President Zachary Taylor House

Visit the home of Zachary Taylor. This is where he lived prior to becoming the 12th President of the United States of America.

Colonel Richard Taylor bought a 400-acre farm in 1785. At the time, Zachary Taylor was just 8 months old. They lived on the property in a log cabin. Colonel Taylor participated in the constitutional convention that made Kentucky a state in 1792, after which he built a two-story brick house on the land. He sold that house, and on the highest point of the property, he built the second home and called it "Springfield." In 1800, Richard Taylor purchased another 300 acres. Zachary Taylor lived in the house with his family for 13 years and began serving in the military in 1808. He was married there in 1810 to Margaret Smith, and 5 of his 6 children were born in the house.

When Colonel Richard Taylor died, the house was sold in 1829. When his son Zachary Taylor died, he was buried in the family cemetery on the property. Although the original 700 acres remained together until the 1950s, it was then subdivided, and the home is on 3/4 of an acre today. Over the years, the home has suffered tornado damage. Although the Taylor home is currently a private residence and not open to the public, it is acknowledged as significant because of Zachary Taylor's life of service to this country in the War of 1812. He was a hero in the Mexican-American War and serving for almost 40 years in the U.S. Army. He was elected as the President of the United States in 1849 in which he led the nation during the debates on slavery and Southern secession.

On July 4, 1850, at a celebration at the Washington Monument, Taylor was snacking on cherries that were later determined to have bacteria. He died on July 9th, just a few days later, with a small intestine bacterial infection. The home has a medium-sized metal yard sign signifying the importance that the home played in Taylor's and his family's life. Visitors are welcome to take a picture next to the house, but it is privately owned, so tours are not offered at this time.