Historic Kingston Farm: Included in the Dispersal Sale of Emil Herz Short Grass Stud, Daily Racing Form, 1924-02-17

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6 HISTORIC KINGSTON FARM Included in the Dispersal Sale of Emil Herz Short Grass Stud. This Breeding Establishment One of 3Iost Famous In This Country Comprises 237 Acres of Land Fully Equipped. - LEXINGTON, Ky., Feb. 16. When George A. Bain, the auctioneer, has disposed of the last of the thirty-eight thoroughbreds that are to be sold at Short Grass Farm on Washingtons birthday, he will offer for sale to the highest bidder that famous stock farm, which Emil Herz purchased just a few years ago in order to have a home for the stallion Short Grass. This farm, which since has been known as Short Grass Stud Farm, was formerly the famous Kingston Farm, one of the most historic breeding establishments for thoroughbreds in all America. Kingston Farm was first developed and improved by the late James Ferguson, father of Mrs. Phil T. Chinn. After the death of Mr. Ferguson the property passed into the hands of Colonel Robert L. Baker, and for some years it was leased to Clarence L. Mackay, when the president of the Postal Telegraph Company was largely interested in racing and breeding. Mr. Mackay spent thousands of dollars in improvements in the way of building roads and fences, but the amount he spent was small when compared to what Corrigan and McKinney paid out in further improvements when they took over the place after Mr. Mackay had retired from the thoroughbred industry. Under the supervision of the late Major Daingeriield and his daughter. Miss Elizabeth Daingerfield, this farm was made one of the most complete in the way of improvements of any in Kentucky. The various stables that they built cost thousands and thousands of dollars and were built to stand for one hundred years or more. After Corrigan and McKinney nad decided to go out of racing and breeding and sold all of their thorougnbreds at auction Kingston Stud was rented by Mr. Herz from Colonel Baker, and then Herz started in to build up an extensive breeding establishment. He had become well established and at home on the place- when Colonel Baker decided to sell the farm. "For days and weeks prior to the date of the sale Herz traveled all over Fayette County, in Kentucky, seeking another home for Short Grass and his mares. He could find no place that could even approach Kingston Farm and was still without a Continued on twelfth paj;e. HISTORIC KINGSTON FARM Continued from first page. place for his horses on the day of the sale. He attended the sale, with no intention of being the purchaser, land at that time being at the peak of inflated prices because of the big boom in tobacco when so many blue grass fields were being turned into tobacco patches. The bidding had gone on and on until Herz finally made a quick decision to get in and do some bidding on his own account In the end the farm was knocked down to the Shirt Grass Stud Corporation. There have been some further improvements put on the place since Herz took it over. The farm now consists of 237 acres and there is no doubt of its being one or the very best improved stock farms in the country. Besides a large residence of ten rooms, which stands on the hill facing Russell Cave Pike, it has a smaller cottage which Mr. Herz has been occupying with his family, and another house with ten rooms for the help, besides two smaller tenant houses. These buildings are all up to date and there is a water system on the farm that furnisher water to all the buildings, including the stables and the twenty paddocks. The barns, of which there are seventeen, are of the very Dest and built to last for years and years. In addition to these barns there aie two very large tobacco barns on the place. This farm is just three and one-quarter miles from the heart of Lexington and the land is of the best, and the road leading from town to the farm is one of the! best in the state. j Everything on the farm is to be sold, including the cows and chickens, farm imple- ments and household furniture, and all that will be left to Herz and his family when the sale is concluded will be two woolly dogs.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1920s/drf1924021701/drf1924021701_1_8
Local Identifier: drf1924021701_1_8
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800