Oakwood Estate

Alpheus Lewis House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Nearest city:	Winchester, Kentucky
Coordinates:	38°4′32″N 84°6′54″W / 38.07556°N 84.115°W / 38.07556; -84.115Coordinates: 38°4′32″N 84°6′54″W / 38.07556°N 84.115°W / 38.07556; -84.115
Built:	1820
Architect:	Unknown
Architectural style:	No Style Listed
Governing body:	Private
MPS:	Clark County MRA
NRHP Reference#:	79003590 [1]
Added to NRHP:	August 1, 1979

The Oakwood Estate is a house in Winchester, Kentucky, inside the United States. The house, "Oakwood", is on the Lewis estate, and is full of rich history that dates all the way to the pre-civil war era. This house was sitting on the banks of Stoner Creek, where the creek wound through the estate at the time. It sits about a mile off Wades Mill Rd in Winchester, KY.

At the time this house was built, it was home to Alpheus Lewis Sr. and his wife and nine children. He was born in 1799, with his father being a veteran in the Revolutionary War and a member of the House of Burgesses. His father acquired 3,000 acres (12 km²) of land and divided it to his sons. Alpheus built his house, which he later named Oakwood. He had created a very successful wine business out of the distillery near the banks of Stoner Creek known as “A Lewis and Sons”. What made this house known around Kentucky is the story of his son, Alpheus Lewis Jr. (“Ack” Lewis) and his time in the Civil War.

Captain Ack Lewis had important papers to deliver to the Confederate General Bragg. He was passing close by his parent’s estate, where his mother currently was staying. Ack stopped by, and his mother immediately took precautions and sent the most trusted servant, “Wash”, to be stationed outside to look out for any Union troops. About at two in the morning, Wash gives the signal that Union troops found their way up to the house, looking for Ack. His mother quickly threw his dirty Confederate clothes in the fire and hid him in the secret wine cellar through a trapdoor just as the troops knocked, demanding to search the house. Mrs. Lewis answered and graciously welcomed them into the home. She served them the best wines from the cellars. It is said she treated them so well while they were at the house, they only made a partial search of the house and left. Then, Ack got up from the cellar and made his escape.

Today, “Oakwood” is rich in history that makes up a little bit of historic Clark County. The condition of Oakwood today is diminishing. There are instabilities in the structure that are starting to show after hundreds of years. But looking past all of the damage done on the abandon over the years, in their back yard is still a rail fence, made completely of stone, a rarity in itself. Behind it are the graves of Alpheus Lewis Sr., and his wife, Theodosia.

References

1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2007-01-23. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html. 

• Winchester Sun article
• Diary excerpt from Theodosia Lewis