granite foundation rocks still remain just 200 feet north of the present Stone House.  When the elder Bertwells moved to Parsonfield, Maine, Robinson began building his house of stone.

    Starting at the bottom of the cellar (Robinson) had two men from Ossipee Pocket help.  Together they split the stone and laid the wall until they got to the top of the cellar!  Then Robinson's two helpers took the contract to finish the walls of the house for $125.00!  Robinson's son A. A. Bertwell reported this story in the Carroll Country Independent of November 6, 1931.

    The Stone House remained in the Bertwell family for many decades.  Later it was home to Gerard and Ada Powers who established the famous Sunny Villa Restaurant across the road.  It was also the site of Maxfield Real Estate for a time.

    The outside walls of the Stone House are little changed today since Robinson Bertwell first put them in place.  Inside, every room has be carefully and thoughtfully restored by the present owners Donna Briden and Larry Figuerado to reflect both the grace and timelessness so well executed in the stone exterior.

Elizabeth Gillette