Samuel May House, Federal architecture residence in Prestonsburg, Kentucky.
The Samuel May House is a Federal-style residence in Prestonsburg featuring notably thick brick walls that are four layers deep throughout the structure. It contains six rooms across two stories and displays carefully crafted decorative Flemish bond patterns in its brickwork.
The house was built in 1817 by Samuel May, an influential politician who served as a Kentucky state representative and senator. The construction of its bricks and mortar required significant labor and materials sourced from the local area.
The house served as a social gathering point for the community over many decades and was known as a meeting place for neighbors. The rooms reflect how people of the early 1800s spent time together and organized their daily lives.
The site is open to visitors as a Living History Museum and provides insight into early 19th-century life. The location is accessible by car and visitors should check ahead for guided tours or special programs.
What stands out is the exceptional thickness of the walls, which are four bricks deep, creating unusually deep windowsills and door frames. This building choice was unconventional for its time and made the structure particularly durable.
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