Our Roots

Slate + Stone is rooted in the rugged beauty of the Hocking Hills — 120 acres of sandstone ridges, slate-lined creeks, towering pines, and wide-open sky. The land speaks in textures and tones, and we’ve done our best to listen.

This place began as a vision — shaped by Tom and Connie Williamson, both U.S. Army veterans who found purpose in travel, storytelling, and the simple joy of sharing space with others. Tom, a retired Airborne Ranger and southern Ohio native, is a natural host with an appreciation for tradition and a long memory. His stories stretch from military life to Appalachian folklore, passed down like heirlooms. Connie, raised in Wisconsin and a former teacher, is happiest outside with her hands in the dirt — or gathering friends over good wine and better conversation.

What started as a dream to create a quiet, welcoming escape has grown into a family-run retreat — a space where guests can unplug, explore, and reconnect with nature and themselves.

That vision lives on today through their daughter, Patty, and her husband, Aaron, who care for and operate Slate + Stone with intention, heart, and hospitality. We live here. We walk these trails. And we welcome every guest not as a visitor, but as a neighbor, a fellow traveler, a friend.