Known as "the great compromiser," Henry Clay (1777-1852) was Kentucky's pre-eminent 19C statesman. The US Senator, Speaker of the House of Representatives and three-time candidate for president made his home on a 600-acre estate he named Ashland. When the original 1806 structure was torn down in 1852, Clay's son rebuilt a brick Italianate villa on its foundation, using the same Federal floor plan. Later remodelling by a granddaughter reflects Victorian tastes. An octagonal entryway and dining room, beautiful inlaid wood floors, Sheffield silver doorknobs and marble mantels highlight the interior. Most of the furnishings, including Clay's tester bed, are family pieces. Outbuildings dot the property, along with a formal garden.