Locust Grove

What Locust Grove does

Historic Locust Grove is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit historic site museum operating on a 55-acre estate in Louisville, Kentucky. The property centers on a Georgian mansion originally constructed in 1792 by William Croghan and is designated a National Historic Landmark, with American Alliance of Museums (AAM) accreditation held continuously since 2000. The organization preserves and interprets collections tied to the Croghan family and George Rogers Clark, including material described as "one of the finest collections of Kentucky-made furniture," and operates as a heritage attraction, research site, and civic venue.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack: admission and guided-tour fees, private event rentals (weddings, corporate functions, photography permits), memberships, individual and corporate donations, and sponsorships. Physical infrastructure expanded materially in 2022 with a $1.2 million pavilion that broadened indoor venue capacity. Operations run on a small core staff of 11–15 supplemented by volunteers. Leadership transitioned in early 2025 with the appointment of Jessica Dawkins as CEO.

The audience spans heritage tourists, regional school groups, wedding and corporate event clients, the descendant community of the Croghan and Clark families, and the broader Louisville civic community. Engagement has been deliberately broadened through partnerships with the Fund for the Arts, Kentucky Refugee Ministries, StageOne Family Theatre, Independence Bank, Black Azz Camping, and the National Cave Museum. A 250for250 capital campaign is targeting $250,000 by the site's 250th anniversary in July 2026.

Name

Locust Grove

Legal name

Historic Locust Grove, Inc.

Website

https://locustgrove.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1792

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Historic Locust Grove is a 501(c)(3) historic site museum in Louisville, Kentucky, operating a 55-acre National Historic Landmark estate (built 1792) as a heritage attraction, event venue, and educational institution serving tourists, school groups, event clients, and the local civic community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historic House Museum and Heritage Tourism

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Historical Sites (71212), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

History Museums (THAJADAB), Monuments, Statues & Memorials (THAJACAB), Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH)

Keywords

• Historic house tours
• Heritage education programs
• Special event venue rentals
• School field trips
• Museum membership program

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tour admissions: Revenue from visitor tours of the historic house and grounds during regular operating hours (Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-4:30pm).
2. Event rentals: Revenue from renting venue spaces for weddings, corporate events, charity events, family gatherings, and photo/video shoots. Features indoor and outdoor spaces including a new $1.2M pavilion.
3. Memberships: Annual membership program offering free/discounted admission, special member events, and other benefits. Members receive discounted lecture tickets ($8 vs $10).
4. Donations and fundraising: Direct donations, annual appeals (250for250 campaign targeting $250,000 by July 2026), and capital campaigns for preservation projects.
5. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for events such as the Gardeners' Fair, raffles (Pappy Van Winkle bourbon raffle), and ongoing programs.
6. Event admission: Ticket sales for special programs including lectures (America Uncorked at $22-25), concerts (Music Under the Pavilion at $15 adults/$5 children), and specialty events.
7. Photography permits: Professional photography permits including $100 annual pass or $20 daily permit for portrait photography; commercial rates negotiated separately.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Historic Locust Grove operates a National Historic Landmark house museum on a 55-acre Louisville estate, offering guided and self-guided tours of the c.1792 Georgian mansion and grounds, K-12 school educational programs, indoor and outdoor venue rentals for weddings and corporate events, photography and videography permits, an annual membership program, and ticketed cultural events including the Gardeners' Fair, Music Under the Pavilion concerts, and the America Uncorked lecture series.

Product overview

Historic Locust Grove is a National Historic Landmark and AAM-accredited museum offering heritage tourism and educational experiences. The organization's core offering is the historic house museum (c.1792 Georgian mansion) and 55-acre grounds, accessible via guided tours, virtual tours, and walking tours. Ancillary services include event rentals (weddings, corporate events, photography permits), educational school programs, and a robust calendar of special events including the annual Gardeners' Fair, Music Under the Pavilion concert series, America Uncorked lecture series, Artist-in-Residence program, and civic programs including Fourth of July Naturalization Ceremonies. The site also offers membership subscriptions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Historic House & Grounds Tours Guided and self-guided tours of the c.1792 Georgian mansion and 55-acre historic estate, telling the story of the Croghan and Clark families and the enslaved community. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4:30pm. Targeted at general public visitors and tourists.
• Virtual Tour Online interactive virtual tour experience of the historic house and grounds for remote visitors who cannot attend in person.
• Event Rentals Rental of indoor and outdoor spaces including the event pavilion for weddings, corporate events, charity events, photo/video shoots, and private parties. Targeted at engaged couples, corporate event planners, and private party hosts.
• Photography & Videography Permits Commercial and portrait photography permits for professional photographers and videographers using Locust Grove as a backdrop, with options for $20 daily or $100 annual permits and negotiated commercial shoot rates.
• School Programs Curriculum-aligned educational programs for K-12 students covering early American history, the Croghan/Clark families, and the enslaved community. Targeted at school groups and educators.
• Membership Program Annual membership offering free and discounted admission, special member events, and other benefits such as discounted lecture ticket pricing.
• Annual Gardeners' Fair Annual two-day botanical event featuring 45+ local and regional vendors, farm animals, gardening demonstrations, and live jazz music. Ticketed admission ($10 adults / $5 children).
• Music Under the Pavilion Summer concert series featuring local and regional musicians performing various genres at the event pavilion ($15 adults / $5 children / free under 3).
• America Uncorked Lecture Series Monthly lecture series exploring historical topics with guest authors and scholars, often accompanied by book signings ($25 nonmembers / $22 members).

Quantifiable outcome

• AAM accreditation since March 2000
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Independence BankcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 July 2026Independence Bank serves as Civics Pillar sponsor for Dawn's Early Light event and America's 250th anniversary programming.
• Black Azz CampingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2026Black Azz Camping (BAC), a West Louisville-based community-driven outdoor initiative dedicated to increasing access and representation for Black communities, partnered with Locust Grove for the Dawn's Early Light Campout event. BAC provides guided reflection walks, facilitated storytelling about land and enslavement, and youth engagement programming.
• StageOne StorytellersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 July 2024Community partner for Fourth of July celebration and Naturalization Ceremony, engaging local audiences.
• Kentucky Refugee MinistriesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 July 2024Community partner for Fourth of July celebration, supporting immigrant and refugee community involvement.
• Fund for the ArtscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 July 2024Fund for the Arts provides Cultural Pass program making Fourth of July and other events accessible to broad audience of families.
• National Cave MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2024Research partnership with National Cave Museum (NCM) for shared research on Mammoth Cave and enslaved cave guide history. NCM acquired the Mammoth Cave Account Book that Locust Grove had been outbid on, enabling collaborative research access through board member connections.
• General Society of Colonial WarsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 May 2024Sponsorship support for the America Uncorked lecture series event featuring author Brady Crytzer on the Whiskey Rebellion.
• Society of Colonial Wars KentuckyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 May 2024Co-sponsorship with General Society of Colonial Wars for America Uncorked lecture series.
• Fleur de TeaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 May 2024Event sponsor for 29th Annual Gardeners' Fair.
• Curate and PlateminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 May 2024Event sponsor for 29th Annual Gardeners' Fair.
• Perfectly CordialminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 May 2024Event sponsor for 29th Annual Gardeners' Fair.
• St. Matthews Feed and SeedminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 May 2024Event sponsor for 29th Annual Gardeners' Fair.
• Heine Brothers' CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 May 2024Event sponsor for 29th Annual Gardeners' Fair.
• Mark Gaston Sr. Memorial SponsorshipminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 May 2024Memorial sponsorship gift in memory of Mark Gaston Sr. for the 29th Annual Gardeners' Fair.
• Mr. & Mrs. LaMar Gaston, Jr.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 May 2024Individual sponsors for the 29th Annual Gardeners' Fair.
• Delta Dental of KentuckyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 May 2024Delta Dental of Kentucky provided sponsorship support for the Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon raffle fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting Historic Locust Grove's preservation and educational programming.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Locust Grove (no, this is the subject) - skipping: Removed as this is the subject company itself.

Direct peers

• Farmington Historic Home: Louisville-area historic house museum offering tours, educational programming, and event rentals in a comparable c.1810 Federal-style home. Dawkins also worked here, indicating operational similarity in scale and audience mix.
• Whitehall House & Gardens: Louisville historic estate offering house and garden tours plus premier wedding and corporate event rentals. Comparable in venue-rental business model, footprint, and target wedding/event clientele.
• Liberty Hall Historic Site: Geographically proximate historic house museum in Louisville/Frankfort, KY, also operated as a 501(c)(3) with tours, event rentals, and school programs. Jessica Dawkins previously served as Executive Director, making it a direct operational and programmatic comparable.
• Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill: Kentucky-based National Historic Landmark operating as a nonprofit with tours, lodging, event rentals, and educational programming. Closely comparable multi-revenue nonprofit historic site model.
• Howard Steamboat Museum: Louisville-based 501(c)(3) historic house museum offering tours and educational programming with a focused regional history theme. Comparable in operating scale, nonprofit structure, and reliance on admissions, memberships, and donations.

Regional players

• Speed Art Museum: Louisville's flagship art museum with broader cultural programming. Comparable as a Louisville-based AAM-accredited museum, but distinct in collection focus (art vs. historic house).

Broad incumbents

• Kentucky Historical Society: Statewide historical organization operating the Kentucky History Center and broader educational programming. Dawkins previously served as Deputy Director, making this a direct institutional comparator at greater scale.
• Conner Prairie: Large Indiana-based interactive history museum and historic site offering tours, education programs, and signature events. Comparable in museum operations, education programming, and special-event revenue mix, but at significantly larger scale.
• Indiana State Museum & Historic Sites: Statewide museum system where Dawkins served as Southeast Regional Director. Comparable in operating multiple historic sites, education programming, and donor-dependent revenue model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/historiclocustgrove
• Instagraminstagram.com/historiclocustgrove
• Xx.com/locustgrove

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Locust Grove