Forest Retreat Farm and Tavern
National Register of Historic Places

Forest Retreat Farm and Tavern

Carlisle, Nicholas County, Kentucky
Listed
October 1, 1973
Type
Building
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
73000825

About this property

Forest Retreat is a historic home of Kentucky governor (during 1828–1832) and United States Senator Thomas Metcalfe, located in Nicholas County, Kentucky. It is currently operated as a Bed & Breakfast hotel and event venue. It was built in 1795. The grounds of Forest Retreat include the Metcalfe family burial plot. Interred at this plot are Thomas Metcalfe (1780–1855) and various of his relatives, and 1954 Kentucky Derby-winning horse, Determine. Thomas Metcalfe was a stonemason and later 10th Governor of Kentucky, and he contributed to the building of this house then later retired to here. The farm deteriorated until 1933 when it was bought by Dr. Eslie Asbury. Later his son used it as a working farm and he had a horse, Determine, win the 1954 Kentucky Derby. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The 22-acre (8.9 ha) listing included three contributing buildings in addition to the farmhouse. An earlier home of Thomas Metcalfe, the Thomas Metcalf House in Robertson County, is also listed on the National Register. It was built by Thomas in c.1810.

Location

Carlisle, Nicholas County, Kentucky
38.33547, -84.06072

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURECOMMUNICATIONS
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Stone Barn on Brushy Creek
Civil War
0.5 mi
Mathers, William, House
Industrial
1.9 mi
Carlisle Historic District
Listed
2.1 mi
Dinsmore House
Industrial
2.3 mi
Carlisle, Louisville and Nashville Passenger Depot
Industrial
2.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Carlisle Skirmish (1864)
1864Civil War
2.6 mi
Skirmish at Carlisle (Nicholas County)
1862Civil War
2.6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Forest Retreat Farm and Tavern listed on the National Register?

Forest Retreat Farm and Tavern was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Forest Retreat Farm and Tavern?

Forest Retreat Farm and Tavern is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Forest Retreat Farm and Tavern?

The period of significance for Forest Retreat Farm and Tavern is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1780.

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