We want
to thank the Miller family for permission to construct this Website. The
impetus for this project is the eventual sale of the Stoverdale acreage
by the Stover Family Trustees, heirs of founder Edward Stover. After the
hamlet ceased to function as a religious retreat, Stoverdale became a
refuge for area folks of very modest means. Many decades passed
with the Stover Family Trust leasing the lots for sums
that often did not cover the overhead. The ever-rising value of the land for development
coupled with the cost of legislated infrastructure improvements will
force its sale. This situation came to the headlines after the recent
tornadoes, compelling the Millers, children of one of the Trustees, to inform current inhabitants about
the dim prospects of their future residency.
The purpose of this site
is twofold:
One is to have a
gathering place for reminiscences, photos and stories related to life in
the Village of Stoverdale. A reunion area for anyone who has an
interest in Stoverdale through having lived there, visited there, swam
there, hunted there or worshipped there.
Another is as an
activist venue for the preservation of a portion of the tract for public
use. We hope to foster an interest in historic groups, public
agencies, state and local legislators, developers, individuals and
ultimately the Stover heirs in leaving a portion of the original camp
meeting tract for historic education and recreational activities.
