Petrie Family Rock - Large boulder located in the basement of the Petrie family on the sitcom THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW/CBS/1961-66. When Rob and Laura Petrie (Dick Van Dyke/Mary Tyler Moore) were house hunting for a new home in the New Rochelle area, they found one they really liked. Unfortunately, its basement was nearly half-filled with a natural rock formation that protruded from the bedrock below. As the real estate salesman reluctantly explained the rock ran "under half of West Chester. It just comes up here." Despite the tempting asking price of $27,990, Rob and Laura decided to sleep on their decision. When they finally decided to buy the house (despite the rock), they discovered their best friends Millie and Jerry Helper (Ann Morgan Guilbert/Jerry Paris) had beat them to the punch and put down a $200 deposit on the house. Luckily, a model home next store to the house with the "Rock" came up for sale, and the Petrie's and Helper's decided to buy both homes and become neighbors. The Petrie's (who got the rock house) later discovered that the boulder in their basement acted as a natural draw which directed rainwater towards the foundation of the Helper's home. In an effort to keep their friendship stable, Rob Petrie decided to pay half the annual maintenance bill ($75.00) for tarring and waterproofing to keep the moisture out of the Helper's basement.