LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A house built in the 1700s isn't for everyone, but the Adam Rankin house on South Mill Street would be perfect for someone who appreciates history.
And history certainly lives on inside Lexington's oldest house. The kitchen is new, and so is the bathroom upstairs. But the hanging cast iron kettle in the fireplace and the wooden floors remind of what used to be.
"I think that if walls could talk, oh my, it would be very interesting here," said Mary Venezie. She restored the home on behalf of her former employer, philanthropist Alex Campbell. He died in August but was dedicated to preserving history in the Bluegrass, Venezie told us.
She's been working to keep the historic home's charm while adding a few modern amenities. There are no closets in the house; some doors are shorter, and the uneven floorboards creak when you walk.
"If you wear high heels, then you need to be aware that this house is very old and that there aren't cracks but a little bit of space between boards," she told LEX 18.
The Colonial house was originally built in 1784 for minister Adam Rankin and his family. Other notable residents included mustard maker Nathan Burrowes and astronomer Samuel McCullough. In 1971, Campbell ensured the building was preserved when the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation moved the house from its first location on West High Street to South Mill Street.
It's now been more than two centuries since the house was constructed.
"It's amazing," said listing agent Rick Queen with Turf Town Properties. "I'm not sure how many homes will be around 239 years from now in Lexington. But it's the way homes were built and the way homes were preserved."
Queen says he's already seen some interest in the home, priced at just under $600,000. He and Venezie say the right buyer will appreciate its quirks and remarkable history.
Here is a link to the listing: 317-321 S Mill St, Lexington, KY 40508 | MLS #23020706 | Zillow.
