Helm Place, located in Kentucky, is a site rich with American history, dating back to its construction in the 1830s by John LaRue Helm. Built on land once home to Helm Station, a wooden stockade fort established by Thomas Helm in the 1780s, Helm Place has witnessed the transformation of its surroundings from a defensive settlement to a historical landmark. This mansion, with its white-columned, brick facade, stands as a reminder of the early American frontier and the development of Elizabethtown.
John LaRue Helm, a significant figure in Kentucky’s history, acquired the property from his uncle, Benjamin. He sold his father’s home and some 500 acres to create a girls’ boarding school, Bethlehem Academy. Helm Place was then constructed on the site of Helm Station, one of three forts that protected settlers from Indian raids. The community that grew around these forts eventually became Elizabethtown in the 1790s.
Fast forward to the Civil War era, Emilie Todd Helm, Mary Todd Lincoln’s half-sister, came to own the estate. Emilie was married to Confederate General Ben Hardin Helm, making the property a point of interest due to its connections to both the Confederacy and Abraham Lincoln’s family. Emilie renamed the estate Helm Place in 1912, in honor of her late husband’s ancestral home.
Over the years, Helm Place has seen various owners and purposes. In the 20th century, it was owned by the Kentucky Mansion Preservation Foundation, which aimed to preserve its historical significance. The mansion retains its antebellum Greek Revival style, complete with original hardwood floors, woodwork, and decorative columns.
The mansion not only offers a glimpse into the architectural style of the period but also tells stories of the people who walked its halls. With connections to notable historical figures, Helm Place is more than just a mansion; it’s a portal to the past, offering stories of frontier life, education, war, and lineage.
