Unraveling the Mystery of Canberras Stone House: A Historic Homestead, Not a JailThis podcast episode delves into the enduring legend surrounding a dilapidated stone building in Canberra, Australia. Despite widespread belief that it was the citys first jail, historians like Frederick Robinson and James McDonald have debunked this myth. The building, constructed in 1840 for German immigrant William Klensendorlffe, was originally a homestead with timber verandas. Klensendorlffe, a tough businessman, had a run-in with bushranger William Westwood. However, it was the economic depression of the 1840s that led to his bankruptcy. The Kaye family later resided there, using the basement as a ballroom. The house fell into disrepair and was mistakenly thought to be under the lake. Recent heritage research has pinpointed its location near the northern tip of Lennox Gardens. The podcast suggests an interpretive plaque to finally set the record straight: the stone house was never a jail.

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