Kentucky Governor's Mansion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
Kentucky Governor's Mansion
|
|
![]() |
|
Location | E lawn of the Capitol at end of Capital Ave., Frankfort, Kentucky, U.S. |
---|---|
Built | 1914 |
Architect | C.C. Weber; E.A. Weber |
Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals, French Renaissance |
NRHP reference No. | 72000532 |
Added to NRHP | February 1, 1972 |
The Kentucky Governor's Mansion is a very important house in Frankfort, Kentucky. It is where the governor of Kentucky lives and works. You can find it on the east lawn of the Capitol building, at the end of Capital Avenue.
This special building was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places on February 1, 1972. This means it is a historic place worth protecting.
Contents
Building the Governor's Home
The Kentucky Governor's Mansion was built between 1912 and 1914. It was designed to be the official home for Kentucky's governors.
Who Designed the Mansion?
The plans for the mansion came from a company called Weber, Werner & Adkins. This company was based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Even though the Weber Brothers officially handled the project, the main designer was actually John Scudder Adkins. He was a very talented architect from St. Louis.
What Inspired the Design?
The mansion's design is called Beaux-Arts architecture. This style was very popular back then. It was inspired by famous French buildings, like the Petit Trianon at the Palace of Versailles in France.
The inside of the mansion looks like a fancy French home from a long time ago. It has a style called neoclassical French taste.
Local Materials Used
An important rule for building the mansion was to use local materials. The law said the new mansion had to be built and decorated with stone from quarries in Kentucky.
Landscaping the Grounds
The beautiful gardens around the mansion were designed by William Speed. He was a landscape designer from Louisville, Kentucky.
Saving and Preserving the Mansion
In 1980, Kentucky's First Lady, Phyllis George Brown, started a project called "Save the Mansion." Her goal was to raise money to fix up the inside of the mansion and buy new furniture.
This big restoration project was finished in the spring of 1983. Today, a group called the Governor's Mansion Preservation Foundation helps take care of this historic building.
Visiting the Mansion
The Governor's Mansion is often open for tours. This lets people learn about its history and see its beautiful rooms.