Sophisticated Giving: Historic Homes Foundation

When Covid-19 hit the Kentuckiana area, all three Historic Homes Foundation properties – Farmington Historic Plantation, Thomas Edison House, and Whitehall House & Gardens – were forced to make drastic changes: the houses closed to tours, cancelled fundraisers and programs, and rescheduled or canceled private event rentals. But we are still here, doing everything we can to provide our regular services to the community until things get “back to normal.”

Farmington Historic Plantation’s grounds continue to remain free and open to the public. Self-guided grounds tours, available on the Visitors Center porch, share stories of the Speed family, the 70 people enslaved on this Kentucky hemp plantation, and Abraham Lincoln’s 1841 visit. This was the only extended time the future president spent on a plantation and personally experienced the luxurious lifestyle of Kentucky’s planter elite. Farmington’s outdoor Brand Pavilion is available at no charge, weekdays, to local nonprofit boards for socially distant meetings during the COVID crisis. 502- 452-9920/ farmingtonhistoricplantation.org/

At this time, the Thomas Edison House, located in the historic Butchertown neighborhood, is closed to the public due to the COVID-19 crisis. The home, built in 1850, is a vital part of the neighborhood. We look forward to sharing the story of Thomas Edison’s time in Louisville with Western Union, displaying many of the inventor’s patents, and the historic home site. 502-585-5247/www.historichomes.org/ thomas-edison-house

Whitehall’s grounds have remained free and open to the public, providing a respite to visitors when even the public park facilities were closed. During the spring and summer months, we have seen a large increase in visitors, particularly young families, enjoying the gardens and grounds. We are slowly returning to our previous schedule, with the re-launch of our “Whitehall Wednesdays” horticultural classes. Visitors to the grounds are welcome every day, from sunup to sundown. 502-897-2944/www. historicwhitehall.org/ These sites have been a part of the fabric of Louisville since the 19th century, and we look forward to sharing our stories far into the future!