The house, built between 1787 and 1794, was the home of Kentucky pioneer William Whitley and his wife, sharpshooter Esther Whitley. It was built as a fortress against attacks by Native Americans.

Life back in the fall of 1788 was tough. If you wanted something, you had to kill it, make it or grow it, and in Kentucky frontiersmen and women wanted entertainment. Cue: the William Whitley house.