Lloyd Tilghman House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Tilghman-Woolfolk House
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Front and side of the house
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 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Location | 631 Kentucky Ave., Paducah, Kentucky 42003 |
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| Built | 1861 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| MPS | Caught in the Middle: The Civil War on the Lower Ohio River MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 98000940 |
| Added to NRHP | August 13, 1998 |
The Lloyd Tilghman House is a very old and important house in Paducah, Kentucky. It's also called the Tilghman-Woolfolk House. Today, it's known as the Lloyd Tilghman House and Civil War Museum. This historic building helps us learn about the past, especially the time of the American Civil War.
Contents
The House's Early History
This beautiful house was built in 1852. It was made for Lloyd Tilghman by Robert Woolfolk. Tilghman moved to Paducah with his family that same year. He had studied at the United States Military Academy. After school, he worked as a civil engineer for a railroad company. His job was to help build the first railroad connecting Paducah to bigger cities in the south.
Tilghman lived in the house with his wife, seven children, and five enslaved people. They stayed there until 1861. Even though he lived there, Robert Woolfolk remained the owner of the house. Tilghman often traveled for work, including to Panama. When he left the house, he was a high-ranking officer in the Kentucky State Guard. He left Paducah in June 1861. He waited to leave so that officers who supported the Union wouldn't take control of the state's military in Paducah, which largely supported the Southern states.
The Civil War Years
After Tilghman left, Robert Woolfolk and his family moved into the house. When soldiers from the United States Army arrived in Paducah, their main office was right across the street. Woolfolk supported the Southern states. He even flew a Confederate flag outside his house. This caused a small riot in December 1861. Soldiers from the 11th Indiana Regiment were involved.
This event was part of a difficult time for U.S. General Charles Ferguson Smith. Soon after, his assistant, Ulysses S. Grant, became more important than him. Later, in 1864, General Eleazer A. Paine ordered Robert Woolfolk to leave Paducah and the United States. He was sent to Canada. Two weeks later, Woolfolk's wife and family were also sent to Canada. Many other people from Paducah and Columbus, Kentucky, joined them in Canada.
The House After the War
After the Civil War ended, the house was used as a home until 1906. Then, it became a place for different businesses. In 1986, the house was almost torn down. But a group called Growth, Inc. worked hard to save it. In 1987, the roof was fixed. By 1992, the Tilghman Heritage Foundation started taking care of the building. Over $150,000 was spent between 1986 and 1998 to save this important piece of history.
A Museum for History
Today, the Tilghman House is a Civil War Museum. It focuses on the war's events in the western parts of the country. The museum officially reopened on March 25, 2006. It teaches visitors about Western Kentucky's role in the war. On December 1, 2008, the Sons of Confederate Veterans bought the house from the foundation. Both groups helped pay off the remaining loan. The museum is open from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Wednesday through Saturday, from March to November.
Gallery
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Sidewalk outside the House
