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Locust Grove
Photo courtesy of Locust Grove
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Built around 1790, Locust Grove was the residence of its builder
and owner, Major William Croghan and his wife, Lucy Clark Croghan.
Lucy was the sister of Revolutionary War General George Rogers
Clark (1752-1818) and William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame.
Locust Grove, located in Louisville, Kentucky, was visited by
a number of national figures including James Monroe, Andrew
Jackson, Zachary Taylor, John James Audubon, and Aaron Burr.
In 1841, Locust Grove was the scene of a duel between the fiery
Kentucky statesman Cassius Marcellus Clay and Robert Wickliffe.
Architecturally, Locust Grove is a fine example of the frontier's
adaptation of Georgian styling. Each floor of the two and one-half
story brick residence contains four rooms divided by an axis
hallway. A kitchen, servants quarters, well, dairy and log cabin
have been rebuilt on excavated foundations.
Today Locust Grove contains
the c.1790 Georgian house, the original smoke house and
eight other stone and log supporting farm buildings, formal
quadrant gardens, herb, perennial and annual beds, woods
and meadows
Photo courtesy of Locust Grove |
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On November 9, 1806, Lewis and Clark stopped at Locust Grove, as
they were making their way back east after the Corps of Discovery
had disbanded. The citizens of Louisville threw a banquet ball
for the explorers and bonfires were lit in their honor. On November
13, 1806, Lewis and Clark parted company for the time, as Lewis
went to Monticello to see President Jefferson
and Clark went to Fincastle, Virginia. General George Rogers Clark
lived here from 1809 to 1818, after leaving the Old
Clarksville Site. Today, Locust Grove and its surrounding
55 acres are owned by Jefferson County, Kentucky, and operated
by Historic Locust Grove, Inc.
Locust Grove, a National Historic Landmark, is located
at 561 Blankenbaker Ln. in Louisville, Kentucky. From I-65 take
I-71 North. Continue on I-71, passing the I-64 split, and exit
at Zorn Ave. Turn left onto Zorn, right onto River Rd., right
onto Blankenbaker Ln. and proceed gradually uphill away from
the river where you will find the entrance to the Locust Grove
parking lot on your left. Locust Grove is open Monday-Saturday,
10:00am to 4:30pm, with the final tour at 3:30pm. There is a
fee. The museum is closed New Year's Eve and Day, Easter, Derby
Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Please call 502-897- 9845
or visit www.locustgrove.org
for further information.
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