Ward Hall

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The Historic Ward Hall is a Greek Revival antebellum plantation mansion located just outside of Georgetown, Kentucky. The 16,000 foot square home, with 40 foot high corinthian columns, is one of the largest and most architecturally significant antebellum homes in Kentucky.

The mansion was built by Junius Richard Ward (1802-1883) and his wife Matilda Valley Ward circa 1853. They built the home as a summer residence, since their primary home was in the Mississippi delta. They were not the only planters that did this, given that Kentucky was comparatively cool and malaria-free during the summer.

The brick house is three stories tall, with a 25 foot wide central corridor on each floor. There are three rooms on each side of each corridor, with the exception of the area set aside for the circular stair. At each end of the central corridor on the main floor are front and rear entrances. The chandeliers, marble fireplace mantels, ash floors, dining room dumbwaiter and indoor restrooms represent the highest quality available in building materials from this era. In addition to the main house, there are ruins of the carriage house, slave house and other buildings. Forty acres of the original plantation remain with the house.

Julius Ward was forced to sell the plantation in 1867, after the Civil War wiped out his wealth. The home was offered by a later owner to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, if they would use it as the state capitol. The offer was not accepted.

Ward Hall is now the home of the The Ward Hall Preservation Foundation.