The Stone House Restauraunt and Country Inn

The Stone House Restauraunt and Country Inn paranormal

Photo by: Marianne Donley
Location submitted by: sdonley on 08/02/2017
DBA Approved: Y

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PANICd#: 1889

The Stone House Restaurant and Country Inn, located in Pennsylvania's scenic Laurel Mountains, is proud to continue a time-honored tradition of fine dining and rest for the weary traveler.

3023 National Pike
Farmington , PA 15437
Phone: (724) 329-8876
Open to the public: Yes

http://www.stonehouseinn.com/

Lat: 39.8407491
Lon: -79.61047539999998

Database Summary:

Demographic Rank: 6
History: 1
Stories: 2
Claims: 15
Evidence: 0
Resources: 7
Retrievals: 13183
Vistor Rating: 0.0
Votes: 0

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History

History information is some background and history about the location. This is meant to be a basic summary. Below the history records you will find sources in which you can click on to find out more information. There may be multiple history records per location.

The Stone House Restaurant and Country Inn, located in Pennsylvania's scenic Laurel Mountains, is proud to continue a time-honored tradition of fine dining and rest for the weary traveler. One of the original wayside inns along the National Road, the Stone House first opened its doors in 1822 to wagoners and travelers seeking renewed health in the waters of nearby Fayette Springs. Ever since those early days, the Stone House has been regarded by travelers and locals alike as a charming getaway for fine dining and good times in a peaceful mountain setting.

Stewart, Andrew

The "Stone House" (formerly Fayette Springs Hotel), was built as a resort in 1822 by the Honorable Andrew Stewart. Stewart was a politician, statesman, and local land baron who rode the wave of prosperity brought on with the opening of the National Road in 1818 which is present day U.S. Route 40 in southwestern PA. The historic construction of the National Road or dirt-surface "Old Pike" was undertaken from 1811 to 1818, with surveying and supervision by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and actual work done by local contractors. Among these local contractors was Abraham Stewart, the father of the man who would one day build the Stone House. While in the process of road construction, Abraham unearthed the remains of the famous colonial general Edward Braddock, who had died of a fatal wound some 60 years earlier following one of the battles of the French and Indian War. Abraham reinterred the bones of Braddock in the spot along Route 40 which remains the present-day burial site, with his young son Andrew as witness.

Andrew Stewart was born in 1791 in German Township and was raised here in the Laurel Mountains. In his teens he taught in a local school and began to study law. He was admitted to the Fayette County Bar in 1815, and thereafter to the General Assembly. Stewart was appointed U.S. District Attorney by President Monroe, an office he resigned in 1820 to accept a seat in Congress. A few years later, he won reelection over his opponent, Mr. Clevenger, with the free and abundant distribution of watermelons to voters. During his years of public service, Stewart was acquainted with such luminaries as John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren and Abraham Lincoln. He served as Congressman for 18 years. He was an early proponent of railroad transportation in Pennsylvania, and worked hard toward the maintenance of the National Road, earning himself the nickname "Old Tariff Andy" along the way. But for an improper procedure during the Philadelphia Convention of 1848, Stewart would have been nominated Vice President of the United States and might well have gone on to the Presidency. Millard Fillmore was selected as the Vice Presidential candidate instead, and went on to assume the office of President when Zachary Taylor died during his term.

With the opening of the Old Pike, taverns, wagon roads, and inns began to proliferate along the road to serve the needs of travelers. Nightly musical entertainment and traveling minstrel shows featuring such performers as Jenny Lind became popular. An added attraction to visitors on Summit Mountain was a natural outdoor spring known as "Fayette Springs," the waters of which were thought to have curative powers. A Fayette Springs Hotel soon opened adjacent to the spring to serve early lodging needs, but the building has long since vanished. Andrew Stewart recognized the need for a new and improved hotel nearby the spring on a somewhat grander scale than the one-story original structure.

The new two-story stone Fayette Springs Hotel opened in 1822. The resort was no run-of-the-mill wagoner's tavern, but a fine restaurant with top fiddlers that entertained on weekends, a ten pin alley, billiards, a porch swing, and dancing into the wee hours. From the start, this rowdy inn attracted an enthusiastic following, particularly the young people of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, who must have endured an arduous journey along the rough and rutted mountain Pike to reach it. Fayette Springs Hotel was only one of many successful real estate enterprises undertaken by Andrew Stewart, who purchased over 80,000 acres of prime Fayette County land during his lifetime. Among Stewart's holdings were valuable business properties in downtown Uniontown (the former "Stewart's Row"), and 200 acres of land in Ohiopyle, which was then known as Falls City. After Stewart's death at the age of 81 in 1872, his sons continued to build in Falls City, they constructed two hotels, and many homes which are still occupied today

