My Old Kentucky Home State Park
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| My Old Kentucky Home | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
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| Location: | Bardstown, Kentucky |
| Area: | 235 acres |
| Built/Founded: | 1795 |
| Architect: | John Rowan |
| Architectural style(s): | Greek Revival |
| Added to NRHP: | March 11, 1971 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 71000354 [1] |
| Governing body: | State |
My Old Kentucky Home State Park is a state park in Kentucky. It is located in Bardstown. The state park consists of Federal Hill, a former plantation owned by the Rowan family. A visit to the site in 1852 is said to have inspired Stephen Foster to write his famous song, My Old Kentucky Home. On June 1st, 1992, a 29-cent stamp was issued honoring the park.[2]
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[edit] Federal Hill
Federal Hill, commonly called "My Old Kentucky Home", is a historic Federal style home. The mansion was built by Judge John Rowan, constructing the back side in 1795, additional space from 1799-1802, and making it the stately mansion it is today from 1808 to 1818, using slave labor. Rowan directed the brick making himself. The windowsills and mantels on the fireplace were exquisitely carved by a freed black craftsman. The grandfather clock is over 225 years old. Of the furniture inside the mansion, 3/4 was actually owned by the Rowan family.[3] The Rowan family coin silver and 1830s Limoges china are also still present.[4] It became a local power center in the realms of legal, political, and social events. Among the visitors to the home included Marquis de Lafayette and Henry Clay.[5]
In 1839, the house suffered fire damage. Alexander Moore was hired to repair the damage to its original condition, as he had worked on the design elements and woodwork back in 1818. Upon the Judge's death in 1843, the house passed to his son, John Rowan Jr. John Jr. would die in 1855, and the house would pass to his widow, Rebecca Carnes Rowan, who would live in the house until 1897. The house then passed to their daughter, Madge (Rowan) Frost.[6]
Federal Hill was the inspiration for Judge Rowan's cousin, Stephen Foster's ballad "My Old Kentucky Home," which is now the official Kentucky state song. Tradition has it that Foster wrote it while staying at Federal Hill in March 1852. There are three beliefs on the story of Foster's visit to Bardstown. First, that it was convenient to go as he had arrived by boat to Louisville. However, it raises the question of why he did not visit during his lengthy stays in Cincinnati, Ohio. Second, that he was publishing My Old Kentucky Home less than a year later, in January. The third is that Foster's visit may have never happened; the story was alleged in order to promote tourism in Bardstown. This would have occurred 48 years later, when a statue of Foster was displayed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. By then, Rebecca Rowan had been dead for three years, and thus could neither confirm or deny the story that Foster was inspired by Federal Hill. Frost, their daughter, loved being a "Southern belle", and would do what she could to spread this rumor, especially since it helped her to sell the mansion and the accompanying 235 acres to the "My Old Kentucky Home Commission" at a high price ($65,000) in 1920, who renovated it and then gave it to the state of Kentucky in 1922 for use as a state park, with the official dedication on July 4, 1923. Those who believe that Federal Hill was not the actual inspiration for the song believe that Uncle Tom's Cabin was the actual inspiration.[7][8][9]
The property was originally a State Historic Site, but it was passed to the Division of State Parks in 1936, making it a state park.[10]
The house was renovated in 1977 and in 2006. The 2006 renovation was a larger affair, and was paid for by an anonymous donor. It used floor coverings, fancy wallpapers, and window treatments to restore the house to how it may have looked like when Foster was alleged to have visited the mansion. The use of family letters and photos from the 1920s and 1950s helped in the restoration.[11] The 2006 renovation cost nearly $1,000,000.[12]
In 2000, the basement of the home faced a termite infestation.[13]
Special Christmas candlelight tours are offered during the holiday season each year in which tour guides dress in elaborate period holiday costumes and Federal Hill is decorated in a 19th century holiday fashion.[14] For historical accuracy, the only Christmas tree is a small one on a table, and the decorations are mostly of holly or pine cones. The goal of the park manager was for Federal Hill to look like a "Courier and Ives print".[15]
[edit] Outdoor productions
The park features an amphitheater that is home to the long-running outdoor musical, Stephen Foster — The Musical, which is staged during the summer. It is the longest running outdoor drama in the state of Kentucky, having started in 1959. It was written by playwright Paul Green Matinees are performed in an indoor theater with air-conditioning. Many Foster songs are performed, with the actors dancing in period dress, in a retelling of Foster's life.[16] [17] The play has seen revisions from Green's original version, either lengthening it, shortening it, removing antiquated dialogue, or redoing the references to slavery to make it easier for modern audiences to enjoy the presentation.[18]
In 2008, a second musical, Annie, is staged on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights in July and August, alternating with Stephen Foster.[19]
In addition, the amphitheater hosts a summer concert series. In 2008 the theatre will also produce The Civil War in celebration of the Lincoln Bicentennial.[20]
[edit] Other park facilities
A gift shop lies between the main parking lot and Federal Hill. Items concerning the park and the state of Kentucky, especially books by Kentucky authors and Kentucky Derby items, are available for sale. The park also features the Kenny Rapier Golf Course, a regulation 18-hole golf course named for a previous Kentucky Commissioner of Parks and Bardstown native, that also features a fully-equipped pro shop. The 39-site campground is available mid-March to mid-November. Different meeting facilities are available, and allow weddings to take place.
[edit] 50 State Quarter's Program
The mansion was chosen to be one of the icons featured on the Kentucky State Quarter. To the right of the stately mansion, an inscription on the coin reads "My Old Kentucky Home." It was the 15th state quarter, released on October 18, 2001, denoting the fact that Kentucky was the 15th state to join the United States. The official ceremony revealing the quarter was held in the park, and was said by then-governor Paul Patton that the mansion and the accompanying thoroughbred were: "...the two most visible, beloved symbols in Kentucky."[21]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
- ^ Chicago Sun-Times, May 31, 1992, pg.7
- ^ Walker, Patricia. Directory of Historic House Museums in the United States pg.119
- ^ Marsh, Betsa. Federal Hill: Small town has Old Kentucky Home Atlanta Journal-Constitution November 22, 2006
- ^ Bardstown, Kentucky - Stephen Foster Attractions
- ^ Kleber, John E. The Kentucky Encyclopedia (University Press of Kentucky, 1992)
- ^ Kleber
- ^ Marsh
- ^ Emerson, Ken. Doo-dah!: Stephen Foster and the Rise of American Popular Culture pg.189, 190
- ^ Kleber
- ^ Marsh
- ^ Hewlett, Jennifer. Old home, new finery for iconic Kentucky mansion Lexington Herald-Leader November 20, 2006
- ^ TERMITES FIND OLD KY. HOME YUMMY The Kentucky Post April 21, 2000
- ^ Kentucky State Parks - Home
- ^ Teo, Tracey. Old Ky. homes' Yule spirit The (Cincinnati) Enquirer November 11, 2007
- ^ Nold, Chip. Insiders' Guide to Louisville, Kentucky & Southern Indiana, 2nd Ed. pg.223
- ^ Ikenberry, Donna. Bicycling Coast to Coast: A Complete Route Guide, Virginia to Oregon pg.83
- ^ Nance, Kevin. `FOSTER' STORY GETS NEW SCRIPT, NAME Lexington Herald-Leader June 22, 1997, F1
- ^ Stephen Foster - The Musical
- ^ Stephen Foster - The Musical
- ^ Kentucky State Quarter - About the Kentucky State Quarter
[edit] External links
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