Farmington--page 2 (of two pages)

plan by Thomas Jefferson
built 1815-16; house opened as a museum in 1959; extensive restorations, completed in 2002




Views of the northwest side

 

Views of the southeast side

The three-window extension here indicates three sides of the internal octagonal-shaped parlor. The dining room on the opposite side of the house is also octagonal.
 

Views of the rear with the reconstructed back portico

 

The back porch and a view of the garden

No remnants of the garden remained. However, using written records and other evidence, restorers have attempted to duplicate a semblance of the original garden.
 
Originally there were a number of out buildings, including a barn, a blacksmith shop, a summer kitchen, and slave quarters. Some of these buildings have been reconstructed. The location of the slave quarters is debated.

The spring house

Spring houses were erected over natural springs to preserve the spring from impurities. They also served as larders and cool places to store milk, butter, and cheese. Many had shelves inside.
 

Memorial to the memory of the enslaved

At one point at Farmington, there were as many as sixty slaves, with some of the names preserved--the favorites being Morocco and Rose. Hemp production was labor-intensive so the work of slaves was essential to the economic success of the plantation. The Speeds owned a much larger number of slaves than the average Kentucky slave holder.

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© 2005 Mary Ann Sullivan. I have photographed (on site), scanned, and manipulated all the images on these pages. Please feel free to use them for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes.

Page created by Mary Ann Sullivan