1792 - Hamilton Farm entrance (Historic Registry "Parker's Landing")
There is an informative pdf entitled AGRICULTURAL AND DOMESTIC OUTBUILDINGS IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN KENTUCKY, 1800-1865 by Rachel Kennedy and William Macintire that includes many details concerning many of the structures still standing on the 1792 Hamilton Farm. On this page, I rely on this source document, referred to below as OCWK, when that publication makes reference to outbuildings I have photographed.
Having visited the farm in 2020JUN21, I and was lucky to spend part of the early afternoon with the caretaker of the property. He was very informative, guiding me through the history of the big barn, slave quarters, and several of the outbuildings.
While this page focused on the working farm of Alexander Hamilton, Sn., you can compare the homes of his father, along with Alexander's descendants in my direct lineage by clicking this link which will open in a new window.
Having visited the farm in 2020JUN21, I and was lucky to spend part of the early afternoon with the caretaker of the property. He was very informative, guiding me through the history of the big barn, slave quarters, and several of the outbuildings.
While this page focused on the working farm of Alexander Hamilton, Sn., you can compare the homes of his father, along with Alexander's descendants in my direct lineage by clicking this link which will open in a new window.
Rock Fences, circa 1840-70
Short-lived wooden fencing began to be replaced by more permanent rock fencing in the 1830s. (Murray-Wooley and Raitz 1992). Successful farmers employed Irish stonemasons to construct dry-laid rock fences around fields, pasture, and the perimeter of their holdings. Everything from small orchards to eighty-five-acre pasture lots were surrounded by rock enclosures. Defining separate work lots was a priority for middling and upper-level farmers, as it gave the farm an orderly appearance. Rock fences provided an attractive and permanent solution to the fencing problem. This type of enclosure, which could be very costly, visually demonstrated the farmer’s affluence. (Source OCWK, p.11)
Home of Alexander Hamilton, Sn (1788-1878) on Cartwright Creek near Fredericktown, KY
Hamilton Farm, Washington County, a “Middling” Outer Bluegrass Farm. The Hamilton Farm was developed by Alexander Hamilton in the Late Settlement Period, ranging loosely from 1800-1820. The initial dwelling was a two-room log house supplemented by few domestic outbuildings. No outbuildings from this period survive. The house and the farmstead grew to their present form over the course of the nineteenth century. (Source OCWK p.1)
Backhouse - combining many domestic functions under the same roof
Specialized domestic outbuildings appeared early on. As functions like cooking and food and cloth processing were removed from the main residence, they gained separate buildings of their own. This separation of functions occurred as soon as the farmer was financially successful enough to afford outbuildings. While there were domestic outbuildings in the settlement period, farmers constructed many more domestic outbuildings in the affluent antebellum years. (see OCWK, p.7) Frequently, in Kentucky, a structure was built that maintained room divisions, but combined domestic functions under the same roof. For example, at the Hamilton Farm in Washington County, a “backhouse” was constructed which combined a smokehouse, food/cloth processing room, and possibly living quarters in the garret or attic. (Source: OCWK p.10)
Outbuildings were structures designed to perform specific functions away from the main house.
Privies
Privy, Hamilton Farm, Washington County, Late Nineteenth Century. This five-hole privy has two seats at a lower height to accommodate children.
Slave/Servant Quarters - Domestic Outbuilding
AGRICULTURAL OUTBUILDINGS
Stock Barn, Hamilton Farm, Washington County, Circa 1865. The Hamilton Farm Stock Barn is a modified English bank barn with a cross aisle accessed through double doors. The unique plan includes two drive-throughs, joined by a cross-aisle, which is flanked by stalls. The drive-throughs have hay racks on one wall (left). On the other side of the left drive are a couple of grain storage rooms. Hay is kept in the loft above. Given the barn’s unusual design and Alexander Hamilton’s interest in scientific agriculture, it is probable that he chose this barn’s design from an agricultural improvement journal.
additional images gleaned from the pdf linked below
AGRICULTURAL AND DOMESTIC OUTBUILDINGS IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN KENTUCKY, 1800-1865 by Rachel Kennedy and William Macintire