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Imagine being a single woman in 1872, managing a 900 acre farm in rural Kentucky, while also being responsible for two orphaned nieces and all the workers on the farm. No wonder that Julia Stockton Dinsmore noted in her journal, “Lord, send me a fool who wants to pay a good price for this place!”
Fortunately, Julia Dinsmore continued to manage the family farm for 54 years, and kept meticulous records about the day-to-day activities of life in the late 1800s and early 1900s. “The historic Dinsmore Homestead is a rich resource for our community,” said Marty McDonald, executive director, during a recent presentation to the Florence Rotary Club. “By studying the 200,000 pages of writings owned by the Dinsmore family, we can learn a lot about how things used to be.”
The Dinsmore Homestead consists of 80 acres located in western Boone County, about 6 ½ miles outside of Burlington. Built by James and Martha Dinsmore in 1842, the Homestead consists of the main house, 14 outbuildings and the family cemetery. The Dinsmores owned the property until 1994, when it was donated to the Dinsmore Homestead Foundation for preservation. The interior furnishings are mostly original to the home, including furniture, dishes, quilts, books and artwork.
James and Martha Dinsmore moved to Kentucky in the early 1840s along with their three daughters and 11enslaved African Americans. The family had ties to George Washington, two generations of Roosevelts, and the B.F. Goodrich family. Their descendents included a poet, an artist, and a member of Congress.
According to McDonald, the mission of the Dinsmore Homestead Foundation is to preserve our cultural heritage, provide educational opportunities, support on-going research, and share our local, regional and national history. “It’s important for people to understand the way of life 170 years ago,” said McDonald. “If your socks had a hole, you couldn’t just run out to Target!” she concluded with a laugh.
The house museum is open to the public, April through December 15 of each year, with tours available at various times. The property, located at 5656 Burlington Pike, is an interactive education center, presenting historical programs in cooperation with area schools, senior centers, and other groups. For more information, visit the website at www.dinsmorefarm.org or call 859-586-6117.
For information about weekly meetings, guest speakers and community service opportunities of the Florence Rotary Club, contact Brad Shipe, President, at bradshipe@hotmail.com or (859) 282-7040. Visit the group’s web site at www.florencerotary.org . Florence Rotary meets weekly on Mondays at noon at the Airport Hilton Hotel in Florence.
