Time continues to change the nature, but not the character, of this unique landmark. This 1808 building began as the Federal-style brick home of Thomas Ashley, one of the early setters of Poultney. That structure forms the central part of what is now The Stonebridge.

In 1840 the home was purchased by Merritt Clark who added the two wings and Greek Revival front. Here he opened the first bank of Poultney in the west wing, placing the bank vault in the cellar of this wing where the foundation walls are five feet thick. It is listed on the National Historic Registry as the Merritt Clark House.

In 1901 it became the property of F. W. Barrett, owner of the area’s largest department store. He installed the first tiled bathroom in Poultney in 1903.

Years later it was the the residence and office of Dr. and Mrs. Emory Swinyer. The doctor had his offices in the east wing, and practiced until his retirement in 1983.

The home finally became the Stonebridge Inn in 1984. The Inn’s last owners, Daniel and Kristine Morris, donated the roofless and charred remains of the building to the Town of Poultney in 1999.

(Add restoration story here).

It now serves the area as the hub for a variety of community services:

Rutland County Parent-Child Care Consortium
Vermont Adult Learning Program,
Poultney-Mettowee Natural Resource Conservation District
Poultney Food Shelf
Poultney Chamber of Commerce and the Poultney Downtown Revitalization Committee, which sponsor travel and tourist information services.