Marshall Key House
Maysville City Commission has found an interested party to take over one local landmark and is still looking for someone to rescue another.
During Thursday’s meeting, commissioners previewed a draft lease agreement for the Marshall Key House in Old Washington that would put the property under the control of the Elizabeth Wallingford Estate, an organization familiar with both the village and historic preservation.
Elizabeth Wallingford died in 2004 and left her estate in a trust for preservation efforts including restoration of the Paxton Inn in Old Washington.
The historic house was purchased by the city in 2001 from Old Washington Inc. for $150,000, with funds from a Transportation Enhancement grant. As part of the deed stipulations, the house must be used for public purposes “in perpetuity.”
The house was built in 1807 by Marshall Key, a nephew of U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Marshall and the third County Clerk of Mason County. In 1833 while working as a teacher in Cincinnati, Harriet Beecher Stowe visited. During her visit, she was taken to witness a slave auction at the courthouse nearby, and was much distressed by the event. According to historic newspaper accounts from the late 1800s, that was where the author received some of the inspiration for her best selling book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Most recently the house has served as a museum.
As part of the deed restrictions, the Kentucky Heritage Council inspects the house each year and submits a report to the city on needed repairs. The most recent report calls for addressing a water runoff issue from an intermittent creek that runs beside the house that would require deepening a French drain around the house to six feet deep.
City Manager Matt Wallingford said under the draft agreement, the city would make those repairs per the Heritage Council’s request, mow and maintain the property and pay insurance premiums for three years after which those responsibilities would fall to the Elizabeth Wallingford Estate. The lease agreement calls for a payment of $1 per year, renewable annual. The organization could lease the property upon approval form the city which would also be required to approve any changes to the property.
Should the city have anyone interested in buying the property, the Elizabeth Wallingford Estate would have first right of refusal, Matt Wallingford said.
The lease agreement, drafted by city attorney Kelly Caudill, is expected to be approved by commissioners in November or December and take effect Jan. 1, Matt Wallingford said.
Commissioners also considered the fate of the historic Cox-Hord House on Third Street in downtown Maysville.
The home, built in 1880, has deteriorating for several years and was the former home of the late Rebecca Hord, who served as Maysville’s mayor at one time. It is currently owned by heirs to the Hord estate.
The house has been condemned by the city, officials said. Mayor Charles Cotterill said only one bid to have the house demolished was received. The bid of $89,000 was more than Cotterill said he was willing for taxpayers to shoulder.
No decision on how to proceed was made Thursday.
In other business, commissioners:
— Approved the appointment of Brittany Cord to the Maysville-Mason County Industrial Development Authority.
— Agreed to provide building inspection services to Flemingsburg at a per hour and per mile cost.
— Was asked to consider if the city park on Forest Avenue should be named something other than Forest Avenue Park.
— Agreed to cancel regularly scheduled meetings set for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve.
— Approved an engineering agreement with Cann_tech for the Third Street water line project.
— Authorized a payment $28,212 to Tetra-Tech Engineering for the landfill project.
