Adsmore, A House Bequeathed Whole

In Princeton, Kentucky, a Greek Revival house built in the late eighteen fifties has been handed down through generations without losing a single heirloom. Originally the home of dry goods merchant John Higgins, Adsmore passed through several prominent families until Katherine Garrett inherited it and lived there alone for decades. When she died in September of nineteen eighty-four, her will left Adsmore to the local public library, with strict instructions: every piece of furniture, every dish, every painting stays in place, and the house is to become a public museum.

Today it is the only museum in Kentucky that preserves a home's complete furnishings exactly as a family left them. Walking through Adsmore is less like visiting a museum and more like stepping into a life that simply paused.