Kentucky Historic Travels

06/02/2026

💚 I have been working overtime to bring you the history of this beautiful home and the details of my visit! The post is now ready for your enjoyment.
💛 Thank you again to Catherine at Maple Hill Manor Bed and Breakfast for a wonderful stay and the history lesson on this home.

🤎 As with most of our early Kentucky families, our story starts in Virginia. This time, we start with James and Sarah McCune McElroy. It is believed that the spelling of their name changed from McIlroy to McElroy when they left Scotland for Ireland or when they arrived in the Colonies. The couple traveled from Belfast, Ireland, on the ship named “John of Dublin.” They came with many of their family, arriving in Philadelphia in 1729.

💚 The couple purchased land along the Buffalo River, in what would become Prince Edward County, Virginia, in 1749. They raised five sons: Archibald, John, Hugh, Samuel, and James Jr and two daughters: Mary and Elizabeth.1 James McElroy Sr fought in the French and Indian War, and his five sons fought in the Revolutionary War.

💛 The land purchased by James Sr was willed to James Jr in 1772. James Jr then sold the land in 1789 when he and two of his brothers, Hugh and Samuel, moved to Kentucky. Samuel and James settled in present-day Lebanon, Marion County, KY. Hugh settled in present-day Springfield, Washington County, KY.2 (The McElroys likely received land in Kentucky for their service in the Revolutionary War.)

🤎 Now, before moving to Kentucky, Hugh McElroy married Nancy Esther Irvine around 1760 in Campbell County, Colony of Virginia. (Esther Irvine was the daughter of Rev. John Irvine, who had come to this country with James McElroy, Sr., in 1729.) Hugh and Esther had ten children together: James, Margaret, Sarah, Mary, John, Hugh Jr, Samuel, Robert, William, and Elizabeth.

💚 Hugh settled his wife and family on a farm “within the eastern limits of Springfield.” There, he built the first brick house between Danville and Bardstown.

💛 Hugh and Esther’s son, William, married Catherine Crawford. William and Catherine had a son named Thomas Irvine McElroy. It is here that we finally reach the builder of Maple Hill Manor.

Thomas Irvine McElroy (1812 - 1879)

🤎 Thomas Irvine McElroy was born on October 14, 1812, in Washington County, KY, to William and Catherine Crawford McElroy. He likely inherited land from his father or grandfather, and he set to work building his 949 acres into a plantation. He became a cattle broker and farmer, raising sheep, cattle, to***co, corn, wheat, and other products.

💚 Thomas did not marry until later in life; he was 39 years old when he married for the first time. His wife, Sarah Jane Maxwell, was only 20 years old. They married in May 1852. Thomas presented his Greek Revival plantation home to his wife as a wedding gift.

❓ Want to read the rest of the history of this beautiful home? Click on the link in the comments. It will take you to the entire article on my website.

👩‍💻 If you enjoy my posts, make sure to subscribe to email notifications while you are on my website. That way, you will get my newest posts delivered right to your inbox!

💚 If you love my posts, make sure to like, follow, and share so that I might reach more people like you who love Kentucky history!

💛 Until next time, Happy Travels!

06/01/2026

💚 A little bit about the fireworks planned for the 4th of July in Louisville, from the legend himself, Wayne Hettinger.
💛 If you don't know who that is, he's the "main man" behind Thunder over Louisville, so you know it's going to be a great show.
🤎 You know where I'll be on July 4th, 2026, as we celebrate America's 250th Birthday!

