My Old Kentucky Home, Federal Hill

  • Also Known As: Federal Hill

  • Address: US 150, Stephen Foster St
  • Travel Genus: Sight
  • Sight Category: Building

My Old Kentucky Home by Stephen Foster

My Old Kentucky Home
The sun shines bright in the old Kentucky home,
'Tis summer, the darkies are gay,
The corn top's ripe and the meadow's in the bloom
While the birds make music all the day.
The young folks roll on the little cabin floor,
All merry, all happy and bright:
By'n by Hard Times comes a knocking at the door,
Then my old Kentucky Home, good night!

CHORUS:
Weep no more, my lady,
Oh! weep no more today!
We will sing one song
For the old Kentucky Home,
For the old Kentucky Home, far away.

They hunt no more for the possum and the coon
On the meadow, the hill and the shore,
They sing no more by the glimmer of the moon,
On the bench by the old cabin door.
The day goes by like a shadow o'er the heart,
With sorrow where all was delight:
The time has come when the darkies have to part,
Then my old Kentucky Home, good night!

The head must bow and the back will have to bend,
Wherever the darkey may go:
A few more days, and the trouble all will end
In the field where the sugar canes grow.
A few more days for to tote the weary load,
No matter 'twill never be light,
A few more days till we totter on the road,
Then my old Kentucky Home, good night!


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Timeline

Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
1795/00/00 Judge John Rowan and his wife Ann Lytle acquire 1,500 acres and build the first section of their home, the rear ell.
1818/00/00 John Marshall Browne Architect Federal Hill is completed c 1818, possible by John Marshall Browne.
1840/00/00 After Federal Hill is damaged by a fire, John Rowan hires Alexander Moore to restore the stairs, window frames, facings, mantles, washboards and to lower the roof of the rear of the west wing after the manner of the main building.
1852/00/00 Stephen Collins Foster Songwriter Stephen Foster writes "My Old Kentucky Home, Good-Night!" an anti-slavery ballad likely inspired by Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and his cousin Rowan's Federal Hill estate he visited often.

Data »

Particulars for My Old Kentucky Home, Federal Hill:
Area of Significance Architecture
Criteria Architecture-Engineering
Sight Category Building
Other Description Kentucky country house
Area of Significance Landscape Architecture
Level of Significance National
Area of Significance Performing Arts
Criteria Person
Historic Use Single dwelling
Owner State



US National Registry of Historic Places Data »

Accurate at time of registration:

PLACE DETAILS
Registry Name:
Registry Address:
Registry Number: 71000354
Resource Type:
Owner: State
Architect: unknown
Architectural Style: Other
Attribute: Kentucky country house
CULTURAL DETAILS
Level of Significance: National
Area of Significance: Landscape architecture, Architecture, Performing arts
Applicable Criteria: Architecture-Engineering, Person
Period of Significance: 1750-1799
Significant Year: c 1795
Associated People: Foster,Stephen
Historic Function: Domestic
Historic Sub-Function: Single dwelling
Current Function: Recreation and Culture
Current Sub-Function: Museum

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