Whitehall Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Whitehall Farm
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A secondary house at Whitehall
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | North of Yellow Springs off U.S. Route 68 in Miami Township |
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| Nearest city | Yellow Springs, Ohio |
| Area | 0.1 acres (0.040 ha) |
| Built | 1842 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 80003031 |
| Added to NRHP | July 31, 1980 |
Whitehall Farm is an old farm with a special house. It is located near Yellow Springs in Greene County, Ohio, United States. People thought it was a very important building in the late 1800s. Because of its history and design, it is now a historic site.
Contents
The Story of Whitehall Farm
Early Owners and Big Plans
The land where Whitehall Farm stands was bought in 1808. A famous person from Cincinnati named Martin Baum bought it. By the time he passed away in 1831, the farm was already called "Whitehall."
Martin Baum gave the farm to his son, David Chambers Baum, in his will. David died young, and his wife, Amanda Sroufe Baum, later married Aaron Harlan. In 1842, Aaron Harlan decided to build a huge house on the property.
Building "Harlan's Folly"
The house project was so big that people joked about it. They called it "Harlan's Folly." Building started in 1846 and finished the next year. Later, a person named E.S. Kelly bought the property. By the 1910s, he had made many improvements to the house and the land around it.
The House's Design
What the House Looks Like
Harlan's house has two stories. It has a large front porch with four big pillars. The walls are made of brick. The house sits on a strong stone foundation. Its roof is made of asbestos. Wood and stone were also used in its construction.
Inside and Out
The inside of the house has twelve rooms. The bricks for the house were made nearby. The beautiful wooden parts inside came from local oak and wild cherry trees. Walnut trees that used to surround the house also provided wood.
Aaron Harlan built the house on a small hillock. This means the house has amazing views in every direction. Today, the house is part of a large farm. The farm also has another house and many other buildings.
A Special Historic Place
By 1918, Whitehall Farm was known as Greene County's "most picturesque country house." This means it was considered the prettiest house in the countryside. Sixty-two years later, in 1980, Whitehall Farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
It earned this honor because of its important Greek Revival architecture. This style was popular in the 1800s. It was also recognized because a famous local person lived there.