Titlow, George Flavius

Hotel "Baron" George Flavius Titlow was a grandson of Henry Beeson, one of Uniontown's founders. Born in Uniontown during the Civil War, George began working with his father in general merchandise at age 18. He was later hired as manager of the Hotel Marietta in Connellsville, PA. Seven years later, Titlow purchased the first of several hotel properties he would own. His first acquired property was the Jennings House in Uniontown, purchased for the exorbitant sum of $40,000 and sold after remodeling at a $50,000 profit. Titlow went on to purchase the Frost House on West Main Street and began to found his fortune, eventually acquiring the entire block. He then built the Hotel Titlow in 1906, one of the most luxurious of hotels in Western Pennsylvania during this era, and the meeting place of powerful coal and coke barons who were friends of Titlow's.

The business and polictical pressures of "downtown" life eventually began to wear on George and his family, and in 1909 he purchased the Fayette Springs Hotel as a weekend and summer getaway home. Titlow closed the doors of the Fayette Springs Hotel to the public and began remodeling the then nearly century-old house, adding a huge addition and a wraparound stone porch along its front and sides. The family eventually added an in-ground swimming pool and often held large parties and reunions on its side lawn.

George finally sold the Hotel Titlow in 1922 during the Prohibition era, saying, "You can't run a hotel without spirits." He still owned the Stone House at the time of his death in 1940. Later the house was run by a series of keepers as a restaurant called the "Stone House," and "The Farmer's Daughter."

Throughout the years, the Stone House remained a popular hangout for young people. General George C. Marshall, native of Fayette County, recalled in his remarks at the dedication of Fort Necessity in 1954 that when he was a young man he and his friends would go to the old Stone House Restaurant for Chicken and Dumplings - the best he ever tasted, he said.

Ross, Fanny

The next owner of the Stone House was Fanny Ross, originally of Cardale, PA. She was of Italian descent and exceptional culinary skill. Fanny had visited the Stone House during UMWA meetings in 1932 and 1933, and came away much impressed with the building and its potential. When the house was put up for sale in 1963, Fanny jumped at the chance to own it and placed a down payment on the purchase on the same day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Fanny operated the Stone House as an Italian restaurant for 31 years, rising daily at 6 am to make pasta, sauce, and bake fresh bread. In partnership with Gene Cardine, Fanny's Stone House once again became a restaurant of great renown, noted among both tourists and locals for its unique sauces, fresh breads, delightful homemade Roquefort Dressing and Strawberry Shortcake. When Cardine passed on in 1974, Fanny and her son Carl Ross continued the restaurant's tradition of quality and consistency.

In 1995, Fanny closed the restaurant due to ill health, but her remarkable reign as the little Italian woman with a grand culinary talent will remain a delicious part of Stone House history. She will be remembered as a true asset to the local community.

Zeigler III, Frederick F.

In 1996 local businessman Fred F. Zeigler, III embarked upon a joint venture to restore the Stone House to its origins in character and appearance. As extensive renovations were conducted, every opportunity was taken to restore original elements of the building to modern function, while re-establishing the early 1820's style atmosphere which existed at the time the Stone House was a distinctive wayfarer's inn along the original National Pike.

Critchfield, Jeremy W.

November of 2011 a "just by chance" conversation took place between owner Fred Zeigler and Chef Jeremy Critchfield about life, world events and what the Stone House could be. The two had met several times during Critchfield's ten years previously living in Farmington while working as the executive chef at nearby Nemacolin Woodlands Resort but had lost touch when Critchfield moved away to work as vice president of food & beverage at the Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia. Having spent over 20 years in the kitchens of five star resorts and restaurants all over the country Critchfield was ready for a change. The timing and opportunity to finally settle his family here in Chalk hill was perfect. He had often patronized the Stone House and had always imagined what it might be like to own it. Their conversation continued and grew over that winter and then solidified in a great partnership. In March 2012 chef Critchfield joined Mr. Zeigler as the operating partner and chef for the Stone House. Today they are continuing to write this newest chapter in the Stone House's history.

Added by: sdonley on 01/26/2018 DB#:382
Source(s):
http://www.stonehouseinn.com/history/

Stories

Stories are just that. Stories and personal accounts that have been reported about the location.

One new year's eve, the Titlows threw a huge party. At midnight, Mr. Titlow went on the front porch and fired his shotgun. The next day he discovered, he had shot one of his beef cows in his pasture across the road. So he butchered it up and had another feast.

Titlow was also reported to light his cigars with $5 bills.

