Abner Gaines House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Colonel Abner Gaines House
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 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Walton, Kentucky |
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| Built | 1814 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 80001483 |
| Added to NRHP | April 10, 1980 |
The Abner Gaines House or Gaines Tavern History Center is a very old and important building in Walton, Kentucky. It was built way back in 1814 and is the oldest house in Walton. This house is special because it's built in the Federal Style, which was a popular building design a long time ago. It even has three stairways and ten fancy carved fireplaces!
This historic house was once owned by Colonel Abner Gaines. He was an important person in the early days of Kentucky. His home was a busy place, serving as a post office and a stop for stagecoaches. Today, it's a history center where you can learn about the past.
Contents
A Hub of History
The spot where the Abner Gaines House stands was a busy place even before the house was built. There was a tavern here as early as 1795. A tavern was like an inn or a restaurant where travelers could stop for food, drinks, and a place to sleep.
Abner Gaines moved to Kentucky from Virginia in 1804. He quickly became an important person in the area, serving as a judge in Boone County. In 1813, he bought the old tavern property. The very next year, in 1814, he built the large house we see today.
A Center for Travel and Mail
The Abner Gaines House became a central point for the community. In 1815, Gaines opened a Post Office right inside his tavern. Because of this, the area became known as "Gaines crossroads."
He also started the very first stagecoach line that traveled between Cincinnati, Ohio and Lexington, Kentucky. Stagecoaches were like early buses, carrying people and mail between towns. This made the Gaines House a vital stop for travelers and communication in the region. In 1817, Abner Gaines was even appointed Sheriff, showing how respected he was in the community. He and his wife, Elizabeth, had a large family with 13 children.
The House Through Time
The Abner Gaines House stayed in the Gaines family for four generations, meaning it was passed down through the family for many years. After the Civil War, the family sold the house.
In 1897, a newspaper article talked about whether the old house should be torn down. But luckily, later owners repaired it and kept it standing. From the 1930s until 1997, the house was used as a shop that sold old and unique items.
A Historic Landmark
The Abner Gaines House was recognized as a very important historical site in 1980. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which is a list of buildings, districts, and sites that are important in American history.
In December 2006, the City of Walton bought the house and about 7.6 acres of land around it. After a lot of work to fix it up, the house reopened as the Gaines Tavern History Center. It's now a place where people can visit and learn about the history of the area. In 2022, the building was even featured on an episode of a TV show called Ghost Hunters.
See also
- Old Stone Tavern: Frankfort, Kentucky
- Old Talbott Tavern: Bardstown, Kentucky
- Sherman Tavern: Sherman, Kentucky
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Boone County, Kentucky
Images for kids
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The Abner Gaines House, also known as Gaines Tavern History Center.
