This house was built during the civil war. It was a wedding present to John Y. Brown and his wife Rebecca from her father, the then Lt. Governor Archibald Dixon. Archibald Dixon was a grandson of one of the original Transylvania Land Company owners. The house was started at the end of 1860 or the beginning of 1861 and was completed around 1863.
National Register of Historic Places discription:
“John V, Brown House; massive L-shaped brick Italianate with long rear 2-story
ell; characterized by almost flat hipped roof, deep eaves and bracketed frieze
with ventilator grilles at each bay; several interior chimneys and 4/4 rectangular windows in segmental arches? lower windows on main façade reach to floor; 1 story porch following contour of entire main façade has supports of folded box posts on short brick plinths which appear to be early 20th-century replacements; tribulated entrance surround; brick recently painted lavender; interior features ceiling medallions, white marble mantelpieces, walnut staircase and some original wallpaper; according to OHH house commissioned by Archibald Dixon for his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. John Y Brown, and completed 1863, while 1880 newspaper article states house built 1870 by Brown; perhaps Dixon made gift of land and Browns had it built; Dixon was noted statesmen who served as state
representative, senator and lieutenant governor and as U.S. Senator; Brown served as U.S. Representative in 1870’s and as governor of KY 1891-1895″
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