PINEVIEW - McElroy home
currently Maple Hill 1848
-1851 house built
The Greek revival style of
architecture was introduced
in Kentucky in 1830 and from
then until the Civil War
devastated the economic
stature of the people, it
was the most popular plan
for building the mansion.
The style emphasized and
awareness of space; it led
to the opening up of
interiors, double parlors
were separated by double
sliding doors, interior wall
paneling went out of
fashion, panels in doors
became fewer and larger,
chair railing was eliminated
and baseboards became heavy,
often attaining a height of
eighteen inches .
Thomas I. McElroy had
knowledge of this style of
architecture for the
beautiful house he built in
the early 1850's is a fine
example of the design. He
chose the proper site of a
house of this
type--"mansions of the Greek
Revival period were set on
hills in order that they
might BE viewed", the slaves
made and fired the brick,
the huge yellow poplar and
walnut trees were felled,
stacked in racks to season
for about two years and then
was sawed and made into
doors, mantels, windows,
etc., and the great house
took shape, Thomas I.
McElroy and his wife Sarah
Maxwell McElroy established
the tradition of lavish
entertaining here and
maintained it until their
deaths. They were survived
by three children: Mary L.
who married George F.
Anderson and went to Boyle
Co., to hake her home;
Eunice married Harry
Morrison O'Nan and they
built a frame Victorian
house near the site of the
old homestead house built by
William McElroy who is
buried under a slab type
monument on the place. This
land is still owned by the
O'Nans. William H. McElroy
inherited the "big brick"
and in 1880 married Miss
Ella Lee.
Note: Eunice McElroy's
marriage to H. M. O'Nan took
place before the mantel in
the parlor. The house and
farm sold out of the family
first to Wm. L. Smith,
followed by R. H Edelen, A.
H. Robertson, Frank Simms,
Michael Simms and others
until in 1971 Mr. and Mrs.
Smith bought the place and
undertook a major renovation
of the interior. Article
Springfield Sun October 1977
Kentucky Heritage Council
State Historic Preservation
Office
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
May 5 1983
