BENJAMIN GRATZ HOME

N. Mill St., Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
Built 1819

Source: Old Houses of Lexington, C. Frank Dunn, typescript, n.d., copy located in the Kentucky Room, Lexington (Kentucky) Public Library.

For a house to have been visited by General Lafayette and one of the children of the household dangled on the knee of the immortal Revolutionary War hero should be enough glory in itself, but the fame of this beautiful home fronting peaceful Gratz Park goes far beyond this.

General Lafayette's visit took place when he came to Transylvania Seminary (Gratz Park is on the site) in May, 1825, addressed Dr. Horace Holley's student body and then repaired to "Mt. Hope," as this residence is known, to call on the Gratz family. The child he fondled was Howard H. Gratz, son of Benjamin Gratz, who became the editor of the old Kentucky Gazette.

General John M. McCalla built the house in 1819 and he and his wife, Maria F., resided here until he went to Washington, D.C. He sold the home to Benjamin Gratz April 9, 1824, for "three thousand dollars current money of the United States and three hundred Commonwealth dollars" cash plus notes.

General McCalla bought this part of "Mount Hope" (Outlot No. 5) from Thomas January, who had sold the January house then immediately in the rear of it (the first brick house built in Lexington) to the General's father, Andrew McCalla, several years before.

Before 1800, Peter January and sons had operated a rope-walk on Outlot No. 5, adjoining their residence. In those days both Mill and Market streets terminated at Second street, and there was a rope-walk on each (Mill and Market) side of old Transylvania University. Peter January died in January, 1805, and Thomas January a few years later removed to Second Street and sold off "Mount Hope" Outlot No. 5 in lots.

Transylvania University meantime had been discussing the necessity of extending Mill and Market Streets to Third Street, and ___ such a necessity, so far as Mill Street was concerned, faced Thomas January. He purchased 40 feet from Second to Third Streets of Outlot No. 6 in February, 1814, from the university for $1,000 and opened this block. The executors of Thomas Hart, Jr., had just opened the Market St. block opposite, to enhance the sale of their lots facing "College Lawn" on the other side.

The Januarys, big merchants as well as hemp manufacturers, purchased Outlots Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in 1789 and 1790. They purchased No. 1 from Matthew Walker (together with Inlot No. 16 "whereon Matthew Walker now lives" and Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 from the Town Trustees. the latter four outlots extended west from Broadway (Second to Third Sts.) to the city limits.

Several historians have made vague reference to "the first brick house built in Lexington" by Peter January on "Mount Hope." No one seems to have discovered verification of the claim, of the tradition, and no wonder! Peter January advertised it for rent in February, 1793, calling it a "Country Seat" and a "Farm," thus throwing historians off the track--yet if they had taken the trouble to read the parenthetical statement that it was "distant from the court-house about 400 yards" they would have been in high glee over their "find." The ad read:

A COUNTRY SEAT TO RENT

"That convenient and pleasantly situated FARM, now occupied by the subscribers (distant from the court-house about 400 yards) containing with an out LOT, about 26 acres of prime Land chiefly all under new post and rail fence; about 18 acres of which is divided into Lots of 5, 4 and 2 acres; sewn with Clover, Bluegrass and Timothy seed; the remaining 8 acres sown in Wheat; there is also a compleat GARDEN; and two thriving young ORCHARDS of Apple, Peach and Cherry trees; on a part of which Farm is erected a convenient two story BRICK HOUSE, kitchen with a Pump of good water at the door; also a large and convenient framed Barn with stabling for 20 horses."

FOR SALE

"A well improved FARM containing 110 acres of prime Land being that part of the Buck-eye tract lately in possession of Mr. David Leitch.

"Also ¾ of an in LOT fronting Main Cross and Water streets; on which is erected a frame Building 32 x 40 ft. now occupied by Messrs. Irwin and Bryson. (Dunn note--this was on the south side of Main St. 33 feet front, and 33 feet from the south-west corner of Main and Broadway.)

"Also an In LOT fronting on Main, Short and Spring Streets. For terms apply to the subscribers PETER JANUARY & SON."

The first mentioned "farm" of about 26 acres comprised Outlots Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5--the latter being "Mount Hope" the residential lot with the brick house. It stood just back of the present Benjamin Gratz House and was bought and occupied by Andrew McCalla.

At the time the above ad was published, there was no street (except on the map) where Broadway is today, as Main Cross Street, as it was called then, ended at Second or Third Street even in name and was called Russell's Road from there on. So, Peter January did not bother to mention that a "street" intervened between Outlot No. 5 (Mount Hope) and the other four outlots which extended west to the city limits, between Second and Third Streets. It was quite a farm at that!

Transcribed pb November 2005