This land is sacred ground.

The Louisville area was originally home to many Tribal Nations, including Shawnee, Cherokee, and Chickasaw, who stewarded the land for millennia. These Indigenous peoples were forcibly removed from their ancestral home by the colonists who later settled here.

This property was colonized by Revolutionary War veteran and land surveyor Major William Croghan. The buildings were constructed between 1792 and 1795 by the forced labor of enslaved carpenters and artisans, and they still stand today as a testament to their skill.

Records indicate the Croghan family enslaved over 100 people between 1789 and 1856. These men, women, and children were the heart of Locust Grove. They cultivated land, cared for animals, and contributed to the farm’s productivity through labor that was both extremely skilled and brutally exploited.

People enslaved by families like the Croghans were trafficked throughout the region and nation. The Croghan family bought, sold, and leased enslaved people in Louisville and Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, as well as Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Louisiana. Although many names of the people enslaved by the Croghan family are known, records remain incomplete and more names have yet to be discovered.

In 1849, the individuals enslaved by the Croghan family were emancipated by the will of Dr. John Croghan. However, their emancipation was a 7-year process. By 1856, the remaining 29 men, women, and children enslaved by the family were emancipated. Some relocated to downtown Louisville, others moved closer to family at Mammoth Cave, and many traveled to destinations unknown.

In the words of Robin Wall Kimmerer, “Our relationship with land cannot heal until we hear its stories. But who will be brave enough to tell them?”