John S. McGrew to Unknown

KYR-0001-004-3439.xml

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Accession Number

KYR-0001-004-3439

Document Genre

Correspondence

Repository

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

Collection

Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's official correspondence file, petitions for pardons, remissions, and respites 1863-1867

Item Location

BR42-344 to BR42-346

Date of Creation

n.d.

John S. McGrew to Unknown, n.d., Office of the Governor, Thomas E. Bramlette: Governor's official correspondence file, petitions for pardons, remissions, and respites 1863-1867, BR42-344 to BR42-346, Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, KY. Accessed via the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition, discovery.civilwargovernors.org/document/KYR-0001-004-3439, (accessed February 25, 2025).

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I beg leave to report that I have made a thorough examination of the Western Military Asylum at Harrodsburg Ky and found the grounds & buildings greatly delapidated, Yet they are intrinsically very valuable to the Government & it can be made one of the most beautiful and delightful Soldiers Homes in the United States. The tract of land contains about 200 acres about 50 acres of which were formerly as handsomely improved as any place in the whole country. But its main buildings were all destroyed some years ago by fire, and the barracks are now delapidated, indeed, there are but few buildings that are in a tenantable condition, yet there are a number that could be repaired for the Soldiers. If the necessary buildings for the officers and managers could be erected. There is much rubbish and material which could be gradually worked up by the soldiers themselves into comfortable quarters. The once beautiful groves with their extensive walks winding in every direction through them the various Saloons and mineral Springs which are the chief attraction of the place are still there, and with the labor that could be furnished within the Asylum itself (if reoccupied) could be made as handsome as ever. The fencing around the property is all delapidated, but there are splendid stone quarries very near and much valuable timber on the grounds with which they could be repaired at a reasonable rate. But the very high price of labor and heavy cost of all building materials at the present time would make it expensive to rebuild the houses necessary for immediate occupancy, and it would be much cheaper for the Government
to buy a piece of property that is now for sale upon very reasonable terms immediately adjacent and which was ordered once a part of the same place, and I would strongly reccommend its purchase at once. This property extensively known as the Daughters College and belonging to Messrs Bowman & Williams can now be bought for a very low price as the owners have been called to Lexington Ky to take charge of the Kentucky University at that place, and have abandoned their own school, and are anxious to sell. There property is very new, valuable and extensive and in perfect order, ready for immediate occupancy for several hundred soldiers together with all the officers. It contains forty acres of ground, with two very large commodious buildings upon them as shown by the accompaning plat containing more than fifty rooms with fine conveniences of every kind with large basements for cooking and washing purposes with steam engine with wood Saw attached which is also applied to washing purposes with fine cisterns, wells and ponds of water one of the houses is heated by furnaces, there are ample out buildings of every kind including also fine green houses full of flowers grasseries & vineyards. and especially a very large amount of valuable fruit trees of every new and improved vaieties. There are two large vegetable gardens of about five acres each in a high state of cultivation handsomely laid out one of which alone was sold, last Year about $1000 of marketing after supplying the large family of the occupant. The vineyards are
now yielding their crops and a good many barrels of wine are made from them annually, All this valuable property can now be bought for less than what it cost with the land thrown in and at much less than the Government could erect the buildings as present prices on their own grounds. This property combined with that of the Asylum, and which is naturally and really the front part of the latter would be ample for the most complete and delighful home for the disabled or homeless soldier. The tillable land would raise all the Corn Oats Hay &c necessary for the Establishment. The grass lands would sustain all the stock necessary to carry it on indeed all the necessary Beef & Pork could be raised upon it and the "House" could be made in a few years self sustaining from the labor of the Soldiers which could be performed by them merely as a healthy recreation, with this adjoining property secured. The Asylum could at once be opened and then at leasure with the building material and labor on hand the ruins of the main property would be gradually repaired, at a small cost to the government and ample accommodations could be secured for any number of the homeless vetrans and horses of the war,

The advantages and conveniences of this location at Harrodsburg are very great. In the first place Harrodsburg is celebrated all over the west for its healthfulness its beautiful and picturesque scenery its valuable Mineral Springs. and rich and highly cultivated surrounding Country.

It is geographically the very centre of the State thirty miles from Lexington. Frankfort & Lebanon each and in the centre of all and connected with by five turnpikes, it is in Seven Miles of the Kentucky river and has steamboat navigation to three landings near it, for a large portion of the year which provides cheap transportation by boats directly from Louisville & Cincinnati It is regularly supplied with coal, lumber & salt which is brought down in barges & Boats from the Mountain regions of the State. It is only twenty Miles from Nicholasville the present terminus of the Cincinnati & Kentucky Central Railraod but the road is nearly completed to within eight miles of Harrodsburg (only the view^to^ put down) and the company is no^w^ proposing to complete it immediately onto Danville and running very near Harrodsburg. Besides this there is another Railroad now being made from Lebanon on towards the mountains of Ky and running also within ten miles of Harrodsburg and giving direct communication with Nashville and all the south. Thus it will be seen that the place will be accessable from all directions with every facility for easy & cheap transportation It is in the very center of the railroad system of the State reaching towards completition it has eight turnpikes running out in every direction. Besides it has five water mills all around it and flour & meal can be had at very reasonable rates at all times. There is also a large hill country a few miles back of it which supplies any quantity of wood and lumber and
marketing of any kind

In addition to all this the location of such an establishment in the heart of Kentucky occupied by a large number of the officers and soldiers of our late army would be such a visable embodiment of the lofty patriotism of our country and such a representation of the power & benevolence of the Government itself as would have a most healthy influenced upon the loyalty of the State which at present, seems to be in a very sickly condition All these considerations it would seem to me ought to urge the authorities to take possession at once of these valuable grounds and convert it into a permanent happy home for that noble class of men who now after having given their all except their lives for their Country and pensioners upon its bounty and benevolence, all of which is respectfuly submitted

Very Respectfully
Jno S. McGrew
Surgeon U S. V

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