Sunday, July 12, 2009

Old Homes Around Barker's Mill

West Fork  area of Christian County, KY


(For background, please read the posts that are labeled "Barkers Mill.")

Glenburnie, the home of Chiles T. Barker, prominent landowner in the West Fork area during the 19th century, and his wife, Mary Louise Hutchinson Barker, is still standing.

Glenburnie is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. According to Hopkinsville & Christian County Historic Sites by Kenneth Turney Gibbs and Carolyn Torma, it was constructed in about 1820 (when Chiles was about 4 years old). The name of the builder and original owner is not given.

Glenburnie is a brick house. Gibbs and Torma say it is one of the best example of Federal style architecture in Christian county. They also report that the woodwork in the house is exceptionally fine and very well preserved.

I believe Glenburnie is the house that is barely visible at the end of the road in the photo below. Carneal Lane turns into a private lane at the point where I stopped and snapped the picture. I didn't go any farther down the road because I respect private property. However, I would have loved to see Glenburnie a bit closer. [Update: I later learned that this is NOT Glenburnie via an email from a grandson of Glenburnie's owner.]


The large old home in the photo below is also in the area of Barker's Mill. I don't recognize this house in Hopkinsville & Christian County Historic Sites, but it still has its history -- a history that I am curious about.


 

The photo above was taken in April, so there are fewer leaves on the trees. This home is near the Chapel Hill Church. I believe it is the Massie House, which is pictured in Hopkinsville & Christian County Historic Sites. The Massie House was built in 1878 and is said to be "a typical Greek Revival I-house of the mid-nineteenth century."

 

The Chapel Hill Church and Cemetery are just to the right of this photo. The large trees are on the edge of the church grounds. This is a remote-controlled gate with a TV camera. Down the road at left is a log house, and beyond that, a large home. I don't know if it is one of the historic homes listed in Hopkinsville & Christian County Historic Sites.

2 comments:

Folkways Note Book said...

Genevieve -- Great to hear about the historic house in your area. Like the fense shot of the limstone fence entrance. -- Barbara

Genevieve Netz said...

Hi, Barbara. I liked that photo, too. There's not much in it that looks 21st century -- it's easy to imagine it as 19th century.

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