The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Old Stone House

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Old Stone House (front facade), University of Evansville

Old Stone House (rear view), University of Evansville

Institution Name: University of Evansville
Original/Historic Place Name: Gaines Head Roberts Home
Location on Campus: Newburgh, Indiana
Date(s) of Construction and Designer(s):

1834	original construction Unknown

Type of Place: Individual building
Style(s): (Glossary)
Materials:

Foundation: sandstone

Walls: Indiana sandstone

Roof: none specified

Function:

ca. 2004-present (2007)

other (guest house and social space)

Significance: history
Landmark designation:

none

Narrative: see below
References: see below

Narrative:
In 1834 the house now known as Old Stone House was built on top of Indian Hill in Warrick County, Newburgh, Indiana, overlooking the Ohio River. It was built by Gaines Head Roberts, a North Carolina native who arrived in Warrick County in 1810 and prospered by clearing government land and selling the lumber. One of these land grants was signed by President Martin Van Buren. Built out of sandstone, the house is three feet thick in the basement, two feet thick on the first floor, and eighteen inches thick on the second floor. The house went through many different ownerships and was used for a variety of purposes before finally being purchased by Thomas and Edna Morton in 1931. At that time it was in disrepair and needed extensive renovations and updating. Thomas and Edna Morton donated the Old Stone House and 70 acres to the University in 1969.

References:

I. Bibliographic sources:

Klinger, George. We Face the Future Unafraid: A Narrative History of the University of Evansville. Evansville, IN: University of Evansville Press, 2003.

Olmsted, Ralph. From Institute to University. Evansville, IN: University of Evansville, 1983.

II. Location of other data:

University: Library, Special Collections