Farmington Historic Plantation in Louisville will host three-weeks of Lincoln-related programming beginning in October 2008. Farmington is a 14-room federal style home that was the center of the 19th century hemp plantation of John and Lucy Speed.
Location:
3033 Bardstown Road
Louisville, Ky 40205
Phone:
502 452-9920
This program was funded, in part, by a grant from the Kentucky Humanities Council and the Kentucky Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.
"Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed: An Enduring Friendship," Exhibit Opening
Date: February 11, 2008
Harvest Festival and Opening Day of Three Weeks at Farmington
Date: October 12, 2008
Venue: Farmington Historic Plantation
Live music, great food, and characters in costume characterize this fun-filled day designed to illusrate life in the 1800s. Historical re-enactments will take place throughout the day, including a dramatic recreation of Lincoln's 1841 arrival to Farmington at 1:30. Festivities begin at noon and end at 5 pm.
Setting the Scene: Louisville 1841
Local, State and National Issues
Date: October 14, 2008
Venue: Farmington Carriage House
11 a.m. to 2:30 pm: Dr. John Kleber will discuss local, state, and national issues that faced Louisville and the Union in 1841. Participants will have the opportunity to view "Lincoln and Farmington: An Enduring Friendship," a new exhibit, and a panel discussion will take place. Panelists include Kathy Nichols, curator of Farmington's exhibit, Farmington Executive Director Andrea Saylor, Pen Bogert, a historian, and Archaeologist Lori Stahlgren. Tickets are $25, and include a box lunch.
In Lincoln's Footprints 1841
Date: October 18, 2008
Venue: Farmington Historic Plantation & Bus Tour
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Join Historian Carolyn Brooks for a bus tour of Louisville, which will include sites Lincoln may have passed down historic Bardstown Turnpike. The day will begin at Farmington with a lecture by Mary Jean Kinsman, who will discuss architecture in Louisville in 1841. Tickets are $45 and include a box lunch.
African American Genealogy Workshop: Farmington Historic Plantation & Louisville Free Public Library
Date: October 18, 2008
Venue: Main Branch, Louisville Free Public Library Centennial Room
9 am-3:30 pm. This workshop, in partnership with the Louisville Free Public Library, will explore resources available to help you explore your family tree. Walter Hutchins, Cassandra Sea, and Juanita White will discuss their own family research.
From 2-3:30, Joe Hardesty will lead a session at the Computer Learning Center exploring print, microfilm, and online resources. This session is limited to 15 participants. Tickets are free, but reservations are required.
James Speed: Lincoln’s Last Attorney General
Date: October 23, 2008
Venue: Filson Historical Society
5:45 pm- 8 pm: Historian Jennie Cole will present a lecture on James Speed's role as Lincoln's last Attorney General. Following the lecture, panelists will explore the history of the Office of Attorney General and how the office has evolved. Panelists include Dr. Thomas Mackey, Judge Fred Cowan, and Attorney Richard Clay. The program is co-sponsored by Farmington Historic Plantation, the Louisville Bar Association, and the Filson Historical Society. The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required.
Slavery in the Ohio River Valley in the 19th Century
Date: October 25, 2008
9:30 am-3:30 pm: This regional tour bus will explore slavery in the Ohio River Valley, and the history of the Underground Railroad in the area. The tour includes stops at Farmington Historic Plantation, Portland Wharf Park, Squire Erick House in Portland, 2nd Baptist Church in New Albany, and the Carnegie Center for Art and History. Tickets are $45, which includes a box lunch, and reservations are required.
Parallel Lives: Farmington and Oxmoor Sisters
Date: October 26, 2008
Venue: Farmington Historic Plantation
2pm-4pm: A short play exploring the impact of two events, a fire at Farmington and Abraham Lincoln’s 1841 visit to the plantation, from the perspective of sisters Lucy Fry Speed and Mildred Fry Bullitt. Two enslaved sisters, Phillis Thurston, from Farmington, and Jinnie, who lived at Oxmoor, describe the events from the cabins behind the main house. The script was written by actress and playwright Erma Bush. An afternoon tea will follow in Farmington's Carriage House. Tickets are $30, which includes afternoon tea, and reservations are required.