The Hand-Built Hobby House
One of Farmstead’s most unique homes is also one of its most storied
Words by Nick Norris | Images by Al Blanton and Courtesy of the Hendrix-Putman family
The Hendrix-Putman house on Ridgewood Road is one of Jasper's most distinctive structures, Its multi-colored stained-glass windows pop against the white-painted wood exterior. Hand-placed stones adorn the foundation and crescendo into a sturdy wall by the carport, and the interior houses intriguing treasures from around the globe.
But perhaps more fascinating than the house itself is the man who built it.
During World War II, Grady Hendrix voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served with the Military Police in the construction of the world's first nuclear bomb an effort otherwise known as the Manhattan Project.
After serving his country, Grady returned to Alabama to attend Auburn University. There, the future agribusiness teacher fell in love with another aspiring teacher, and the two married just a month before graduation.
Today, Neal Hendrix, Grady's 93-year-old widow, pauses her broadcast of the French Open tennis tournament to recount how the house came to be.
"Grady and I moved to the Farmstead community in 1954," she says kindly. "We lived in the house I live in now: But at some point, Grady had the idea of building an additional house by hand."
Grady began by constructing a Cold War-era bomb shelter, complete with 18-inch steel-reinforced concrete walls and a lead door: But that was just the start. Next, he wanted an entire home to go on top of it.
"It was a project of his that he would work on in his free time," Neal explains. "We called it his 'hobby house."
After the couple had children, it became the kids' hobby, too. "Some of my earliest memories are helping dad with windows and materials from other places. Even the round chimney’s lining was made from water heaters salvaged from the old high school.”
Through the years, Grady collected stones from every state and several countries to add to the collection. "He would walk around and point and tell me, 'That rock is from New Mexico... And that one was given to me by a fisherman," says Bert. "He had a story for just about every rock."
One of Bert's two older sisters, Beth Kennedy, also shares nostalgia for summer days at the hobby house.
"When we were young, the house was nothing but a foundation," Beth explains. "We would use it as a fort for our magnificent pinecone battles."
But when the children weren't searching for the heaviest, ripest pinecones to hurl at one another, they were helping Grady search for rocks.
"I spent many sunny summer days searching the creek with Dad, looking for the best rocks to use on the house," Beth says. "He was truly one of the greatest men to ever live."
(Above) The master bath blends modern elements with the home’s elegance.
The house itself became a love letter to the family's many passions. An engraved stone honoring the family's history with Boy and Girl Scout organizations is placed within a bedroom wall. A large rock surrounded by twelve smaller stones centers the fireplace mantle, representing Jesus and the disciples. And a tiny capsule of water brought back from the Sea of Galilee is forever encased in pavement, tucked away in a corner of the home.
Construction on the house continued periodically until the 1990s. By then, the exterior was mostly completed, and the three Hendrix kids had grown up. The eldest, Pat, was married and ready to return to her hometown. She and her husband, Mike Putman, had a construction company finish the job. After decades of grueling work, the house finally had its first residents.
"The style of the house is like if a cabin met a Swiss chalet," says Mike. "Everywhere you look, there is a little Easter egg waiting to be found. Some of the stones used are fossils, and another stone is in the shape of the state of Alabama."
(Above) Treated timbers cut by Grady from the nearby woods.
Pat and Mike eventually had their own children, and no matter where the children played, memories always seemed to be made.
"Some of my favorite memories to look back on are celebrating Christmas in this home, especially when the kids were small," Mike says. "That and just watching them play outside. Those kids had 25 acres to explore, and they would run around outdoors from nine in the morning 'til dark."
But as is life, good times are sometimes cut short. In April of 2023, Pat passed away just a month before her 67th birthday. An accomplished musician, Pat was a retired high school band director, a Walker County Arts Alliance administrator, and the Alabama Conference of Theatre executive director. Most importantly, she was a beloved wife, mother, sister, and daughter.
(Above) The certified bomb shelter built during the Cold War.
In the year since, the house has been renovated and brought to even newer heights of beauty. Mike has added to the home's charm, embracing the chalet-like elegance while implementing a more modern open concept. The new blends naturally with the old, complimenting sweet memories of the past with a hopeful promise of the future.
It is almost fitting that the historic home continues to undergo changes and renovations since so much of its history revolves around its long-spanning construction. It was built slowly but surely, with materials from just about every state and continent over the course of several decades.
"Grady never had a set date in mind to finish it," Neal says. "He was much more enthusiastic about the process itself. It was just something that made him happy." 78
(Below) The dining area boasts blown tsunami glass from Key West.
