Upcoming Waveland event will feature items owned by Henry Clay
Editor’s Note: As Lexington celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, the Herald-Leader and kentucky.com each day throughout 2025 will share interesting facts about our hometown. Compiled by Liz Carey, all are notable moments in the city’s history — some funny, some sad, others heartbreaking or celebratory, and some just downright strange.
Fans of history know that the artifacts of another era can give clues to what life was like before us.
On Aug. 21, history fans can get insight into the life of Henry Clay during the last 250Lex sponsored “Tea and Talk” at Waveland State Historic Site. The 250Lex events throughout the year celebrate the founding of Lexington in 1775. During the Tea and Talk presentation, Eric Brooks will discuss treasures that one belonged to Clay while attendees sip tea and enjoy special treats.
Henry Clay was an American statesman and politician who served as a U.S. Representative for Kentucky, a senator and the U.S. Secretary of State under President John Quincy Adams. He is best known as “The Great Compromiser” for his work crafting compromises to address slavery and staving off succession efforts.
He played a role in drafting the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Compromise of 1850, which allowed limited expansion of slavery in the new American territories and prevented the outbreak of the Civil War.
Who was Henry Clay?
Clay was born in Virginia and moved to Kentucky in 1797 where, despite a limited formal education, he became a successful lawyer. Clay ran for Senate in 1803 even though he was not yet of legal age to qualify for the seat, and went on to represent Kentucky in Washington, D.C., on and off for more than four decades, from 1806 until 1852.
His efforts to lead didn’t always succeed, however.
He ran unsuccessfully for President three times: in 1824, 1832 and 1844. Additionally, he founded both the National Republican Party and the Whig Party.
The National Republican Party started off initially as the Adams-Clay Republicans who opposed Andrew Jackson. The party favored Adam’s allies in Congress after he lost to Jackson and favored Clay’s plan for a national bank and national infrastructure improvements paid for by high tariffs.
After the 1932 election, where Clay was the party’s nominee, National Republicans, Anti-Masons and other conservative political groups joined to form the Whig Party.
In Lexington, Clay was instrumental as a teacher at Transylvania University and as a lawyer. One of his most famous clients was Aaron Burr, after Burr was accused of treason by President Thomas Jefferson.
Clay and his wife Lucretia built their estate, Ashland, in Lexington and lived there until Clay’s death in 1852. He is buried in Lexington Cemetery alongside Lucretia, who died in 1864.
How to get tickets for Waveland event
The honors and accolades for Clay are long and distinguished. But if one wants to see the breadth of Clay’s national influence, one only has to look to county names in states east of the Mississippi.
Sixteen counties in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia are all named after Clay, and many cities, including Clay, Kentucky; Clay, West Virginia; Claysville, Alabama; and Claysville, Pennsylvania, are named after the statesman.
Waveland’s “Tea and Talk” this month will center around two treasures that once belonged to Clay — a liquor set and a sword.
Lashe Mullins, Waveland’s park manager, said the items once belonged to Waveland but the pieces now belong to Ashland, Henry Clay’s Estate, as they better fit Ashland’s mission.
Interested in learning more? Tickets for the tea are available for $40 per person, and include tea from the Elmwood Inn and treats from Solomon’s Porch Café and Catering in Wilmore.
The event starts at 11 a.m. and will feature three courses — savories, scones with lemon curd and desserts. The savories course will consist of four items: a chicken salad croissant and a cheese biscuit with ham, as well as two other seasonal items.
For reservations, call Waveland at (859) 272-3611. Space is limited to 20 guests.
Have a question or story idea related to Lexington’s 250-year history? Let us know at 250LexKy@gmail.com.