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, also known as the Gaines Tavern History Center, is a historic building in Walton, Kentucky. It was built in 1814 and is the oldest house in Walton. The house is designed in the Federal Style, which was popular in the United States during the early 1800s. It has three stairways and ten beautifully carved fireplaces.
Contents
History of the Gaines House
Early Days as a Tavern
Before the current house was built, there was a tavern on this spot as early as 1795. A tavern was like an inn or a hotel where travelers could stop to rest, eat, and sometimes stay overnight. It was an important place for people traveling long distances.
Abner Gaines and His Family
Abner Gaines moved to Kentucky from Virginia in 1804. He quickly became an important person in the community. The next year, he was made a Justice in Boone County. In 1813, he bought the old tavern property. He then built the new, larger house in 1814, which is the one we see today.
In 1815, Gaines opened a Post Office inside his tavern. At that time, the area was even known as "Gaines crossroads" because it was a busy meeting point. Abner Gaines also started the very first stagecoach line between Cincinnati, Ohio and Lexington, Kentucky. Stagecoaches were like public buses pulled by horses, carrying people and mail between towns. In 1817, he was chosen to be the Sheriff. Abner Gaines and his wife, Elizabeth Matthews, had a large family with 13 children.
Historians believe that skilled workers, including people who were enslaved by Gaines, helped build the main house. It has 17 rooms and is two and a half stories tall.
Later Owners and Restoration
The Abner Gaines House stayed in the Gaines family for four generations, meaning it was passed down through the family for a long time. After the Civil War, it was sold. In 1897, there was talk about tearing the house down. However, later owners repaired it. From the 1930s until 1997, the house was used as an antiques shop.
The Abner Gaines House was recognized as an important historical site in 1980. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In December 2006, the City of Walton bought the house and about 7.6 acres of land. After a lot of work to restore it, the house reopened as the Gaines Tavern History Center. It now serves as a place where people can learn about the history of the area. In 2022, the building was even featured on an episode of Ghost Hunters.
See also
- Old Stone Tavern: Frankfort, Kentucky
- Old Talbott Tavern: Bardstown, Kentucky
- Sherman Tavern: Sherman, Kentucky
- John P. Gaines
- Richard M. Gaines
- Gaines' Landing, Arkansas
