Tuesday, September 18, 2007

The Hunt Morgan House


The Hunt-Morgan House is historically known as "Hopemont". It is a Federal style residence built by John Wesley Hunt in Lexington, Kentucky in 1814. Morgan was the first millionaire west of the Alleghenies. He earned his fortune from the mercantile business shortly after Lexington was established. The house, located in the Gratz Park Historic District also houses the Alexander T. Hunt Civil War Museum on the second floor of the house. The Museum contains many Civil War artifacts and is a great resource for Civil War researchers and enthusiasts.

Other notable people that resided at "Hopemont" include John Wesley Hunt's grandson, General John Hunt Morgan, a general in the Confederate Army. Thomas Hunt Morgan, the only Kentuckian to have won the Nobel Prize, was born in the house in 1866.

The House has many beautiful architectural features, including the Palladian window with fan and sidelights that grace its front façade, as well as a large spiral staircase in the front entranceway. In 1955 the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation was formed to save the home from impending demolition. The organization restored the home to its Federal appearance.

The Hunt-Morgan House is located in the Gratz Park Historic District at 201 N. Mill St. The house and Alexander T. Hunt Civil War Museum are open to the public, with a small admission fee, from the first of March through mid-December. Tours are offered Wednesday through Friday and Sunday from 1:00-4:00 pm on the hour. The house is open for tours on Saturday from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm with tours starting on the hour.

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