Kentucky’s largest Greek Revival house in dire need of repairs. Here’s how to help
The largest Greek Revival residence in Kentucky, which was once offered to be the state capitol, is in dire need of repairs, the group who runs its foundation says.
The Ward Hall Preservation Foundation is making plans for an $850,000, first phase renovation and it needs a big chunk of that money to be donated to help preserve the historic Georgetown residence because they say it’s in need desperate repairs.
The foundation recently created a GoFundMe link with the goal of raising $500,000. As of early Monday afternoon the fundraising link had raised $115.
Patrick Palmer, the organizer of the fundraiser, said there is a long list of jobs that need funding in the renovation project. The most expensive job is repairing the original exterior front grand entrance stairway, which was estimated at $435,000. The stairs are currently blocked off to visitors due to safety concerns.
The foundation also wants to upgrade the electrical service and install a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, a job estimated at $100,000, Palmer wrote.
Ward Hall is the largest Greek Revival residence in Kentucky, according to its website. It was built in 1857 by British-born military engineer and Lexington architect, Major Thomas Lewinski, who contributed to other significant Central Kentucky structures, according to Palmer.
The mansion was built for Junius Richard Ward and his wife Matilda Viley Ward. It is more than 12,000 square-feet and was built for $50,000 and paid in gold, according to the city of Georgetown.
By comparison, Henry Clay’s Ashland covers 8,184 square feet and the Waveland Mansion covers 4,400 square feet.
The building has seen little change since it was constructed, according to the foundation. The Ward family sold the mansion in 1867 and it has had approximately 13 owners previously, all of which made no major changes.
The building was once offered to be the state capitol of Kentucky, according to Palmer.
Now Ward Hall is open for tours the first two weekends of the month from April through November, according to the city of Georgetown. The foundation bought the property in 2004 and has worked to restore the building ever since.
The first phase of restoration efforts is expected to cost approximately $850,000, according to the foundation. The first phase is dedicated to preserving and protecting the exterior of the building, which is rapidly deteriorating.
David Stuart, former chairman of the foundation, previously said foundation is primarily relying on public donation, as virtually all sources of federal and state grant funding are unavailable.
This story was originally published July 1, 2024 at 1:45 PM.
