Kennedy Farmhouse facts for kids
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Kennedy Farm
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The Kennedy Farmhouse, sketch published in 1902. John Brown in the chair in the yard.
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 Location in Maryland
Location in the United States
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| Location | Samples Manor, Maryland |
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| Area | 1.77 acres (0.72 ha) |
| Built | c. 1800, 1852 |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000941 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 7, 1973 |
| Designated NHL | November 7, 1973 |
The Kennedy Farm is a special place in Maryland. It is known as a National Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important historical site in the United States. The farm is famous because a man named John Brown used it in 1859. He planned a daring event there to help enslaved people gain freedom. The farm building has been fixed up to look like it did back then. Today, a group that works to save historical places owns the farm.
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A Historic Hideout: The Kennedy Farm
The Kennedy Farm is a small piece of land in rural Washington County, Maryland. It is just a few miles north of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. In 1852, a doctor named Robert Kennedy bought the land. He took a small log cabin that was already there. He then added a tall stone foundation and another wooden part. He covered the whole building with a sloped roof. Dr. Kennedy passed away in 1858.
John Brown's Secret Plan
John Brown arrived in Maryland in 1859. He rented the Kennedy Farmhouse. Brown was an abolitionist. This means he strongly believed that slavery should be ended. For three months, Brown and his group lived at the farm. They pretended to be looking for mining opportunities. But secretly, they were planning something big.
More supporters arrived at the farm. Weapons were also brought in. Their goal was to attack the federal armory (a place where weapons were stored) in Harpers Ferry. They hoped this attack would start a large uprising of enslaved people. This would help them escape to freedom.
Life at the Farmhouse
Life at the Kennedy Farmhouse was very simple. It was even described as "flea-infested." The men slept upstairs on the floor. Brown's daughter, Anne, and his daughter-in-law, Martha, were also there. They cooked and kept watch. Brown later sent them home to New York.
Wooden boxes filled with weapons were used as seats. Brown even had to buy a stove in Harpers Ferry. This was because Anne had trouble cooking potatoes in the fireplace.
The Raid and Its Aftermath
On October 16, 1859, the day of the raid, 19 of the 22 people at the farm left. They went to carry out the attack. Three men stayed behind at the farmhouse. They were Owen Brown, Barclay Coppock, and Francis Jackson Meriam. Their job was to guard and manage the weapons.
When it became clear the raid was not going as planned, these three men escaped north. Owen went to his brother John Jr.'s house in Ohio. The farmhouse was searched right away. Many of John Brown's letters were found. Also, many copies of his provisional constitution were discovered. These documents were important. They helped people try to find out who had supported Brown financially.
The Kennedy Farm is the most important place connected to John Brown's raid. Only the engine house at the arsenal, which the raiders held for less than a day, is also as well-known. Because of its history, the farm has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The Farm After the Raid
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Over the next 100 years, the house changed owners many times. It also had many changes made to its structure. In 1950, a group called the IBPOEW (Black Elks) bought the property. They wanted it to be a memorial to John Brown. They called it their National Shrine.
A Place for Community and Music
The Elks built several buildings on the property. This was before they sold it in 1966. One building was a large auditorium. It was used for Elks meetings. Up to three thousand people would gather there on holidays.
A local businessman named John Bishop rented the auditorium in the summers. He brought many famous rhythm and blues stars to perform there. These included Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry. Other stars like B. B. King, Eartha Kitt, Otis Redding, Etta James, The Coasters, and The Drifters also performed.
Restoring the Farmhouse
When the Kennedy Farm was named a National Historic Landmark in 1974, it was described in detail. It was a two-and-a-half-story house. It was built using stone, brick, and logs, covered with stucco. It had a porch on two levels. This porch ran along three rooms on the first and second floors. There were also two rooms in the attic.
After this, a big project began to restore the house. Money from both public and private sources helped. The goal was to make the house look exactly as it did in the 1850s.
See also
