The Caldwell Family Quarry House Abandoned After Stone Trade Decline

The Caldwell family established Quarry View House in 1908 after William Caldwell purchased land beside the Redstone Quarry and built a residence for his family. Three generations lived there, including William, his wife Clara, their children, and later grandchildren who assisted with quarry records and garden maintenance. The family earned income from stone cutting, construction supply contracts, and seasonal quarry work.

The elevated garden terrace was created as a private growing area above the quarry wall. Local records describe a maintained home with active rooms, a working porch, and regular repairs before the stone industry weakened.

The first warning sign appeared in 1927 when the Caldwells received delayed payments from construction companies after several quarry contracts were cancelled. By 1929, reduced stone production forced William to dismiss workers and stop maintaining the wooden staircase leading to the upper garden. The family closed the glass breakfast room during winter to reduce expenses and postponed repairs to the porch and quarry-side railings. The collapse of the regional stone market during the early 1930s left unpaid business loans, property taxes, and equipment debts. In 1933, creditors seized the quarry holdings, and the Caldwells moved to a nearby town.

Quarry View House was abandoned in 1934 after foreclosure followed the collapse of the stone business, unpaid debts, and the loss of the Caldwell family income. No restoration occurred, and no Caldwell descendants returned after leaving the quarry region. County records noted uncertain ownership and unsuccessful attempts to reopen the abandoned site. The remaining rooms stayed closed with household belongings, quarry papers, and gardening tools left behind. Over decades, weather, moisture, and vegetation damaged the residence and surrounding structures. The quarry house remains empty at the base of the stone walls, continuing to deteriorate without restoration or confirmed future use.