Not only has Paul Pitt, a professor of art, been teaching art at Harding for nearly three decades, he is also a certified hypnotist and a modern-day caveman.
Paul Pitt and his wife Sharon, who is also an assistant communications professor, have lived in a house cut out of the side of a hill in the woods for 27 years as of this December. Paul Pitt said it was his dream to live in a cave-style, underground home for many years before he began the construction process. Since natural caves are few and far between in the south, Paul Pitt had to get creative when building his dream home.
“I had to make my own cave,” Paul Pitt said. “We dug out on the hillside, built it, and then covered it back up.”
The Pitt’s house is connected by a tunnel to a second cave, which he uses as his studio. Paul Pitt said there are many advantages to living underground, including free natural heating and cooling from the earth, and safety from natural disasters.
“There is no sway factor during an earthquake, and it is much safer during a tornado or hurricane,” Paul Pitt said. “We sometimes have extra company during tornado warnings.”
Sharon Pitt said she never imagined herself living in a cave, but decided she was willing to let her husband’s dream become their reality.
“This was not the house I would have built, but it was my husband’s dream,” Sharon Pitt said. “We’ve had a lot of fun over the years. It was a family project. His parents came and helped us work on it, and our sons helped build it.”
Although the Pitt’s house is tucked away in the woods and not visible from the main road, Paul Pitt said he is still within Searcy city limits.
“I don’t like it because I can’t shoot a gun, but fire insurance is cheaper,” Paul Pitt said.
Both the Pitts often invite students from their classes over to their house for an evening of food and fun.
“That’s just something we do every semester,” Sharon Pitt said. “They call it the Hobbit House.”
Junior Emily Strandvold visited last year and said she was fascinated by the ambiance of the cave house.
“It was really nice of Mrs. Pitt to invite us into her home and makeus dinner,” Strandvold said. “Besides her house looking like a hobbit house, the surrounding area also seemed like something out in the middle of nowhere. The whole atmosphere made you want to adventure and find all the neat quirks about the place.”
Sharon Pitt said that since many students are aware of her husband’s abilities as a hypnotist, they are eager to visit so that they can experience this phenomenon.
“Sometimes students come just because they know my husband will hypnotize them,” Sharon Pitt said.
The Pitts said that, as per usual, they plan to invite their classes home this semester to explore the cave and eat a home cooked meal.
