Kelton House Museum and Garden facts for kids
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| Location | 586 East Town Street, Columbus, Ohio |
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| Type | Historic house museum |
| Public transit access |  Add→ 11 CoGo |
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Fernandez Cortez Kelton House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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| Built | 1852 |
| Part of | East Town Street Historic District (ID76001425) |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | November 8, 1979 |
The Kelton House Museum and Garden is a historic mansion in Columbus, Ohio, that shows what life was like in the 1800s. The house is built in the Greek Revival and Italianate styles, which were popular at the time. Today, it's a museum run by the Junior League of Columbus. Its goal is to teach visitors about the daily lives and art of 19th-century Columbus. It also tells the important story of the Underground Railroad, a secret network that helped enslaved people find freedom.
Contents
History of the Kelton Family
The Kelton House was built in 1852 for Fernando Cortez Kelton and his wife, Sophia Langdon Stone Kelton. Fernando was a successful businessman who sold dry goods, like fabrics and clothing. But the Keltons are most remembered for their strong beliefs against slavery.
A Safe House on the Underground Railroad
The Keltons were abolitionists, people who worked to end slavery in the United States. They bravely used their home as a secret stop on the Underground Railroad. This wasn't a real railroad, but a series of safe houses and secret routes. Enslaved people escaping from the South could hide at places like the Kelton House on their journey north to freedom.
Fernando Kelton's work against slavery was so well-known that he was given a special honor. When President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, his funeral train stopped in Columbus. Fernando was chosen to be a pallbearer, one of the people who helped carry the president's casket during the procession.
The Kelton Children
The Keltons' son, Oscar, also believed in fighting against slavery. In 1862, he joined the Union Army to fight in the American Civil War. He became a first lieutenant but was sadly killed in the Battle of Brice's Crossroads in 1864.
That same year, the Keltons welcomed a young girl named Martha Hartway into their home. Martha had escaped slavery in Virginia. The Keltons raised her as a member of their own family. She later married a carpenter named Thomas Lawrence, and some of his woodwork can still be seen in the house today.
Later Generations and the Museum
After Fernando and Sophia passed away, the house was passed down through the Kelton family.
Frank and Grace Kelton
One of their sons, Frank Kelton, lived in the house with his wife, Isabella Morrow Coit. Isabella was a suffragist, which means she fought for women's right to vote. She was also one of the first women to study at The Ohio State University.
The last family member to live in the house was Grace Bird Kelton, Frank's niece. Grace was a pioneer in the field of interior design. She studied at famous schools like the Parsons School of Design and the Pratt Institute. Her talent was so respected that in the 1960s, she was asked to help with the redecoration of the White House for First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy.
Becoming a Museum
Grace lived in the house until she died in 1975. She left the house to a local charity, which now leases it to the Junior League of Columbus. The Junior League carefully restored the house to look as it did between 1852 and 1900.
Today, when you visit the Kelton House Museum, you can see furniture and decorations that belonged to the family. About 80 to 90 percent of the items in the house are original Kelton family possessions. This makes it feel like you've stepped back in time to see how this remarkable family lived.
