05/18/2026
Did you know that sitting on Howard's K**b was one of the most mysterious homes ever built in ?
The Red Dot House was roughly 10,000 square feet, painted pitch black with a single bright red dot near the top of its main wall, looming over the town for decades and sparking rumors of everything from aliens to satanic cults.
Its owner, Dr. Richard L. Stahl, was a Professor of Education at Appalachian State from 1974 to 2000, respected enough to shake hands with President Jimmy Carter on behalf of a gifted children's program.
Stahl was indicted in 2003 on 24 counts including money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy. He named himself beneficiary of five life insurance policies on a Miami man, who died just 12 days after the last policy's contestability period expired. Stahl insisted on no autopsy and produced a document demanding cremation within 24 hours. He collected over $5 million, served less than 20 months, and was released early. Inside, appraisers found a communal shower fit for ten, a room of wall-to-wall mattresses on risers, and a massage table surrounded by medical books.
After prison, Stahl donated over eight acres to Howard's K**b Park and was formally thanked by the Boone town council. He also spent much of his post-retirement life writing extensively on theoretical geophysics — a field he never professionally pursued, raising just as many questions about the man as anything else. DM us with any information you have on Dr. Stahl and the Red Dot House, and stay tuned for a more in depth look!