Was also nominated for the vice presidency by the Whig party and allegedly won the election, but the wrong information was sent to the floor and Filmore was nominated and elected...later President Taylor died in office and Filmore took over...what allegedly should have been Titlow's position.

In the 1950's, the winter was so bad that one of the lessees burned the tables and chairs from the dining room to keep warm.

The Titlows pool eventually fell into disrepair and filled up with dirt. Fannie had 40 truckloads of dirt hauled out of it, but it kept filling up with dirt from the hillside. The pool is no longer in existence.

The stone house had a bad reputation for a while and it was a very rowdy place. That is until Fannie took over. She ruled the place with an iron fist. And she was fond of her guns...which surely helped, before she owned the Stonehouse she owned a cafe. Someone did not want to pay for their meal. She said they had better or else. When they challenged her back, with or else what...she shot the guy near his groin. Later when she did own the stone house, a group of men stopped by late at night and wanted to use the phone. Her son gave one a ride to get gas, she told the rest to stay in their car...one challenged her. You guessed it, she shot him too. This guy she only shot in the foot though And if anyone got rowdy and out of hand in the stone house while she was in charge, she got out her gun and told them to leave and not come back..

Occasionally a customer would walk out without paying at the stone house. The waitresses would have to pay for it, but if they came back, they were assured they were not welcome. Diane Gordon relayed an experience she had with this. She saw someone who had not paid last time and pointed them out, Fannie got her gun and pointed it at his head said, "get the F" out and don't you ever walk in this restaurant again. Never.

Fannie had one of her breasts removed. She would often take off her fake one and forget where she put it. She would then go around asking the help if anyone had seen it.

Fannie was good to her employees and would let them stay there rent free, but she made them work for it...she always wanted the place clean. She would walk around with white gloves to see if it was clean enough. She would get very angry if there was dirt in the kitchen or if someone was careless. One time, a dishwasher named Terry Wise, who lived there, accidentally dumped a 25# bag of sugar on the floor. She screamed at him, called him names, and made him clean it all up by picking up all 25# of sugar with a beer cap to throw it away. He was not allowed to use a broom. She said it would teach him to be more careful. It took him 2 1/2 hours. But when he was done, she told him he did a good job and he could sit down and eat his dinner.

Added by: sdonley on 01/27/2018 DB#:1381
Source(s):
Stone House Legends & Lore

There are reports of ghosts at the stone house.

Some say the place is haunted, while other say it is not...

Infact, Fannie herself reported hearing ghosts walking around at night. She yelled at them. She told them, "Hey, if you can't get a dust rag and clean while I am sleeping, get the hell out!" and they all left. Perhaps that is why some say there are none there now. (Though the current staff disagrees.)

In any case, the ghosts reported have to do with some deaths at the stone house and some who just like it there...most of the ghosts seem to be from the rowdy days.

One of the ghosts may have something to do with a person who was shot in one of the upstairs bedrooms. Allegedly, there are still blood stains under the rug in the big left room.

There is also reportedly an angry woman on the third floor who does not like men.

In the Lincoln room (the rooms are all named) which was the madam's room at one time, flashlight responses have been recorded during ghost hunting sessions.

Someone hung himself over the third floor banister bannister bent toward the left side. There are reports of someone hanging from there on occasion.

There is an apparition of a Girl with long blonde hair crying on second floor in the hallway on the Couch by the staircase, and also in the Lincoln bedroom (prostitution/madam's room)

Third floor people will find change where the guy used to sit and collect entrance fees into the speakeasy that was up there at one time.

In the attic, it is reported that there is an emancipated slave named Luther in the attic hideout. Ghost hunters have tried to tell him that he was in the free North and no longer needs to hide.

Two gentlemen Mr. Larue and Mr. Pierre had a disagreement and shot each other in the common room area of the mezzanine covered porch second floor, blood stains are still visible on floorboards and there are reports of them returning to the scene of their deaths.

And then there is the Dining room. In the dining room there are several different reports. Several of these reports are reports of Shadow people , reports of someone in a long sleeved white shirt who appears, silverware gets moved, apparitions of a young boy in period clothing is also seen in dining room.and even apparitions of early owner Mr. Titlow is seen in the dining room in the chair by the door.

Now we stayed at the stone house recently during the Bigfoot Camping Adventure. One of the waitresses relayed that she knows that it is haunted. She relayed only one story though...it was that she felt as if there was someone in the dining room (but there wasn't) and that whoever it was seemed to follow her around the dining room while she was in there and then went into the kitchen.

