About
The Beginning.....
First, welcome to our place. We are excited to have you here and share in what we believe is one of the best places in the County. This farm, and its history, goes back five generations in the Robards family … going on the 6th generation! Throughout the years, the farm changed in order to support the families that were raised here. The 5th generation kids decided we wanted to share this great place with others and also wanted to preserve the legacy of our family home. We are all proud that we spent our child hood days running through these fields, woods and playing (working) in this barn.
My brothers and I spent many good times in this barn and on this farm as we grew up and hope that as guests, you step back in time, relax, and enjoy the surroundings…it’s much more than a barn… it really is and was a way of life! Every time we get together as we have started the re-model work, we all have our different stories to share of the fun times… and work we remember!
Now for a little history….
John Douglas Robards purchased the original farm in 1892 from the Wilson Family and at the time it consisted of 161.3 acres. The original middle section of the barn where the stalls are today was already built. The farm started as any farm did back in those days as a way to support our family raising corn, tobacco, cows, pigs, horses, and chickens - basically everything it took to be self-sufficient. Eventually, it turned into a dairy farm. In 1926, the milking shed on the lower left was added as the family started up the dairy operation. Many early mornings and late afternoons were spent milking the herd in the lower side of the barn. This operation supported supplying milk to the Louisville and Taylorsville area. Once the milking was done, the old- style milk cans that you see on many porches today where filled and moved to the “Springhouse” to keep cool until picked up. If you have a chance, visit the Springhouse (EST. mid to late 1800’s) just down the hill from the barn. The milk containers were placed in the Springhouse under the running water to keep cool. Today, the Springhouse is basically unchanged still with water flowing underground through the springhouse into the creek.
Douglas Kirk Robards took over the operation in 1927 when his father passed away. At that time, farming was still done with horses and plows. The first tractor wasn’t purchased until 1948. Douglas Robards gave each of his children a piece of the farm for the children to build their homes and raise their families. Most of his children built their homes which are still there on west Hebron lane but not owned by the family. My brother, Scott Robards, lives in the house my grandparents (Irvin & Mildred) raised their children in and my brother Jeff Robards lives in the house next to the barn which was our great grand dads. I live across the field from the Barn in the subdivision that was built after my great granddad passed away and we sold part of the farm. So you can see …we are all still “at home” and part of this great tradition!
In 1972, my grandfather, Irvin Douglas Robards, and grandmother, Mildred Morrison Maraman, took over the farm and over the years had to sell sections of the farm in order to keep the majority of the farm in the family. Some of the sections that were sold that were part of the original farm are the locations of the North Bullitt Christian Church, Frederick’s Bullitt Bowl and the Douglas Estates subdivision. Now with the new Preston Highway, many of those landmarks are gone.
In 1998, my Dad, James Morrison Robards took over the farm with the intent to continue to carry on the legacy and keep the treasured farm in the family for generations to come. The farm has now been in our family for five generations and while the farm and acreage may have changed over the last 125 years, what hasn’t changed is our commitment to continue the legacy.
Our vision of maintaining what we have, creating a new legacy and sharing with others in the community is the reason we can now welcome others to the “Robards Barn & Venue”.
Enjoy!
Shelly King and Family