Throughout much of the Eastern half of Kentucky
and Virginia, there still remains, a vast richness of
our ancestrial heritage. That is, the Homestead. Whether
it was land acquired by a grant from the government, or
land passed down from generation to generation, the
homestead, a hewn log home, was the place of security.

It was fortified against attack, well stocked for
long winter months. It was here that the womenfolk
worked from dawn to late hours of the night, cooking,
cleaning, and raising the children while the menfolk
labored in the fields to raise the crop and tended the
cattle. Much of the food that was supplied came from
the abundance of wildlife in the nearby forests.

Here, children were taught Christian values. Life"s
lessons were learned, although many were taught out
behind the woodshed.

It is my desire to present
here a pictorial view of many of the homesteads of our
ancestors. Many of which have withstood the test of time
and still stand today as symbols of a great American
tradition, that of the Homestead.