[music playing] [music playing] We're having a great time here today at Locust Grove.

This is Kaitlyn Tisdale.

She's the director of Mission here.

Kaitlyn, thanks so much for letting us be here today.

Of course, we're happy to have you.

So, the history of the house, tell us about when it was constructed and all of that.

Sure.

So, this building here, the main house here on the property, was constructed from 1792 to about 1795, taking three full years to build.

The builders of the home were likely enslaved craftspeople that were saved by William Cronn, but also were skilled craftsmen from downtown Louisville as well.

Oh, wow.

And from reading some of the displays that you have around here, a lot of these items, they didn't originate in Louisville.

A lot of this was brought in, correct?

Of course, yeah.

So, Louisville was still very small at this point in time, very much a growing frontier town.

So, much of the glass and hardware that you see here throughout the house was actually shipped from places like Pittsburgh and up in Philadelphia, so we're having a lot of river traffic coming into the River City.

And a lot of stories with the wallpaper.

Of course.

In here as well, right?

Tell me about that.

Yeah.

So, all the wallpaper that visitors can see here at Locust Grove are original patterns from the time period.

A great bonus feature of this house is upstairs.

In our great parlor, we have the original print that was here in the home.

It was discovered in the 1960s during Locust Grove's first restoration, and we were able to have it sent off and analyzed and recreated, so visitors can truly see what the Cronn's would have seen in their home.

And with General Clark living here, the house really does track the origins of Louisville in a lot of respects.

Is that right?

Oh, very much.

So, Locust Grove story is really the story of Louisville's beginnings.

So, we were built, you know, right after the birth of the city of Louisville.

And with the founder living here the last nine years of his life, Louisville story is really connected to us here at Locust Grove.

Some of the famous Americans that have been here, there have been a lot of presidents in this home.

Oh, yes, at least three that we know of.

So, the earliest presidential visit we had here at Locust Grove was by President Monroe in 1819 when he and General Andrew Jackson, another future president, were on their southern tour, and they visited us at Locust Grove.

They stay here for dinner, and they depart two days later.

Wow.

And then, for all the Hamilton fans out there, Aaron Burr, what was he doing here?

Aaron Burr was indeed a visitor.

Yeah.

So, he was here visiting.

He was a very big fan of General George Rogers Clark, and he knew of Clark's relationship to our property.

He was here on his missions to gain political favor across the country.

Wow.

Well, it really is a fantastic facility.

Thanks so much for letting us be here today, Kaitlyn.

We've enjoyed it.

We look forward to continuing to explore today.

Of course.

Happy to have you all.

Thanks.

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