100-year-old Fairhope landmark on the move: Hermit Hut relocation nears approval

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Fairhope author Sonny Brewer stands inside the Hermit Hut of Tolstoy Park that was built in 1926 by Henry James Stuart. The hut and Stuart's story inspired Brewer's 2005 novel,

A photo of Henry James Stuart, who was in his late 60s at the time he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given a year to live. He moved in 1923 from Nampa, Idaho, to Fairhope, Ala., for warmer weather. By 1926, he completed a circular hurricane-resistant hut made of concrete blocks and brick where he lived for 18 years. The house became an attraction, and visitors came; 1,200 people signed a guest book he kept including the famed attorney, Clarence Darrow. Stuart's story and the presence of the hut near U.S. 98 served as an inspiration for Fairhope author Sonny Brewer to write the 2005 novel,

Author Sonny Brewer with his beloved companion, Bobby, inside the Hermit Hut of Tolstoy Park in Montrose, Ala. The hut and its unique story served as the inspiration to Brewer's 2005 novel,

Author Sonny Brewer with his beloved companion, Bobby, inside the Hermit Hut of Tolstoy Park in Montrose, Ala. The hut and its unique story served as the inspiration to Brewer's 2005 novel,

Fairhope author Sonny Brewer discusses the importance of Henry James Stuart on his life and for serving as the inspiration to his popular 2005 novel,

The Hermit Hut of Tolstoy Park sits next to parking lots and commercial offices off U.S. 98 north of Fairhope in Montrose, Ala. The hut was built by Henry James Stuart from Nampa, Idaho, who moved to Fairhope, Ala., in 1923, after he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given a year to live. Stuart built the round hurricane-resistant home from bricks and hand-made concrete blocks and lived inside it for the next 18 years. Completed in 1926 by Stuart, the home has long been a roadside attraction as well as the inspiration behind the popular 2005 novel,

Fairhope author Sonny Brewer with his trusted companion, Bobby, outside the Hermit Hut of Tolstoy Park as pictured on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Montrose, Ala. The hut and its story served as the inspiration for Brewer's popular 2005 novel,

Fairhope author Sonny Brewer with his trusted companion, Bobby, outside the Hermit Hut of Tolstoy Park as pictured on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Montrose, Ala. The hut and its story served as the inspiration for Brewer's popular 2005 novel,

The Hermit Hut of Tolstoy Park sits next to parking lots and commercial offices off U.S. 98 north of Fairhope in Montrose, Ala. The hut was built by Henry James Stuart from Nampa, Idaho, who moved to Fairhope, Ala., in 1923, after he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given a year to live. Stuart built the round hurricane-resistant home from bricks and hand-made concrete blocks and lived inside it for the next 18 years. Completed in 1926 by Stuart, the home has long been a roadside attraction as well as the inspiration behind the popular 2005 novel,

The Hermit Hut of Tolstoy Park sits next to parking lots and commercial offices off U.S. 98 north of Fairhope in Montrose, Ala. The hut was built by Henry James Stuart from Nampa, Idaho, who moved to Fairhope, Ala., in 1923, after he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given a year to live. Stuart built the round hurricane-resistant home from bricks and hand-made concrete blocks and lived inside it for the next 18 years. Completed in 1926 by Stuart, the home has long been a roadside attraction as well as the inspiration behind the popular 2005 novel,

The Hermit Hut of Tolstoy Park sits next to parking lots and commercial offices off U.S. 98 north of Fairhope in Montrose, Ala. The hut was built by Henry James Stuart from Nampa, Idaho, who moved to Fairhope, Ala., in 1923, after he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given a year to live. Stuart built the round hurricane-resistant home from bricks and hand-made concrete blocks and lived inside it for the next 18 years. Completed in 1926 by Stuart, the home has long been a roadside attraction as well as the inspiration behind the popular 2005 novel,

The Hermit Hut of Tolstoy Park sits next to parking lots and commercial offices off U.S. 98 north of Fairhope in Montrose, Ala. The hut was built by Henry James Stuart from Nampa, Idaho, who moved to Fairhope, Ala., in 1923, after he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given a year to live. Stuart built the round hurricane-resistant home from bricks and hand-made concrete blocks and lived inside it for the next 18 years. Completed in 1926 by Stuart, the home has long been a roadside attraction as well as the inspiration behind the popular 2005 novel,

A window that was installed by author Sonny Brewer at the Hermit Hut of Tolstoy Park, which sits next to parking lots and commercial offices off U.S. 98 north of Fairhope in Montrose, Ala. The hut was built by Henry James Stuart from Nampa, Idaho, who moved to Fairhope, Ala., in 1923, after he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given a year to live. Stuart built the round hurricane-resistant home from bricks and hand-made concrete blocks and lived inside it for the next 18 years. Completed in 1926 by Stuart, the home has long been a roadside attraction as well as the inspiration behind the popular 2005 novel,

The concrete and brick roof of the Hermit Hut of Tolstoy Park, which sits next to parking lots and commercial offices off U.S. 98 north of Fairhope in Montrose, Ala. The hut was built by Henry James Stuart from Nampa, Idaho, who moved to Fairhope, Ala., in 1923, after he was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given a year to live. Stuart built the round hurricane-resistant home from bricks and hand-made concrete blocks and lived inside it for the next 18 years. Completed in 1926 by Stuart, the home has long been a roadside attraction as well as the inspiration behind the popular 2005 novel,

Tolstoy Park hut in Fairhope, Ala.

Fairhope author Sonny Brewer walks on a nature trail following the City of Fairhope's groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, for the future Flying Creek Nature Preserve in Fairhope, Ala. The approximately $2 million project includes nature trails, trailhead with informational kiosks, parking, restrooms, and the redevelopment of an existing house into a nature center. Future phases include kayak/canoe launches, biking trails and more. Brewer is hoping to have the city's famous

The hermit's hut of Tolstoy Park. Set on a parking lot that used to be nothing but bramble is a concrete dome hut built in 1925, where a hermit expected to spend the last year of his life in solitude. Instead, he lived inside it for another 18 years. Henry Stuart, who was told by doctors he had a year to live, moved to 10 acres in Baldwin County and built a 14-foot-diameter hurricane-proof shelter and slept on a hammock inside. Alabama author Sonny Brewer became enamored with the tale and lived in the hut while writing

If there was ever a way to celebrate the 100th anniversary of a sometimes-overlooked landmark, Fairhope may be on the right track later this year.

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