Milliken Memorial Community House
Encyclopedia
Milliken Memorial Community House, erected in 1928 in Elkton, Kentucky
, is the first privately donated community house in America
. The 13000 square feet (1,207.7 m²) mansion pioneered a new architetcural program for public use. The house was commissioned by Mary Louise Milliken (1873–1936) and her husband Samuel Canning Childs (?-1934) in 1926.
Both were wealthy philanthropist
s and were responsible for the construction of over twenty hospitals and two churches throughout the United States. Childs was a wealthy businessman who had founded the American Food Store Company, a prominent Mid-Atlantic retail grocery chain. A Woman's Club was organized in Elkton in 1924 and Mr. & Mrs. Childs began formulating plans to construct a community center for this and other social groups. Designed for the specific purpose of housing community events and funded entirely by Mr. and Mrs. Childs, the building was to be a permanent memorial to the memory of her mother.
Construction of the building began in fall of that year (1927) and was completed in April during the next year (1928) at a cost of $75,000, equal to $1,478,000(2008) today. Average home cost in 1928 was 4,000 dollars.
Local contractor V.L. Price constructed the building and the architect responsible for the buildings design is Geo. S. Koyl and Marr & Holman Architects
. The mansion is designed in the Neo-Classical style of Flemish bond brick with a large two-story portico
on the main facade. The main section is two stories with a porte-cochere on the west facade and with a one story apollarium
ballroom wing at the rear.
The house was officially opened on April 11- April 12 in a two day celebration. Mary Louise and Canning booked the Francis Craig Orchestra from RCA Records
to play for the opening ball. Newspapers from Lexington
and Nashville
covered the event naming it one of the greatest successes of generosity ever recorded.
and her project, the Milliken Memorial Community House. Matthew Colin Bailey
completed the first book after 3 years of research. Home Elsewhere was pre-released in Todd County, Kentucky as a first edition. The state-wide second edition was released in 2008 at Kentucky bookstores after additional editors were required to correct the first edition's grammatical errors. Evelyn Boone, a columnist for the Kentucky New Era
edited the first edition book. The second edition was edited by James Coursey. http://www.themilliken.com
Elkton, Kentucky
Elkton is a city in and the county seat of Todd County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 1,984 at the 2000 census. The city was founded by Major John Gray...
, is the first privately donated community house in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The 13000 square feet (1,207.7 m²) mansion pioneered a new architetcural program for public use. The house was commissioned by Mary Louise Milliken (1873–1936) and her husband Samuel Canning Childs (?-1934) in 1926.
Both were wealthy philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
s and were responsible for the construction of over twenty hospitals and two churches throughout the United States. Childs was a wealthy businessman who had founded the American Food Store Company, a prominent Mid-Atlantic retail grocery chain. A Woman's Club was organized in Elkton in 1924 and Mr. & Mrs. Childs began formulating plans to construct a community center for this and other social groups. Designed for the specific purpose of housing community events and funded entirely by Mr. and Mrs. Childs, the building was to be a permanent memorial to the memory of her mother.
Construction of the building began in fall of that year (1927) and was completed in April during the next year (1928) at a cost of $75,000, equal to $1,478,000(2008) today. Average home cost in 1928 was 4,000 dollars.
Local contractor V.L. Price constructed the building and the architect responsible for the buildings design is Geo. S. Koyl and Marr & Holman Architects
Marr & Holman Architects
Marr & Holman Architects Highly acclaimed architects in Nashville, Tennessee known for their traditional design. Notable buildings include the Nashville Post Office, now known as the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and the Milliken Memorial Community House in Elkton, Kentucky....
. The mansion is designed in the Neo-Classical style of Flemish bond brick with a large two-story portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
on the main facade. The main section is two stories with a porte-cochere on the west facade and with a one story apollarium
Apollarium
Apollarium is an architectural term which describes a structure or room with a concave glass ceiling shaped to follow the traverse of the sun in the specific latitude and longitude in which the building exists. -References:*...
ballroom wing at the rear.
The house was officially opened on April 11- April 12 in a two day celebration. Mary Louise and Canning booked the Francis Craig Orchestra from RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
to play for the opening ball. Newspapers from Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
and Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
covered the event naming it one of the greatest successes of generosity ever recorded.
Book
"Home Elsewhere" was released on July 25 of 2007. The non-fiction book catalogs the history of the house, and the life of Mary Louise Milliken ChildsMary Louise Milliken Childs
Mary Louise Milliken Childs Noted philanthropist in the 20th Century for building over twenty hospitals and two churches throughout the United States. Her greatest accomplishments include the West Jersey Cooper Hospital in New Jersey and the Milliken Memorial Community House in Elkton, Kentucky...
and her project, the Milliken Memorial Community House. Matthew Colin Bailey
Matthew Colin Bailey
Matthew Colin Bailey is an American designer, Historian, Kentucky author, and founder of the Green River Academy Preservation Society.-Personal life:...
completed the first book after 3 years of research. Home Elsewhere was pre-released in Todd County, Kentucky as a first edition. The state-wide second edition was released in 2008 at Kentucky bookstores after additional editors were required to correct the first edition's grammatical errors. Evelyn Boone, a columnist for the Kentucky New Era
Kentucky New Era
The Kentucky New Era is the major daily newspaper in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, in the United States.- History :The paper was founded in 1869 by John D. Morris and Asher Graham Caruth, as the Weekly Kentucky New Era....
edited the first edition book. The second edition was edited by James Coursey. http://www.themilliken.com