Lexington, KY: The Henry Clay Estate at Ashland

Quick history refresher: Henry Clay was a famous American statesman, known for his oratory skills. His home was in Lexington, and it's a fun, free, outdoor space that ended up being a great way to walk off some lunch calories. 

He was also famously a mentor of Abraham Lincoln and friend of Mary Todd's family.

The first thing I saw from the parking lot were these adorable huts. Turns out they are ice and dairy huts. I assume huge pieces of ice are carved out of nearby ponds during winter to provide cold storage during warm months. The roof is probably shaped to allow heat to escape while most of the ice is stored below ground level.

Clay was no slouch when it came to procuring real estate. 

Some cool features of the old house included the Gas Works System. The gas tank lived in this bunker and provided gas to the house to light lamps, stoves, etc.

The sign explains that the smokehouse was one of the most important structures on the estate. Couldn't agree more!

A home is not a home without a formal garden. This one is maintained by a local gardeners' group.

They're likely keeping things minimal this year due to Covid, but there were a few cute blooms.

The neighborhood around Ashland is called Chevy Chase, and there were some spectacular homes throughout the area. I wasn't able to capture the most magnificent ones, but here's a sampling of the more "modest" homes.