Historic Locust Grove is a 55-

acre The acre ( ) is a Unit of measurement, unit of land area used in the Imperial units, British imperial and the United States customary units#Area, United States customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one Chain (unit), ch ...

18th-century farm site and

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...

situated in eastern Jefferson County, Kentucky in what is now Louisville. The site is owned by the Louisville Metro government, and operated as a historic interpretive site by Historic Locust Grove, Inc. The main feature on the property is the ca. 1790 Georgian mansion that was the home of the Croghan family and gathering place for George Rogers Clark, Lewis and Clark, and U.S. Presidents. In addition to the mansion there is the Visitors Center that houses a gift shop, museum and meeting space. Dozens of African Americans were enslaved at Locust House by the Croghans between 1790 and 1849. At the peak of the farm's operations in 1820, more than 40 enslaved people labored there.

History

The site was founded in 1790 by William Croghan and his wife Lucy Clark Croghan. The house and outbuildings were built by enslaved African Americans. Enslaved people also planted and harvested the crops, cooked the meals, made the family's clothing, washed their laundry, and were caregivers for the Croghan children. Lucy was the sister of Brigadier General George Rogers Clark, former surveying partner of William Croghan and William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. At its peak, the Locust Grove estate was nearly in size, and a small fraction of Croghan's extensive landholdings, which exceeded at his death in 1822. Tracing their way back from the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

, on November 8, 1806,

Meriwether Lewis Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 – October 11, 1809) was an American explorer, soldier, politician, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, with ...

and William Clark arrived at Locust Grove to a homecoming where Lucy Clark Croghan and her family welcomed them back from their journey. Locust Grove became the only residence still in existence west of the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...

to have sheltered Lewis and Clark. In the Fall of 2006, Locust Grove commemorated the 200th anniversary of Lewis and Clark's return. George Rogers Clark lived at the site in the final years of his life, from 1809 to 1818. The property was adjacent to Springfield, the home of Colonel Richard Taylor and his son, future U.S. President Zachary Taylor. Following the death of William Croghan, the estate passed to John C. Croghan, notable for his purchase of Mammoth Cave in 1838. In the winter of 1844, the enslaved

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

Stephen Bishop produced a map of Mammoth Cave. His map was published in 1845 and remained the most complete and accurate map of the period until modern survey techniques were applied in 1908. A significant epilogue to Bishop's story occurred in 1972, when a long-sought route connecting the caves of Flint Ridge and Mammoth Cave Ridge was discovered in an area which Bishop had mapped, but which had in the interim been almost completely flooded by the construction of a dam on the surface nearby: the area of the 20th Century connection route is shown on Bishop's 19th century map. It was declared a

in 1986, as one of the few surviving residences associated with George Rogers Clark. and

Gallery

Locust Grove closeup.JPG, Closeup of main house Locust Grove NE.JPG , Northeast view of main house Locust Grove SE.JPG, Southeast view of main house Locust Grove SW.JPG, Southwest view of main house Locust Grove 1815 Log Cabin.JPG, Log Cabin built around 1815 at the site Locust Grove Smokehouse.JPG, The smokehouse is the only other original building at Locust Grove Locust Grove Springhouse.JPG, Springhouse Locust Grove Springhouse 2.JPG, Springhouse Locust Grove Woodworking.JPG, Woodworking shed Locust Grove Visitor Center.JPG, Visitor Center

References

External links

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Locust Grove—Lewis and Clark Expedition: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Locust Grove Houses completed in 1790 18th-century buildings and structures in Louisville, Kentucky Houses in Louisville, Kentucky Parks in Louisville, Kentucky Museums in Louisville, Kentucky Tourist attractions in Louisville, Kentucky Local landmarks in Louisville, Kentucky National Register of Historic Places in Louisville, Kentucky National Historic Landmarks in Kentucky Historic house museums in Kentucky Farms on the National Register of Historic Places in Kentucky 1790 establishments in Virginia Plantations in Kentucky Georgian architecture in Kentucky

History

Gallery

See also

References

External links