Garrard-Crittenden House

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Historical Marker #1796 in Frankfort notes the location of the Garrard-Crittenden House, the former home of relatives of governors John J. Crittenden and James Garrard. The home is also sometimes called the Hoge House, named after the home's last private owners before it was purchased by the state.

Being the next door neighbor to well known Liberty Hall—the enormous brick home of Senator John Brown on Wilkinson Street—sometimes causes the Garrard-Crittenden House to be overlooked. However, the Garrard-Crittenden House is not only historically significant for its past owners, but also for its method of construction.

The earliest recorded owner of the home or its property is Jacob Swigert, a notable Frankfort lawyer and businessman. Swigert sold the property to another well known Frankfort lawyer and banker, John H. Hanna, in 1855, who then immediately sold it to Thomas L. Crittenden, the son of Kentucky statesman John J. Crittenden. Crittenden's stay in the house was brief as he sold it in 1859 to James H. Garrard, grandson of Kentucky's second governor. Garrard died in 1865, and the home passed to his wife and then daughter. Lucy Garrard Stell owned the home when it was sold to the Hoge family in 1902. The Hoges owned it until it was purchased by the state in 1973.

Although it is not known with precision when the Garrard-Crittenden House was built, it was likely constructed between 1790 and 1810. Its manner of frame construction was not unusual for Kentucky during this time period, but it is unique in that bricks were placed within the timber framing supports. This style of construction was more typical of New England homes at this time period, but quite rare for central Kentucky.

Since its purchase by the state, the Garrard-Crittenden House has been the office space of various state agencies. The Garrard-Crittenden House stands today as a vivid reminder of Frankfort's early history.