William Forst House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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William Forst House
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 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Location | 175 W. 4th St. Russellville, Kentucky |
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| Built | 1820 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000816 |
| Added to NRHP | July 19, 1973 |
The William Forst House is a very old and important building in Russellville, Kentucky. It is also known as the Clark House or the First-Clark House. This house was built in 1820.
It became famous during the American Civil War. From November 18 to 20, 1861, a group met here to form the Confederate government of Kentucky. This house has been recognized as a special historical place since July 19, 1973. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents
About the William Forst House
The William Forst House is a two-story building. It is made of brick and built in a style called Federal. This style was popular in the United States in the early 1800s. The house has five sections on its front.
Inside, the house now has ten rooms. When it was first built, it had only five rooms. There were three large rooms and a long hallway on the first floor. On the second floor, there was a very big room, like a ballroom, and another large room.
When the house was built, some people were still worried about attacks from Native American groups. Because of this, the sides of the house do not have any windows. This was a way to make the building safer.
Changes Over Time
The house has changed quite a bit over the years. In 1890, the staircase inside was replaced. The original kitchen and servant's quarters are no longer there. The old front porch with white columns is also gone. A new brick staircase now stands where the porch used to be. In 1964, more parts were added to the house for the Clark family who lived there.
History of the House
The house was built in 1820 by a man named William First. He later changed his name to Forst. He came from England and was thought to be a skilled cabinetmaker. He built the house to show off his amazing work with wood, especially the fancy mantels over the fireplaces.
A Key Moment in the Civil War
In November 1861, a very important meeting happened at this house. A group called the Confederate Sovereignty Committee met here. There were 116 representatives, called delegates, from 65 counties in Kentucky. They voted to leave the United States, which is called seceding from the Union. This was a big decision, even though Kentucky's official capital in Frankfort, Kentucky chose to stay with the Union. Before the meeting ended, the delegates elected George W. Johnson to be the Confederate governor of Kentucky.
Later Uses
From 1922 to 1942, the house was used as a funeral home. It was owned by Wister C. Clark. After he passed away, his wife made changes to the house in 1960. She turned the big ballroom into apartments. The bottom floor of the house was used as a law office for her son and his law partner.
