Botherum was built for Madison C. Johnson in 1850[2] or 1851[3] (sources vary) by John McMurtry, a well-known architect and builder based in Lexington. The house was intended, in part, as a shrine to Johnson's late wife Sally Ann, a sister of Cassius Marcellus Clay who died giving birth in 1828.[3]
Botherum | |
 | |
   | |
| Location | 341 Madison Pl., Lexington, Kentucky |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38°2′59″N 84°30′26″W / 38.04972°N 84.50722°W |
| Area | 10 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Built | 1850 |
| Architect | John McMurtry |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Part of | Woodward Heights Neighborhood Historic District (ID80001525[1]) |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000795[1] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | March 7, 1973 |
| Designated CP | December 1, 1980 |
Although McMurtry was known for his Gothic Revival architecture, and is credited with establishing the popularity of that style in central Kentucky,[4] Botherum shows an unusual combination of Greek, Roman, and Gothic architectural elements.[3]
A large ginkgo tree that stands on the property is said to have been a gift to Johnson from Henry Clay. The original 36-acre estate faced High Street, but the house now sits on a 3/4 acre lot and is approached from Madison Place, to the side.[3]
In 1886, Johnson's heirs sold the estate to J. C. Woodward, who subdivided much of it into Woodward Heights, selling the lots individually.[5]
John Cavendish owned the house from 1983 until 2012, and in the mid-1980s he added a high stone wall that hides the single-story house from the street and a two-story guest house.[3]
The home was featured in Southern Living magazine in 2017 and is described by Jon Carloftis.
Notes
edit- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ National Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form (PDF), March 1980, retrieved 2011-09-03
- ^ a b c d e Fortune, Bevery (2012-06-01), "Historic Botherum house gets new owner", Lexington Herald-Leader, retrieved 2012-06-04
- ^ Schorr, Diane F. (1972-02-28), National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Loudon House / Loudoun, National Park Service
- ^ Cycling Through the Centuries: A Bicycle Tour of Historic Lexington, Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau, retrieved 2012-06-04,
The unusual architectural character of this house, built in 1851, is probably reflective of its eccentric owner, Colonel Madison C. Johnson, who graduated with honors from Transylvania University at the age of fifteen. John McMurtry, the architect for the house, combined two historic styles of architecture in its design, which together made the house one of the outstanding examples of romantic architecture in America. In 1886, Johnson's heirs sold Botherum and the estate to J.C.Woodward. Woodward platted Woodward Heights and then sold building lots to individual owners. The area is located above the Town Branch of the Elkhorn Creek and is defined by Maxwell and High Streets, west of the Civic Center to where they join, and cross streets of Madison Place and Merino Street. Houses in this area date from the late 1880s on into the 20th century. After many properties were allowed to fall into disrepair, the residents of the area worked to have it designated as a historic district. Many have expended significant effort to restore this wonderful start of the 20th century neighborhood.