Wendover (Hyden, Kentucky) facts for kids
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Wendover
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 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Location | 132 FNS Drive, Wendover, Kentucky |
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| Area | 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) (NRHP area) less than one acre (NHL area) |
| Built | 1925 |
| Architect | Mary Breckinridge |
| Architectural style | Log house |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000792 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 21, 1975 |
| Designated NHL | July 17, 1991 |
Wendover is a special historic house and former medical center located near Hyden, Kentucky. It is also known as the Frontier Nursing Service or the Big House. Built in 1925, Wendover is famous because of its connection to Mary Breckinridge (1881-1965). She led an important effort to make midwifery a respected and professional job in America.
Midwifery is when trained people help mothers during childbirth. Wendover was once the main office for the Frontier Nursing Service. This organization still helps people today. Because of its important role, Wendover was named a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1991. Today, it is a bed and breakfast inn and a retreat center. It is run by Frontier Nursing University, which grew from the original Service.
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What is Wendover Like?
Wendover is in a quiet, rural area. It sits about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Hyden, Kentucky. The house is on a hillside that faces south. From there, you can see the Middle Fork of the Kentucky River.
The Building's Design
The main building at Wendover is a two-and-a-half-story log structure. It has sloped roofs called gabled roofs. The building looks like two separate parts joined by a middle section. It started out as a traditional dogtrot house. This type of house has an open hallway through the middle.
Two large stone chimneys stick up through the main roof. The windows are usually casement style. This means they open outward like a door. The larger windows are on the ground floor in the more public rooms.
Mary Breckinridge and Her Vision
Mary Breckinridge was born in Tennessee. From a young age, she learned about both midwifery and nursing. She formally studied nursing in the early 1900s.
Helping Rural Communities
During World War I, Mary Breckinridge saw how rural health services worked in Scotland. She thought this idea could help people in the countryside of the United States. She chose rural eastern Kentucky for her work. This area was known for being very difficult to reach.
Wendover became her home and a place to train nurses. It was the center for a network of clinics she set up in the region. The Frontier Nursing Service now has its main offices in Hyden. Its training program is now the Frontier Nursing University. The Wendover property is now used as a retreat center and a bed-and-breakfast inn.
