Chenoweth Fort-Springhouse, building in Jefferson County, Kentucky, United States
The Chenoweth Fort-Springhouse is a stone building from the late 1700s located in Jefferson County. The structure has two stories built directly over a natural spring and features a simple, sturdy design with ground floor access and a ladder leading to an upper defensive level.
The building was constructed around 1786 by Richard Chenoweth, one of the area's first settlers, and is believed to be the oldest surviving structure in Louisville. In 1789, the springhouse provided crucial shelter when the family took refuge there during an attack by Native American fighters.
The name comes from Richard Chenoweth, one of the first white settlers in the area who shaped this place. The building shows how early families constructed homes from stone and depended on natural springs to survive in new territory.
The springhouse sits on private land in a wooded area near Middletown and is accessible to those interested in history. Wearing comfortable shoes and bringing water are advisable since the surroundings are natural and quiet.
The springhouse is believed to be the oldest surviving building in Louisville and has endured for centuries in the Kentucky woods despite being forgotten for many years. Not until the 1970s did volunteers begin restoring the house to preserve its story for future generations.
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