The Millennium Rock House

The benefits of building a stone home.

October/November 1995
By the Mother Earth News editors 
152-058-01.jpg
Image Gallery
Though the house is ""99 percent rock,"" according to Ray, the brothers did have to make some concessions in the form of these windowpanes and the three-inch-thick oak front door. The entire house was built in five years for under $60,000, and neither brother had to borrow a dime to do it.
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

Fireproof, insurance-proof, windproof, water damage-proof, hail-proof, mouse-proof, paint-proof, and self-air-conditioning," Ray Swangkee boasted as he showed us his and his brother Vern's pride and joy, a 13-million-pound rock home, hand-built near the town of Horatio, AR. That's nearly 7,000 tons of backbreaking labor. Their fortress is framed by 360 linear feet of concrete walls, poured between frames made of ¾-inch exterior plywood, and faced with marble the brothers collected during five years of construction. From the marble floor tiles hand laid over five months to the marble and granite chimney, the house will be a thousand-year testament to the patience and care of the two brothers. As if to prove that particular point, a tornado tore a path of destruction to their doorstep a few years ago, and passed directly over the house without displacing a stone.
Though politely requesting that he not be photographed, Ray is only too happy to send those interested more information about the house's construction. Send $2 and a SASE to: Ray Swangkee, Angel Ridge, Box 305, King's Mountain, KY 40442.

RELATED CONTENT

 
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

Please note that there is currently a problem with the comments function and your comment may or may not post successfully. We are working to correct the problem and thank you for your patience. 

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Mother Earth News readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Mother Earth News?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

Mother Earth News is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. Mother Earth News helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At Mother Earth News, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of Mother Earth News for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.