The Homeplace

     Spanning the border between western Kentucky and east Tennessee a huge recreation area, known as the Land Between the Lakes, covers 170,000 acres. Here on a peninsula, sandwiched between the lakes, visitors find a long list of things to do, especially anything connected with water. Away from the water, one of the area's fascinating sites is the 1850s era Homeplace. This 19th century working farm is complete with workers that act as interpreters and demonstrate all the daily tasks encountered on a small farm. Fourteen original buildings and two restored log structures have been gathered from the vicinity, including the main house pictured above.
     The double pen house features two equal sized rooms on the first floor, separated by an open hallway, or breezeway. The central hallway was built to face the prevailing wind, offering some comfort during the hot summer months. The rooms, or pens, are flanked by porches that shade the home and protect the outdoor living space from the weather. Part of a Revolutionary War land grant, William Pryor secured 40 acres on December 1, 1808. The Pryor family settled in a hollow where the Homeplace now stands, working their land for the next 10 years. The Homeplace Living History Farm successfully depicts the type of work that the mid 19th century Pryors and their sucessors carried on, complete with historic breeds of domestic animals and heirloom plant varieties.

   Area Map
   Homeplace Layout