While traveling through Alabama, many things will catch your eye. From unique restaurants and bizarre roadside attractions, to lovely natural wonders and one-of-a-kind houses, there’s no telling what you’ll come across while making your way through the state. Speaking of one-of-a-kind houses, Tolstoy Park, an unusual one-room house in south Alabama, tends to catch the eye of anyone who passes by it. And it’s not surprising considering there’s no other house like it in the world. Other than the exterior and interior of Tolstoy Park, its unique history is what makes it such a truly special place.
Tolstoy Park is located in Montrose, Alabama, just a few miles from the city of Fairhope. What's odd about its location is that it's in the parking lot of an office complex. This historic house was built in the 1920s by an Englishman named Henry Stuart. Tolstoy Park measures approximately 14 feet in diameter and is sunk about two feet into the ground. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
Henry Stuart made his move from Idaho to Alabama in the early 1920s after he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. His doctor informed him he only had one year to live and suggested that he should move to a warmer climate to live out his final days, and that he did. After arriving in Alabama, Mr. Stuart purchased 10 acres of land and built a small hurricane-proof hut out of concrete. The construction of his home took a little longer than one month to complete. When he moved in, he thought he could die at any given time. Surprisingly, Mr. Stuart outlived his doctor's expectation by 17 years. He moved to Oregon in 1944 to live with his son, and he died there in 1946 at the age of 88. Because Mr. Stuart stayed inside his home the majority of the time, he earned himself the nickname 'Hermit of Montrose.'
During the 1980s, writer Sonny Brewer accidentally stumbled upon Tolstoy Park. He was fascinated that a house was sitting in a parking lot. After setting out to get some answers, he found newspaper articles about Mr. Stuart, in addition to photos. Mr. Brewer had gathered so much information about Henry Stuart that he decided to write a novel. Based on the first 20 pages, Mr. Brewer sold his debut novel for $100,000. He then moved into Tolstoy Park to finish writing and revising his piece of work. Mr. Brewer's novel, 'The Poet of Tolstoy Park,' was published in 2005.
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Listed below are a few interior shots of Tolstoy Park.
Mr. Stuart loved to read, so it only made sense to have a bookshelf to store his book collection.
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If Tolstoy Park interests you, you can visit it at this address: 22787 US Highway 98, Montrose Office Park, Fairhope, AL 36532-6329. Another unique home that’s only a few miles from Tolstoy Park and worth a visit is Mosher Castle. Information about this fairytale home can be viewed here.
