Boxhill (Louisville) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Winkworth
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Front, seen through the fence
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 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3200 Boxhill Lane, Louisville, Kentucky or Glenview, Kentucky |
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| Built | 1906 - 1910 |
| Architect | Joseph E. Chandler, Stratton Hammon (1956 addition) |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival |
| MPS | Jefferson County MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83002752 |
| Added to NRHP | August 16, 1983 |
Boxhill, also known as Winkworth, is a beautiful old house in Glenview, Kentucky. It's a style called Georgian Revival, which means it looks like grand homes from the 1700s. This impressive house was built between 1906 and 1910. In 1983, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical building.
Boxhill is one of many large, fancy homes built around the year 1900. Wealthy families from Louisville, Kentucky built these amazing houses. They are located along the Ohio River, just east of downtown Louisville. There are 29 of these mansions still standing today. This collection is the largest and best-kept group of turn-of-the-century estates along the entire 981-mile Ohio River.
The Story of Boxhill
Who Built Boxhill?
A man named William E. Chess built Boxhill. He was the president of a company called Chess and Wymond Cooperage. This company made barrels and wooden containers. In 1906, Mr. Chess bought a large piece of land. It was about 75 acres and sat high up on a bluff overlooking the Ohio River.
The house itself was finished by 1910. People believe that a famous Boston architect named Joseph E. Chandler designed the house. The beautiful gardens and the long, tree-lined driveway were likely planned by Bryant Fleming. He was a talented landscape architect from Buffalo, New York.
Changes Over the Years
In 1917, William Chess's daughter, Mary Grace Chess Robinson, took over the property. She and her husband, Avery Robinson, lived there for a few years. They sold Boxhill in 1923 to Henning Chambers, who worked in a brokerage firm.
During the 1950s, some parts of the original land were sold off. In 1956, some new features were added to the house. These included decorative windows next to the main entrance and a fancy cast-iron balcony. A second story was also added to one of the house's wings.
A Special Restoration
In 1980, a contractor named Helen Combs bought Boxhill. She was famous for restoring many old mansions in Louisville. She paid $355,000 for the house. Helen described the restoration as a unique experience. She said, "The windows were out, plastic was over them, there was no furniture...."
She found one room that was very surprising. "We got to this one room and opened the door," she said, "and saw big red cabbage roses on the walls, red carpet, red bedspreads and red lamps that glowed." Helen Combs sold the house in 1982 after its amazing restoration.
