HAUNTED DWELLING: Loudoun House (Lexington Art League)

 

ADDRESS:  

209 Castlewood, Lexington. Kentucky 40505.

 

LOCATION:

 

The Loudoun House, now the home of the Lexington Art League, can be tricky to find. Tom and I got royally lost, trying to find the Bryan Ave. turnoff from E. Loudon Ave. and had to ask a policeman where it was located. Best way to find it is to take E. New Circle Road to Bryan Ave.  Turn left onto Bryan Ave. Right at the end of Castlewood Park on the left, you will see Maple Ave. Make a left on Maple, and another quick left on Castlewood. You can't miss this glorious gothic mansion, with its huge front yard.  If you miss Maple, you will shortly come to Castlewood, and you can turn left there. If you miss this street as well, you will come to E. Loudon Street, which means you have come too far!

 

DESCRIPTION:

The National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places.

 

WOW!  This Gothic Revival, truly glorious 1850 mansion is well worth the effort to visit! It really is a stunning example of  Gothic Revival architecture, with influences from the Romantic Movement which was so poplular during the 1850's.

Loudon House is on The National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places, and is owned by Lexington, who leases this lovely mansion to the Lexington Art League.

 

When we finally found and traveled down Castlewood Ave., suddenly it appeared on the right. Loudoun is made of brick painted white, dusted and covered with layers of sand and paint to ressemble stone.  It is quite impressive with its length and Gothic Revival architecture, presenting a mansion that is uniquely different, and must of turned heads throughout its long existence. The mansion is long, shallow, and two storied, with lovely castle-like towers framing its grand entry way. The "crenellated" tower on the right of the main entrance is bigger, and probably holds a study at the top, because there are four large, rounded stained glass windows, adding beauty to both the outside appearance and for the room inside.

 

The rounded window arches above the long, rounded at the top rectangular windows are made of limestone, and the roof is a handsome slate. The roof line is interesting, with all its turrets, "parapet" walls, and pinnacles on the important gables.

 

Peeking in the windows of the closed mansion, one sees large rooms for serious parties / assemblies, now used for events sponsored by the Lexington Art League. The woodwork inside is all walnut.

 

Francis and Julia put the best in their home, from the stencil-painted medival designs on the ceilings to the enameled glass panes, plasterwork, marble mantels and custom-made furniture from New York.

 

HISTORY:

 

Francis Key Hunt, one of the sons of John Wesley Hunt, was the driving force in Loudoun House's construction, a real labor of love. After having an education at Transylvania University in Lexington, which was close to his father's home, and the Episcopal Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, Francis became a lawyer.  After returning to Lexington to practice law, Francis married a local, wealthy socialite, Julia Warfield. Her parents gave the young couple a wedding gift of 60 acres on the Bryan Station Pike, located next to the Warfield Estate. 

 

When John Wesley Hunt died suddenly of cholera in 1848, Francis inherited nearly a million dollars.  Francis hired a local Lexington architect, John McMurtry, to build a castellated Gothic Revival villa using a custom design of one of the house designs found in a published 1838 catalogue of blueprints, "Rural Residences", by prominent New York architect Alexander Jackson Davis.

 

Planning between Davis and Francis was problematic, as it was done long distance though the mail, which drove up the cost. Francis planned on spending $10,000 - $12,000 dollars. The final price tag was $30,000!  Finally, in 1852, Francis and Julia had their dream villa, distinctly different from the common Greek Revival homes usualy built by Lexingon's well-to do. It was called Loudoun, after Julia's favorite song, “The Bells of Loudoun.”  Both Francis and Julia loved their new home and lived together, raising their family in it from 1851 - 1879, when Francis died.

 

In 1884, Julia sold Loudoun to Colonel William Cassius Goodloe and wife, and moved in with her daughter and son-in-law, Maria Hunt Dudley and Dr. Benjamin Dudley. The Goodloe family enjoyed living in Loudoun House from 1884 to 1921. J.F. Bailey was the next owner, but he only lived there a few years before he sold it and its property to the City of Lexington in the 1920's.  Lexington transformed this beautiful building into a community center, and the home's extensive grounds into Castlewood Park. 

 

In 1984, Loudon became the home of the Lexington Art League, an organization who actively promotes the arts through shows, classes and events held here.  The city still owns the property, but leases the building to this fine organization.

 

HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS:

 

Two female entities from the 1900's don't want to leave just yet, and choose to spend their after-life in the home which they loved. 

 

I suspect that one of the entities may be Julia Hunt, who may have had to move out before she really wanted to do so. For some reason, she had to sell their beloved home, which had so many good memories.  I' guessing that either she didin't have the funds to keep the home and estate, or perhaps her health wasn't good. For some reason, she needed to move into her daughter and son-in-law's home, and didn't just buy a smaller place, more suited for a single woman.

 

Perhaps the other female entity could be a former servant, still waiting on dinner guests, or a lady of the house, being the model of hospitality.

 

Someone's kitty suffered a quick demise and didn't know what hit him or her.  Still thinking it hadn't used up its 9 lives, the kitty hangs around. (Inn at Jerome * Whaley House * Robert E. Lee Mansion)

 

MANIFESTATIONS:

 

An entity of a woman, dressed in Victorian attire, has been seen in the western part of the mansion.

 

An entity of another woman, also dressed in Victorian attire, has been seen in what was the formal dining room.

 

A black cat has made appearances all over the mansion.

 

Sensory paranormal activity:

 

The light scent of an 1900's floral perfume has been noticed by the living in one of the upstairs bedrooms, now used as a studio.

 

The living have heard disembodied voices and soft, background music, played at 1900's balls and events.

 

 

STILL HAUNTED?

 

Probably, as it is listed as a haunted site on several sources.  They are gentile and polite, and must appreciate all the events that the Lexington Art League hosts in this mansion.

 

 

SOURCES: