Ashland offers a wealth of resources for educators, students, and researchers. From lesson plans and hands-on activities to powerful stories that shaped our nation, these materials help bring over two centuries of history to life. Whether you’re exploring Henry Clay’s political legacy, Madeline McDowell Breckinridge’s fight for suffrage, or the resilience of Charlotte Dupuy, there’s more to discover here.
Capturing Henry Clay: Through A Year of the Days of His Life
Researched & created by Charlie Muntz, long-time docent at Ashland
Henry Clay’s Travel Timeline
Researched & created by Charlie Muntz, long-time docent at Ashland
In Defense of the American System
Speech given by Clay, February 1832
The Last Will And Testament Of Henry Clay
Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on Clay
The Day Henry Clay Refused to Compromise
Smithsonian Magazine, 2022
Clay Family Members in Service During the War
Madeline McDowell Breckinridge Papers
The Josephine Clay Collection
Henry Clay’s House (1804-1852)
The Mansion as Memorial (1853-1865)
Remodeling to Invoke the Spirit of Henry Clay (1883-1949)
Overview of the Mansion
Searching for your roots? We can help.
Ashland maintains an extensive genealogical database and historical records, and we’re committed to helping you explore your family’s connection to the past. If we don’t have the answer, we likely know where to find it.
We’re proud to partner with the African-American Genealogy Group of Kentucky to uncover and preserve generations of Kentucky’s African American history.
Contact us with any genealogical inquiries. Please provide as much information as possible.
Henry Clay deeply loved Ashland, the farm and home he built. It provided a place of refuge and sanctuary from a difficult and often disappointing world, and it was one of the few places where Clay regularly found happiness. For his descendants, Ashland was a place of great reverence and inspiration. For students and regents of Kentucky University and the Agricultural and Mechanical College, it was a place of learning and growth. Today, visitors see Ashland as a place of great history, pride, and awe.