SearStone

By the turn of the 19th century, a family by the name of Stone was already hard at work, farming their expansive 1,000-acre tract of land in a pastoral town called Cary. Surely, they could never have imagined they would become the forebears of a legacy that would grow to be more than eight generations strong by the turn of the 21st century. Each nurtured from that very same land on the corner of what is now High House Road and Davis Drive.

They lived and worked in harmony with the natural beauty surrounding them. A privileged, peaceful way of life in a place where delight and hope have been as plentiful as the harvest and as deeply rooted as the mighty oaks.

In 1941, the Stone family united with the Sears family: Maggie Belle Stone married John Winston Sears. He joined her on the land, where they cultivated their heritage, raising five children of their own.

Both the Stone and Sears families were historically generous with the property, always ready to portion off a parcel for a family member or give easements – or outright ownership – to the town to help improve roadways, public utilities and commerce. The nearby, prestigious Prestonwood Country Club was originally Stone farmland.

Maggie and John’s eldest, William “Bill” Winston Sears – now a father himself – had a new vision for the family farm. It was time for the land to take care of the people who had so lovingly cared for it. And to continue the family history of sharing the use of the land for the good of the community. As an architect, he possessed the unique advantage of being able to personally fulfill this dream.

Today, these rolling hills are SearStone. An entirely new generation has begun.