John Sullivan, a former collector of Coimbatore had built the very first bungalow in Ooty, Stone House or 'Kal (meaning stone in Tamil) Bangala', as referred by the tribals. Sullivan brought the land from the Toda tribes and in 1822, built one of the finest European architecture you could see in South India. The building became the private residence of Sullivan and later it became part of the secretariat. Currently, it stands as the official residence of the Ooty Government Arts College Principal. The collector and his officials, who explored the place, were in awe of its beauty. The collector had foreseen the place developing into a tourist destination and he took the initiative of building the first English house along the lines of a British cottage with fireplace in the living room and a beautiful garden of orchids, ferns, pine trees, and lichens. Further, the British facilitated accessibility to this hill station by clearing forests and building roads.

The mansion made of stones is located amidst the greenery and mountains.  It also speaks of the ‘Raj’ culture existing during the time of its construction. The oldest Oak tree in Ooty can be seen in this bungalow compound, which is also known as Sullivan's Oak. The L- shaped Ooty lake, built by the same collector, is near the Stone House. Tourists can explore the beauty and magnificence of this astounding architecture between  9.00 am and 5.00 pm. Do not forget to capture this beauty on your camera. The best time to visit is between November and January.