Fred Carr House, State Route 8, Vanceburg, Lewis County, KY

Significance: The Fred Carr House is a fine mid-nineteenth century farmhouse situated in a prominent position along the Ohio River. Its siting and architectural character establish is as one of the finest houses of its type in the immediate area. Exhibiting Greek Revival and Italianate styles in its detailing, the house follows a traditional form with a single-pile main block with center passage and a semi-detached rear service ell. Its form is nearly identical to the neighboring Thomas J. Bruce (Hazel Cook) and John Bierly Houses (circa 1860 and 1892-93). The architectural details indicate an awareness of style that extends beyond the immediate vicinity to urban areas where such styles flourished in multiple variations. Although possibly built by a prior landowner, Joseph Bobo, the house is associated primarily with Fredrick M. Carr who, with his family, owned and occupied it from the 1860s through the end of the nineteenth century. Carr, for whom Carrs Landing was named, was a prominent farmer and storekeeper with financial interests in other Kentucky towns along the Ohio River. The house reflects the importance of the Carr family in this community and the tastes and preferences of a local elite. It suggests their more cosmopolitan outlook and regional orientation toward the wider Ohio River valley.
Survey number: HABS KY-165