On night one of our stay, We ourselves heard a female voice, but could not make out what she was saying. We debunked it though as we were not the only ones staying in the inn that night and could hear things through the register vents and assumed it to have been another guest. The second night though, we heard the same voice again (unfortunately we still could not interpret it though). This time, we were still not the only ones in the establishment, but the second night, we were supposedly the only repeat lodgers. The others were all part of a wedding party that were staying after their reception in the banquet hall. so was this female voice a ghost trying to communicate? Of course we did not have our recorders..so we may never know.

Business cards flung all over the floor. Manager told us she was alone and they were on the desk, then they were just flung all over.

Added by: sdonley on 01/27/2018 DB#:1382
Source(s):
Stone House Legends & Lore

Paranormal Claims

Here are the paranormal claims for this location. These have been found through Internet research, reports from members, or reports from personal interviews. To add a claim, please contact PANICd.com, and we will review and add your information.

Claim #	Added	Added By	Claim
2725	02/04/2018	sdonley	The spirit of a angry women has been reported on the third floor.
2726	02/04/2018	sdonley	There is a spirit that was reported in the big left room of someone who was shot there.
2727	02/04/2018	sdonley	In the Lincoln room, flashlight responses have been recorded during ghost hunting sessions.
2728	02/04/2018	sdonley	The apparition of someone who hung themselves over the third floor banister has been reported.
2729	02/04/2018	sdonley	There is an apparition of a girl with long blonde hair crying on the second floor in the hallway, on the couch, and in the Lincoln bedroom.
2730	02/04/2018	sdonley	Change has been found on the third floor where the guy used to sit and collect entrance fees for the speakeasy.
2731	02/04/2018	sdonley	In the attic, there are reports of the spirit of an emancipated slave named Luther.
2732	02/04/2018	sdonley	The apparitions of two men that shot each other on the in the mezzanine covered porch on the second floor have been reported.
2733	02/04/2018	sdonley	Shadow figures have been reported in the dining room.
2734	02/04/2018	sdonley	Someone in a long sleeved white shirt, appears, silverware gets moved in the dining room.
2735	02/04/2018	sdonley	The apparition of a young boy in period clothing has been seen in the dining room.
2736	02/04/2018	sdonley	The apparition of Mr. Titlow has been seen in the dining room in the chair by the door.
2737	02/04/2018	sdonley	Employees have reported the feeling as if someone was following them around.
2738	02/04/2018	sdonley	Disembodied voices have been heard by guests.
2739	02/04/2018	sdonley	Business cards have been flung all over the floor late at night.

Additional Resources

This is a collection of Internet resources for this location. This section will house links to other websites that contain information related to history, claims, investigations, or even the location's website.

Wikipedia Entry Added: 01/26/2018 By: sdonley	Wikipedia entry for this location.
Stone House Country Inn - Reviews (Farmington, PA) - TripAdvisor Added: 01/27/2018 By: sdonley	Stone House Country Inn, Farmington: See 100 traveler reviews, 17 candid photos, and great deals for Stone House Country Inn, ranked #2 of 3 B&Bs / inns in Farmington and rated 3.5 of 5 at TripAdvisor.
Stone House Restaurant - 60 Photos & 83 Reviews - American (Traditional) - 3023 National Pike, Farmington, PA - Restaurant Reviews - Phone Number - Yelp Added: 01/27/2018 By: sdonley	83 reviews of Stone House Restaurant "OVERALL VERY NICE PLACE TO HAVE A DATE: Stopped in here awhile back on a rainy, foggy night and had a meal. I believe it was around the Halloween holiday? They were having some sort of sock hop in theirâ€¦
Stone House Restaurant & Country Inn Added: 01/27/2018 By: sdonley	One of the original inns along the National Road (present day U.S. Route 40), the Stone House has a 175+ year history of providing rest for the weary traveler. Enjoy dining in our casual, fun, relaxed atmosphere! The Stone House can also provide catering services for your event in our facility or at your location within our area. Our Award-Winning Chef has prepared a Lunch and Dinner Menu of the finest food to be found in our area of the Laurel Highlands. All items available for take-out.
Facebook Added: 01/27/2018 By: sdonley	Facebook page for this location.
Stone House Restaurant & Country Inn - Farmington, PA Added: 01/27/2018 By: sdonley	Stone House Restaurant & Country Inn is a Reception Venue in Farmington, PA. Read reviews and contact Stone House Restaurant & Country Inn directly on The Knot.
The Stone House Restaurant & Country Inn \| #visitPA Added: 01/27/2018 By: sdonley	The Stone House Restaurant & Country Inn in Farmington, PA. Historic 1822 stone house that has been renovated to a bed & breakfast.