As I’ve said before, historic Bardstown is great because they have done so much to tell the history of the community and of individuals structures. Nearly every old building has a marker. Which brings me to my favorite: The Yocum Hite House. Its marker reads:
Yocum Hite House. Circa 1792. Early log residence sold for “152 lbs. of merchantable beef cattle” in 1797.
There is something about the bartering of real estate for beef that really made me laugh. The construction of the house was typical of the era, particularly for a “substantial” house such as this. The main portion of the home is a two-story, three-bay, V-notched log building. It utilizes a single, central chimney – a common feature in 18th century Pennsylvania Deutsch homes. It is one of a handful of pre-1800 buildings in Bardstown, the most famous being the old Talbott Tavern.