In the 1790s, Jeremiah Tarleton helped found St. Francis Catholic Church—the first Catholic church west of the Alleghenies—in Georgetown, Kentucky. He also owned a nearby log cabin called Tarleton’s Tavern.
During an attempt to add a second story to the tavern in 1890, the walls of the building buckled under the weight and it was decided to demolish the building. The Late Carpenter Gothic Revival style home built in its place in 1893 still stands today. The 13-acre property on which it stands, called Tarleton Tavern Farm, was auctioned in 2007 and purchased by Philip Enlow and Beth Campbell Richardson.
Ready for conversion
“We basically bought the land and got the house for free,” Richardson told the Courier Journal. “Nobody wanted the house.”
She added that in later years, the famous Bible historian Henry H. Halley was born and raised in this house. “His book ‘Halley’s Bible Handbook’ sold millions of copies worldwide,” she added.
But after years of neglect, the house fell into disrepair. It received two additions and underwent a major renovation in the mid-1970s, but not much has changed since then. Over the years, Richardson and Enlow have completely renovated the house.
“We did most of the work ourselves, one room at a time,” Richardson said, “except for the bare minimum. (There’s) all new plumbing, all new electrical, (everything).”
The couple worked room by room, removing numerous layers of wallpaper and restoring the plaster. They retained the original moldings and mantels and reused as many decorative materials as possible.
“The additions were carefully designed to match the historic aesthetic of the main part of the house,” Richardson said, adding that the kitchen walls feature the original tongue-and-groove wood paneling and the main staircase features ash treads that were part of the previous 1790s tavern. The home also features antique pine, poplar and ash floors.
Enlow and Richardson also restored the porch using its original posts and hand-crafted gingerbread fretwork, and hand-attached the original arched-top exterior shutters.
Perfect salon
The last room to undergo a complete renovation was the living room. As Enlow and Richardson completed their renovation room by room, this room served as a storage area for furniture from each part of the house that was being worked on. Today, it is a fully finished room with light green walls.
“I love green,” Richardson exclaimed, adding that the room’s hue was inspired by her velvety greenish-yellow sofa.
The sofa faces one of the seven fireplaces in the house. Across the room is a piano that Richardson’s mother gave her in 1981, and a cello.
“I knew if I wanted to go to college and play music, I had to play a string instrument,” Richardson said. “I think the cello is beautiful, so I chose that.”
Family heirlooms
Richardson has collected several pieces of antique furniture, including some family items that have found their way back to her over the years. This includes the Campbellsville Handmade Cherry Furniture dining room set by Eugene McMahan and Son Inc. that belonged to her parents.
“My father died … when I was a child, and my mother didn’t want to keep any of the furniture because it reminded her of my father,” Richardson explained, adding that the table and chairs were sold to a family friend.
When this friend was downsizing, they asked Richardson if she wanted her parents’ dining room set back. Of course, she said yes.
Richardson’s kitchen features striking pieces from the Hall China Company, an Ohio-based ceramics manufacturer founded in 1903. While most of the collection has been amassed over the years, it all began with a bowl that Richardson inherited from her mother, who in turn had received it from her Aunt Ida.
“When I got married, we didn’t have much – and we ate out of that bowl,” she recalls. “Pretty soon I found out how much (it) was worth, and we stopped using (it) – and I started collecting.”
She now owns dozens of pieces from Hall China’s Orange Poppy collection, including everything from cups and saucers to salt and pepper shakers, kettles, plates and more. It’s part of the house’s unique collection of furniture and accessories, which includes a mix of antique and modern pieces.
“(Our) house is full of collected items that all have a story and family history,” Richardson said. “The mix of furniture from different eras creates a completely livable home rather than a museum atmosphere.”
Know of a home that would make a great Home of the Week? Email writer Lennie Omalza at [email protected] or lifestyle editor Kathryn Gregory at [email protected].
Screws and nuts
owner: Philip Enlow and Beth Campbell Richardson. They are the owners of Spotz Gelato.
Home: This is a four-bedroom, four-bath, 4,000-square-foot Late Gothic Carpenter-style home on Tarleton Tavern Farm in Georgetown, Kentucky. It was built in 1893.
Striking elements: Complete renovation reusing all original moldings, mantels and decorative materials; period-correct flooring, moldings and doors in areas of the house with later additions; additions matching the historic main portion of the house; original tongue and groove wood paneling in kitchen walls; ash treads in main staircase from 1790’s tavern; antique pine, poplar and ash flooring; seven fireplaces; restored porch with original porch posts and hand-crafted gingerbread fretwork; original hand-restored exterior shutters with arched top.
Applause! Applause! Special thanks to Tom Richardson, restoration cabinetmaker and consultant.
