Existing comment:
Historic Walks:
"I am here surrounded with every comfort in the possession of great abundance, and enjoying on my delightful grounds as much happiness as falls to the lot of most men." -- Henry Clay, 1835
For Henry Clay, Ashland served as a refuge from the rigors of politics and business of running the country. It provided an escape, allowing him to gain a fresh perspective on the problems he faced in Washington. In an 1829 letter, Clay mentions returning to his farm in Kentucky "for tranquil consideration" of important issues.
Clay frequently took visitors on tours of the estate pointing out different species of trees, some of which he had planted himself. He was presumably referring to Ashland when he sought seeds of the spruce pine to propagate on "a little farm I am improving" in 1806.
Nineteenth century visitors to Ashland described "the shady walks of Ashland" and "a serpentine carriageway that leads through the grove to the house and the numerous pathways tastefully arranged" as features that beautified the grounds. The family believed Henry Clay favored one of the walks near the house as a place to stroll and over time it became know as the "Henry Clay Walk."
After Henry Clay, his descendants continued to enjoy the walks and paths around the estate maintaining them for their own pleasure and for their many guests. |