Louisville America 250

06/01/2026

💚 I started the morning out at Locust Grove - Historic Locust Grove, Inc. where Louisville Mayor, Craig Greenberg, held his press conference, sharing the wonderful events that will take place on July 4, 2026, as we celebrate America's 250th Birthday!
💛 I missed recording the first event he spoke of, which is a breakfast event to be held at Locust Grove the morning of July 4th. Definitely follow Louisville America 250 for details and updates on all the festivities that are to take place.
🤎 I've got another clip for you coming up that shares a little more about those fireworks!!! Look for my next post. 🎇

06/01/2026

🎂 Happy 234th, Kentucky! 🎁 You sure do look good for your age. 🎈

05/31/2026

💚 I've added another courthouse to my collection! This is the Washington County Courthouse in Springfield, KY.
💛 Built in 1816, it is the oldest courthouse still in use today.
🤎 The county was formed in 1792, the first to be created by the Kentucky State Legislature, right after statehood was established. The county, of course, was named for President George Washington.
💚 The first courthouse was a log structure built in 1793. The second courthouse was built in 1797 and was destroyed by fire in 1814.
💛 The courthouse you see today is a Federal-style, two-story building featuring Flemish bond brick construction with a hipped roof. The octagonal cupola and weathervane were added in 1840.
🤎 The contractor was Thomas H. Letcher, and it cost $2,500 to build.
💚 The Lincoln Legacy Museum was opened on the first floor of the courthouse in 2009 at the same time as their Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial celebration and dedication of the Lincoln statue across the street. (That post is coming up next!)
💛 The original marriage bond of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks (parents of President Abraham Lincoln) is housed in the courthouse.
🤎 Stay tuned for more Springfield, KY, posts coming your way soon! Happy Travels!

05/30/2026

💚 I'm branching out to a new platform, just to see what it's all about. 💛 If you feel so inclined, please check it out. 🤎

We're going places!

05/30/2026

💚 I'm still thinking about my stay at Maple Hill Manor Bed and Breakfast this past week!
💛 I mean, can you blame me?
🤎 This week, I'll be working on their history post where I will bring you all the interior photos and all the history of this c.1851 home.
💚 Make sure to follow me, so you don't miss it! You can also subscribe on my webpage and receive email notifications when a new post published! Link to my page is in my bio.
💛 Stay tuned and Happy Travels!

05/30/2026

💚 When we were out in Elizabethtown a week and a half ago, another stop for my book was the Brown-Pusey house, located in their historic downtown district. It took a bit, but the chapter for this home is now complete! I've also finished the blog post on my website, BUT I didn't include everything from my book in this post! Ha, ha! (Insert evil laugh 🤣) You'll have to wait for the book to be published to get even more history of John Y. Hill and even more photos of the home! For now, here's the story...

💛 I came across the Brown-Pusey House a few years ago when scrolling through my Facebook blog page. You know how Facebook will “feed you” pages that you don’t actually follow, but typically will be similar to pages that you do follow or posts you have liked. Well, the Brown-Pusey house was fed to me through the Elizabethtown Tourism page. I read about their downtown summer evening tours and had wanted to attend for quite some time. I never made it to the downtown tour, because evening events that are an hour away can be kind of tricky for me. So, when I was compiling homes for this book, I added the Brown-Pusey House. I wanted it to be in this book, and I had to tour it to make that happen. Rather than attend the summer downtown tour, I decided to simply reach out to the director of the home and ask if we could tour. Since it is now used as an event space, not a home museum, I wanted to make sure we could get a tour. I received a response that same day that said, “Absolutely!” So, we hopped in the car and headed for Elizabethtown the very next day.

🤎 Before we get to our visit, let’s jump in and learn a little of this building’s history, starting with John Y. Hill.

John Y. Hill (1799-1859)

💚 John Y. Hill was born on August 14, 1799. Little is known about his early years until he arrived in Elizabethtown, KY, around 1818, from Virginia. Upon arrival, he established a tailoring shop, which was his learned trade. That business did not fare well for him, however, and he turned his attention to horse trading. Apparently, he didn’t do well with that either. He finally landed in the house building business, which included “burning brick.”

💛 Hill built several homes and a church in Elizabethtown, one of which was his personal home on the corner of Main and Poplar streets. His five-bay, two-story, Georgian-style home was built in 1825. The home was simple, with a single room to the left and right of the entry hall, on both the first and second floor. The home did include a cellar/basement, accessed from the inside of the home, and the walls were built three bricks thick, which seemed quite common in this time period.

