Bullock-Clifton House
Encyclopedia
The Bullock-Clifton House is a historic home in the Deer Park
neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky
, USA. It is the oldest known surviving wood-frame structure in Jefferson County
.
style, facing northward towards the Ohio River
. This reflected the early rural nature of the area, before the Bardstown Turnpike, a quarter mile to the east, was nothing more than an unpaved trail. In 1873, the Federal facade was removed along with the eastern portion of the house when the signature Italianate/Eastlake
facade was built facing east towards the Bardstown Turnpike, which was by this time the focal point of the area.
The older portion of the house was built by William Bullock, a politician, judge and philanthropist. As a member of the Kentucky General Assembly
Bullock introduced legislation to establish what became the public school system in Kentucky. His most important achievement as a politician was securing an endowment for the Kentucky School for the Blind
in 1841. In 1834, he purchased 79 acres (319,701.9 m²) of land from William Pope
and constructed the house.
Bullock sold the property in 1839 to Francis Thornton, a minister.
.
Deer Park, Louisville
Deer Park is a neighborhood four miles southeast of downtown Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Most of the neighborhood was developed from 1890 through the 1920s as a streetcar suburb, with all but six of its 24 subdivisions being developed by 1917, and the last laid out by 1935, although some development...
neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, USA. It is the oldest known surviving wood-frame structure in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 693,604 people, 287,012 households, and 183,113 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 305,835 housing units at an average density of...
.
History
The house was built as a manor house for the surrounding farm, which was a 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) truck farm by the early 20th century. The house was built in two sections, typical of a farmhouse of its age. The first was built in 1834 in the FederalFederal architecture
Federal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the United States between c. 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815. This style shares its name with its era, the Federal Period. The name Federal style is also used in association with furniture design...
style, facing northward towards the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. This reflected the early rural nature of the area, before the Bardstown Turnpike, a quarter mile to the east, was nothing more than an unpaved trail. In 1873, the Federal facade was removed along with the eastern portion of the house when the signature Italianate/Eastlake
Eastlake
- Places :Australia* Kingston, Australian Capital Territory, formerly called Eastlake** Eastlake Football Club, an amateur Australian Rules Football Club named after that locationUnited States* Eastlake, California...
facade was built facing east towards the Bardstown Turnpike, which was by this time the focal point of the area.
The older portion of the house was built by William Bullock, a politician, judge and philanthropist. As a member of the Kentucky General Assembly
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
Bullock introduced legislation to establish what became the public school system in Kentucky. His most important achievement as a politician was securing an endowment for the Kentucky School for the Blind
Kentucky School for the Blind
The Kentucky School for the Blind is an educational facility for blind and visually impaired students from Kentucky up to age 21.Bryce McLellan Patten founded the Kentucky Institution for the Education of the Blind in 1839 in Louisville, Kentucky...
in 1841. In 1834, he purchased 79 acres (319,701.9 m²) of land from William Pope
William Pope
William Pope may refer to:* William Henry Pope , Texas state senator* William Henry Pope * William Hayes Pope , U.S...
and constructed the house.
Bullock sold the property in 1839 to Francis Thornton, a minister.
Features
The front, newer, portion of the house is 2½ stories high, with a distinctive octagonal tower rising up for a fourth level cupolaCupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
.