Thank you to Georgetown/Scott County Tourism for providing complimentary tickets to Ward Hall. All opinions listed are 100% my own.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of heading back to Georgetown, KY. This is one of my all-time favorite cities to visit.
While there, I had the opportunity to tour Ward Hall — Kentucky's Grandest Greek Revival Mansion.
This home was built in 1857 for Junius Richard Ward and his wife Matilda Valley War. The cost of this home was $50,000 gold. It represents one of the most intact houses in the country.
Stepping onto the property, you will fall in love with the intricate pieces of history displayed everywhere!
Taking a Tour of Ward Hall
Our tour started on the first floor of the mansion. I love anything to do with the Southern lifestyle and the Southern Belle. On the first floor of the home, you learn all about Sallie Ward, the granddaughter of Junius.
Looking around the first floor, I fell in love with the drawing rooms and the dining rooms. Anytime I get to visit an older home like this, I take my time. I love strolling and taking in every single area of the home. This Kentucky mansion was right up my alley for sure!
The tour guide told us that the windows in the home with etched glass were the original windows. The flooring was original to the home as well.
That means that both of these parts of the home are over 160 years old. Can you imagine the stories these old floors could tell?
The Second Floor of the Home
To tour the second floor of the home, you have to climb the double eliptical stairs. These stairs are a must see because they are intricate in every part.
Once you get upstairs, this is where you will find the bedrooms. Kayla and I were mesmerized by the way they had every single bedroom staged as if someone was actually staying there.
One room had a soldier's uniform, his boots, and of course the chamber pot.
All the rooms in the house have items on loan from other places that would bave been worn or used during this time.
The Third Floor of the Home
On the third and final floor of the home, you find a couple of game rooms and the attic area.
At the top, the guide took a few moments to share with us about the roof of the home and the restoration process that is going on as we speak.
The Basement Area
The basement area of the home (which is 4000 square feet itself) is where I was most intrigued. The older homes of this era had a complete house underneath the house. This is where you would find most of the servants.
There were even a set of stairs that came up that would allow the staff to come and go without being seen by guests.
In the basement we found the kitchen, full of cooking utensils and so many cool artifacts.
In another room, we found what the tour guide said would have probably been used as a root cellar or pantry for foods and wine. The cobblestone bricks would keep the room cool in the summertime.
The Exterior of the Home
The outside of the home is the most important right now. The reason for that is because the restoration committee for Ward Hall is doing their best to raise $850,000 to help restore and beautify this home before it deteriorates beyond repair.
The house cost $1 million dollars. No money is owed on the house, however now they rely on funding to help restore Ward Hall.
The 12,000 square-foot mansion with 27-foot high fluted columns and cast-iron Corinthian capitals measures 62 feet wide and 69 feet long with a 65-foot long grand hall with magnificent plaster decoration in the hall and the formal rooms taken from Lafever's designs in the classical taste.
If you get the chance to travel to Georgetown, KY — I encourage you to make Ward Hall one of your stops. This beautiful Kentucky mansion needs to be kept in the forefront of everyone's mind to help preserve this important part of history.
To learn more about Ward Hall, click here. To find out what days you can visit and tour this beautiful home, click here.
Ward Hall is located at 1782 Frankfort Road (US 460 W) in Georgetown, KY.