Four+ bedroom historic house near campuses in Wilmore. Fragrance/mold-free

I grew up just south of Fort Worth, Texas, but my grandparents lived in Wilmore, so I’ve been coming here all my life. My granddad graduated from Asbury in 1925 and most of his brothers and sisters (13 total!!) went to college here.

I also graduated from Asbury in 1996 and then came back after serving Iraq to attend grad school at UK’s Patterson School of Diplomacy, since I was transitioning to become a defense attache. I bought the house as I was teaching ROTC at Asbury during that time and didn’t want to drive a “long way” to do PT in the early morning!!

I retired to Colorado, met my husband, had the wedding at Estes Chapel in Wilmore, and am happily following him around the world. We love hiking, flying, skiing, water activities (SUP and white water rafting are favorites) and finding good steak houses.

I became intrigued with the history of the house and started digging into it. My uncle used to mow the lawn for Miss Hayes, a French teacher at Asbury during the 50s and the folks who bought my grandma’s house around the corner grew up in this house! I then found out that the ancestors of the general I worked for in DC built it!! The cemetery where they are buried is down the road about a mile on the old Bicknell farm. What a small world.

I’ve been able to trace the history of the property all the way back to 1875 and am applying for it to be on the National Historic Register. I’m in the process of the restoring the house, so you may see some unfinished bits during your stay.

We hope that you enjoy staying in the house as much as we do and enjoy the period reconstructions in the kitchen, the unique construction of a Foursquare house (follow on to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie House design), as well as paintings and pieces from some of the local artists.

I’ve always loved Wilmore. It is one of those town where my parents would let us roam and didn’t worry about it. It’s quiet, friendly, walkable, has a few coffee shops/eateries, and is set in the middle of the horse farms so it’s just breathtakingly gorgeous. I love seeing the rolling hills, low stone fences, horses in the morning fog, the crickets and bugs singing at night, and the warm yet cool air in the evening. It was magical in my childhood, coming from Texas, and it remains so to this day.

As we got older and discovered adventure, it became a base to go in all directions. Read River Gorge, Kentucky Palisades, Mammoth Cave…and there’s more adventure here in the state, not to mention the Ark Experience. During horse racing season, there’s the Red Mile and Keeneland, and then the Bourbon trails.

If you’re a history buff, you can’t get much older out here in the early Western frontier. Jessamine County figured heavily in the Revolutionary War and French & Indian wars!! High Bridge, Shaker Village, Fort Harrod, Transylvania University, Berea, Bardstown, Harlan, Kingdom Come State Park, Daniel Boone National Forest, and Troublesome Creek are all in a day’s drive. The first winery in the United States, started in 1799, is just up the road at the top of Sugar Creek Mountain (1268)!

Cincinnati and Louisville are close and Nashville is only three hours away. Coming from Texas and Colorado, I can’t believe how close everything is!

Fragrance-free and mold-free! No toxic products are used to clean and we don’t allow scented candles in the house. We provide laundry soap that is scent free as well.

All generations can relax and sleep at this house and is a short walk from Asbury University and Asbury Seminary. No need to hunt for parking on campus! The house is ADA friendly, but not wheelchair accessible due to the historic features. We recommend that elderly folks stay downstairs and utilize the Murphy bed. It’s just steps from the ADA bathroom. This is one of the only short term rentals in Wilmore this close to campus. I hear that the gas station a few doors down has great breakfast sandwiches!

If you’d like to host a gathering while you stay, just ask. All guests will be subject to the same house rules as the ones who booked the property. Parking is allowed only on our side of the street, but you can also park multiple cars in the long driveway.