William Whitley House State Historic Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids William Whitley House State Historic Site |
|
|---|---|
| Location | Lincoln, Kentucky, United States |
| Elevation | 938 ft (286 m) |
| Established | 1938 |
| Governing body | Kentucky Department of Parks |
| Website | William Whitley House State Historic Site |
|
William Whitley House State Shrine
|
|
Front of the house as it appeared in 1940
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Nearest city | Crab Orchard, Kentucky |
| Built | 1787 |
| Architect | William Whitley |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000814 |
| Added to NRHP | April 11, 1973 |
The William Whitley House State Historic Site is a cool park located in Crab Orchard, Kentucky. It's famous for being the home of Kentucky pioneer William Whitley and his wife, Esther Whitley. Esther was known as an amazing sharpshooter! This historic house was built a long time ago, between 1787 and 1794. It was designed to be a strong fortress to protect the family from attacks.
Contents
Discovering the William Whitley House
The William Whitley House is a very important part of Kentucky's history. It shows how people lived and built homes during the early days of the state. The site became a state park in 1938. Local people worked hard to restore the house between 1948 and 1955. This made sure it looked like it did when the Whitley family lived there.
The First Brick House in Kentucky
The Whitley House was the very first brick house ever built in Kentucky. Before this, most homes were simple log cabins. Building a brick house was a big step up! It showed that the area was becoming more settled. It also meant people were building more permanent and fancy homes.
Who Was William Whitley?
William Whitley was a brave pioneer. A pioneer is someone who is among the first to explore and settle a new area. He helped settle Kentucky during its early days. He was a very important person in the community. His wife, Esther, was also well-known for her skills.
Sportsman's Hill and Horse Racing
The park also includes a special area called Sportsman's Hill. This spot is super important for sports history! It was the very first horse racing track located west of the Appalachian Mountains. Imagine horse races happening there hundreds of years ago! This land was bought for the park by the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund.
Managing the Historic Site
Today, the Lincoln County Fiscal Court helps manage the William Whitley House State Historic Site. They work with local historians. This team makes sure the house and park are taken care of. They also help visitors learn all about its amazing past. It's a great place to visit and learn about early Kentucky life!
