Farmington Historic Plantation [KY]
The Farmington Historic Plantation, built between 1815 and 1816 as a working hemp plantation, was home to John (1772-1840) and Lucy Fry (1788-1874) Speed. Today, the Federal-style home is furnished to an 1830s appearance, the period of time when the plantation was at its peak prosperity; and the furnishing of the home was largely guided by Speed's 1940 home inventory. The number of slaves on site varied between 45 and 64 during the plantation's operation, while the average state slaveholder owned only 5 individuals. Reconstructed structures on the grounds include the summer kitchen and cook's quarters and a springhouse. The grounds also hold a blacksmith shop, never originally on the plantation. The plantation is relevant to slavery, the Civil War, period politics, gender roles, and John Speed's close friendship with Abraham Lincoln.
The plantation offers period rooms, periodic re-enactments offering living history interactions, educational programming in compliance with state educational standards, quill pen writing, a scavenger hunt, 19th-century games, and cornhusk doll making. The website offers pre-visit information packages for teachers. Educational programs are available to all students, including home school students.