1949.
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| Granny's Rock along Bundy Mill Pike just south of the County Highway Barn, October 2019. |
It is to be expected that the largest boulder to be found in Randolph County would be only a pebble when compared with some of the large rocks to be found in the more mountainous parts of the country. In fact, nobody would expect to find a rock of any kind in these parts that would tip the scales at more than a ton and rocks of that size are exceedingly scarce.
When the great glacier passed over Randolph County it left in it's wake countless granite rocks, mostly of small size. Once in a while one finds a boulder so large that it hustles a tractor to move it out of the way, but these are not frequent. But the great glacier, when it was about to spend itself, had one great burden on it's back that it was getting anxious to be rid of. This burden was a granite boulder of huge proportions and the glacier set it down on Randolph County soil to remain there until this day.
It stands now in the same place the glacier put it, and it will probably be right there until those of us now living will have no further interest in it. And this is in spite of the fact that different people in different generations have thought the big boulder should be moved to a more prominent location.
Granny's Rock, it has been called for generations. And if you would like to view the largest boulder in Randolph County, just take the old 'Bundy Mill Pike,' or Huntsville Road three miles south-west of Winchester to the end of the concrete. (This, by the way, was the first concrete road to be built in Randolph County under the "Three Mile Road Law." It was known simply as the 'Cement Road.) And here, just off to the west, in the corner of the Loren Bolinger farm, you will see "Granny's Rock' projecting at least six feet out of the soil and showing ten or twelve feet of its length above ground.
Philip Kabel, Winchester historian, says that when plans were being made to place the Doughboy statue on the courthouse lawn as a World War I memorial, it was thought that Granny's Rock might be brought in and placed on the lawn for a base for the statue. But when the committee investigated they soon decided there was no place on the courthouse lawn for such a rock as that.
There has been much speculation throughout the years as to just how large Granny's Rock actually is. At different times people have dug down in the earth alongside of the huge boulder, but its actual dimensions have never been determined. There can be no doubt the great rock weighs hundreds, perhaps thousands of tons, for the greater part of its bulk is below ground level.
Older citizens of the county recall that at one time, many years ago, Granny's Rock bore a huge sign inviting you (in fine yellow letters) to "Trade at Kelly's Store in Winchester." Circus bills and campaign posters have been pasted on its east side, clearly visible from the road and bound to attract attention. It bears no advertising or any other inscription today.
Directly across the road to the east is the site of the old Sugar Creek school, one of the county's earliest 'Little Red Schoolhouses.' It was at Sugar Creek school that many of Randolph County's leading citizens received their early training in the 'three R's,' and it was here that numerous prominent educators taught their first term.
Bud Romizer, whose cozy and attractive home now occupies the former school site, is particularly proud of the many magnificent maples which stand on his lawn. These trees, Mr. Romizer says, were planted at different times by members of the Grange, which used the schoolhouse as their meeting place for many years, One huge maple appears to be at least five feet in diameter.
By reconstructing a former scene, one can well imagine the part 'Granny's Rock' played in the lives of former students at the old Sugar Creek school. Here was the schoolhouse with the road in front, then down over the bank stood the huge rock only a few feet from the creek itself. There can be no doubt that 'Granny's Rock' had an important part in hundreds of different games that were played by the youngsters before and after school and at recess.
"Granny's Rock" is dear to the hearts of many Randolph County folks as a never changing landmark which calls back to their minds happy scenes of their childhood days. Lynn Herald, July 29, 1949.
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| The T-Road intersection to locate Granny's rock on the northwest corner. |
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| Driving south on Huntsville Road, Winchester behind, pointing at Granny's Rock. |
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| Turned west off of Hunstville Road onto 150 South and Granny's rock is just to the right side of the road. |
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| Looking north on the small bridge crossing Sugar Creek along 150 South near a field where you can find Granny's Rock. |
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| Looking north on the small bridge crossing Sugar Creek along 150 South near a field where you can find Granny's Rock. |
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| Looking south on the small bridge crossing Sugar Creek along 150 South near a field where you can find Granny's Rock. |
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| Looking south on the small bridge crossing Sugar Creek along 150 South near a field where you can find Granny's Rock. |
This 1/2 minute video is facing south while standing on the bridge crossing Sugar Creek. Reflect on life of the young students who attended Sugar Creek School years ago as they took their recess breaks to clamber over Granny's Rock and play along the creek banks.
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