Farmington (Louisville, Kentucky) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Farmington
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| Location | 3033 Bardstown Road Louisville, Kentucky 40205 |
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| Built | 1815–1816 |
| Architect | Paul Skidmore, possibly based on a plan by Thomas Jefferson |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000536 |
| Added to NRHP | October 18, 1972 |
Farmington is a historic place in Louisville, Kentucky. It covers about 18 acres of land. This site was once a large farm, known as a plantation, where hemp was grown. It belonged to John and Lucy Speed.
The main house has 14 rooms and is built in the Federal style. Some people believe its design was inspired by Thomas Jefferson, a famous American president. Sadly, as many as 64 African Americans were forced to work and live here as enslaved people.
Contents
Farmington's Story
The Early Days
The land where Farmington stands was first given to Captain James Speed in 1780. His son, John Speed, finished building the Farmington house in 1816. The house was designed in the Federal architectural style. Many believe its plans were based on ideas from Thomas Jefferson.
John Speed built this home for his wife, Lucy Gilmer Fry. Her family had ties to Thomas Jefferson. Her aunt and uncle's home in Virginia was also called Farmington. That house had an addition designed by Jefferson himself.
Abraham Lincoln's Visit
John and Lucy's son, Joshua Fry Speed, was a very close friend of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln later became the 16th President of the United States. In 1841, Lincoln stayed at Farmington for three weeks. He was resting and recovering from being very tired.
During his visit, Lincoln saw slavery firsthand on the plantation. He also saw enslaved people in chains after he got on a steamboat in Louisville. This experience deeply affected him. Years later, in a letter to Joshua Speed, Lincoln wrote that he was still troubled by what he had seen.
Another son of John and Lucy, James Speed, was chosen by President Lincoln to be the Attorney General of the United States in 1863. This is a very important legal job in the government.
House Design
The Farmington house has one main floor above a slightly raised basement. The building is shaped like a square, about 62 feet wide and 50 feet long. On the first floor, there are 14 living rooms. The basement floor had rooms for servants and children. The first floor is about five feet above the ground, so the basement windows are fully above ground. All the rooms in the basement are finished.
The house has a simple, classic design under its sloped roof. This makes the house look balanced and pleasing. The front entrance has a porch with thin Doric columns. You reach this porch by climbing 11 steps. The porch's roof has a half-circle window for air.
When you enter the front door, you step into a central hall. This hall has another door at the back that leads to a rear hall. These halls connect to all the rooms on the first floor. They also have hidden stairs that go to the basement and attic. Hidden stairs were a common design choice for homes that Jefferson helped plan.
A special part of the first floor is two large, eight-sided rooms. Each room is 24 feet wide. These octagonal (eight-sided) rooms are another unique feature often seen in buildings designed by Jefferson. One of these rooms is a dining hall, and the other is a parlor, which is like a living room. Other rooms on the first floor include two bedrooms, a study, and a family sitting room.
Keeping Farmington Alive
Farmington has been restored so people can visit it today. It shows what a 19th-century plantation was like. The house itself had not changed much when it was bought for preservation in 1958. The biggest change inside or out was replacing the original wood roof with a tin one. This was done to make it safer from fires.
Today, Farmington and a small visitor center are open to the public for tours. The site can also be rented for special events.
In 2012, the group that owns Farmington, Historic Homes Foundation, Inc., agreed to sell some of its land. They sold 5 of the 18 acres to Sullivan University, a nearby school. This land was planned to be a parking lot for both Farmington and the university. There were some discussions about this plan before it was approved in 2013.
See also