🤎 Hill married twice. He first married Eliza Heyser on January 1, 1822. According to Find-a-Grave, Eliza died on September 16, 1825. John and Eliza had two children together: Mary Ellen Hill, who died shortly after her birth, and James H. Hill. James was born in January 1825, so he was a mere 9 months old when his mother died.

💚 Hill’s second wife was Rebecca Davis Stone, affectionately known as “Aunt Beck.” They married on August 14, 1827, in Nelson County, KY.

💛 John Y. Hill was very popular around town. I mean, he had built nearly a quarter of the buildings in Elizabethtown! Because of his popularity, he was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives for Hardin County in 1832.

🤎 Sometime around 1840, John and Aunt Beck turned their home into a boarding house, which then became known as Hill House or Hill’s Hotel. Additions were made to their home at that time.

💚 The Hills ran such a wonderful boarding house that it became very well-known. Travelers journeying from Louisville to Grayson Springs via the Louisville & Nashville Railroad would stop in Elizabethtown and have breakfast at Hill’s Hotel, where “the most sumptuous fare will always be found.”4 The home was also visited by some well-known individuals! Jenny Lind, the famous Swedish opera singer, sang from the front steps in 1851, and General Custer and his wife stayed in a cabin out back from 1871 to 1873 while rooting out the Ku Klux Klan in Kentucky before heading west. In addition, Confederate raider John Hunt Morgan often visited for Aunt Beck’s cooking.

❓ Want to know more, such as how the Hill House became known as the Brown-Pusey house? Click on the link in the comments to read the entire article on my website!

🥰 If you love my posts, please consider liking, sharing, and commenting to help expand my reach so more people can enjoy the rich history of Kentucky!

🚗 Happy Travels!

05/30/2026

💚 I've reserved my seats! 💛 Who else will join us? 🤎

From the Louisville America 250 :

Join KET and Louisville America 250 for a free night of fun at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts as we mark the nation’s approaching 250th birthday with an evening of history, reflection, and civic connection. The event includes:

An official screening of The American Revolution by Ken Burns
A community showcase of America 250 sponsors and partners
A panel discussion led by Kentucky Tonight’s Renee Shaw and joined by:

+ Maggie Harlow, Executive Director, Jack Harlow Foundation
+ Secretary Michael Adams, Kentucky Secretary of State
+ Former Louisville Mayor & KY Lt. Governor Jerry Abramson
+ Daryle W. Unseld Jr., President, Boys and Girls Club of Kentuckiana
+ Dr. Gary Gregg, Political Scientist and McConnell Center Director, University of Louisville
+ Dr. Thomas Mackey, Historian, University of Louisville (Retired)
Come join us as we explore “A Spirit of Service: 1776 & 2026”

Tickets are free, but you must register! Please click on the link below.

Below are the key details and logistical information for your participation:

Event Overview

Date: Monday, June 8, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM EDT
Location: The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, Bomhard Theater
501 W Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202

Hosted By: KET in partnership with Louisville America 250
Moderator: Renee Shaw, KET

Panel Theme

+ The evening’s discussion will center on “The Spirit of Service”
+ Conversation will connect civic service, volunteerism, leadership, and public participation from the American Revolution through today
+ Focus will include historical context, civic education, and how service continues to shape communities in 2026

Event Schedule

+ 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Community and historical partner showcase in the main lobby
+ 6:00 PM: Screening of selected excerpts from Ken Burns’ The American Revolution
+ Following Screening: Panel discussion and moderated conversation
+ 8:00 PM: Event conclusion

Feel free to share the invite with any and all interested!

Thank you!

https://ket.org/event/america-250/

Information about KET's free screening of Ken Burns' The American Revolution documentary at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts

05/29/2026

💚 I'm going to replay this video everytime I want to remember my stay at Maple Hill Manor Bed and Breakfast!
💛 I'm already missing their beautiful home and scenic views - I just love a beautiful sunset!
🤎 Stay tuned for my history post on this imcredible home and my wonderful visit there.
💚 Shout out to owners, Justin and Catherine! You're doing an amazing job of taking care of one of our Kentucky treasures. Thank you!