1 of 23
Built as a private residence in 1935-37, Spindletop was converted in 1962 to a University of Kentucky club for faculty, alumni and other members. Member liaison Donna Nabors and general manager Gerald Marvel, left, are preparing for a rare occasion to open the clubhouse doors to the public, for this month’s holiday open house and craft fair. Photo by Mick Jeffries
2 of 23
The mansion’s Tudor-style library features a stone mantel salvaged from an English estate. Scenes from the film “Secretariat” were filmed in this room. Photo by Mick Jeffries
3 of 23
The mansion’s Tudor-style library features a stone mantel salvaged from an English estate. Scenes from the film “Secretariat” were filmed in this room. Photo by Mick Jeffries
4 of 23
The mansion’s Tudor-style library features a stone mantel salvaged from an English estate. Scenes from the film “Secretariat” were filmed in this room. Photo by Mick Jeffries
5 of 23
The mansion’s Tudor-style library features a stone mantel salvaged from an English estate. Scenes from the film “Secretariat” were filmed in this room. Photo by Mick Jeffries
6 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
7 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
8 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
9 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
10 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
11 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
12 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
13 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
14 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
15 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
16 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
17 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
18 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
19 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
20 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
21 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
22 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
23 of 23
The mansion is full of eclectic original touches, from the floral wallpaper and hand-painted murals to the colorful bathroom tile, furniture and ornate light fixtures. Photo by Mick Jeffries
It’s a busy season for the University of Kentucky’s Club at Spindletop Hall.
On the tail of a big gala in late October celebrating 80 years since the sprawling mansion was completed, the venue will open to the public for a rare occasion this month when the club presents the Spindletop Holiday Open House Craft Show. Taking place the Saturday after Thanksgiving – a day often referred to in the retail world as “Small Business Saturday” – the inaugural holiday market will feature 40 local and regional craft vendors selling everything from jewelry, textiles and photography to note cards, paintings and woodworking.
According to event organizers Donna Nabors and Gerald Marvel, the craft fair will offer the perfect opportunity for members and non-members alike to experience the unique venue, which made the American Institute of Architects’ list of “25 Must-See Buildings in Kentucky” earlier this year. Despite Spindletop’s long-running tradition of hospitality – the university-affiliated club has provided members with a charming, historic venue for dining, swimming and other social activities since 1962 – it’s rare that the venue opens its doors to the public.
“There have been fundraisers and other events here before, but there aren’t regular opportunities for folks to get to see it – especially when we’re all decked out for the holidays,” said Marvel, Spindletop’s general manager.
A 45,000-square-foot Georgian Revival mansion nestled on 800-plus acres north Lexington farmland, Spindletop was built in 1935-37 as the homestead of Mildred “Pansy” Yount, the recent widow to Texas oilman Miles Frank Yount. Pansy Yount’s love of American Saddlebred horses spurred her move to the Commonwealth, where she oversaw the construction of her grand Kentucky mansion. With 40 rooms, 14 bathrooms, 11 fireplaces, more than 130 doors and a variety of architectural influences, the home was considered quite modern when it was built: The basement featured a dance floor designed to mimic an outdoor courtyard, and the main floor’s grand circular twin-staircase and 30-by-60-foot living room were both said to be the largest in Kentucky at the time. The mansion was furnished with imported furniture from Europe and Asia, much of which remains in the home today.
Two decades – and two husbands – later, Yount eventually found herself ready to move back to Texas, and in 1955, following the marriage of her daughter Mildred, she did just that. Unsure what to do with her beloved homestead, Yount consulted with her close (and well-connected) friend Fred Wachs, the publisher of the Herald-Leader at the time. Wachs suggested Yount donate it to the University of Kentucky and connected her with his friend, university president Frank Dickey, who flew to Texas to negotiate the sale of the estate: a “gift” at the price of $850,000, payable over 10 years. In 1962, the university converted the homestead to a private club for its faculty and alumni.
Today, Spindeletop’s 1,000-plus members are free to enjoy amenities that include a restaurant with a picturesque dining veranda, an outdoor swimming pool and poolside tiki bar, 10 tennis courts, private access to the Legacy Trail and more. While membership eligibility is generally tied to the university in some way, it’s easier to attain than many are aware, said Marvel. Interested members who lack official university ties can join UK’s alumni association for less than $50 a year, making them thus eligible for Spindletop membership, which is available in a variety of packages and price points.
“We like to say we have memberships for every stage of life – everything from the recent graduate to the young family to the empty nester to the senior stage in life,” Marvel said.
Membership dues help maintain the historic property, many details of which are original, from the decorative chandeliers and lamps to the floral wallpaper. These and other distinct – and often quirky – details of the mansion help contribute to its charm, which is augmented by the sprawling and idyllic Kentucky farmland that surrounds it.
“One of the best things about the place is its location, but it’s honestly also one of our biggest challenges,” Marvel said. “People perceive it as being ‘way out here,’ even though we’re [only] nine miles from campus.”
Event organizers hope that the craft fair will allow an opportunity not only to provide holiday entertainment for its members, but also for potential future members as well.
“We feel like we’re a hidden gem,” he added. “I don’t want to say forgotten gem, but people don’t think about us as often as we would like them to. We’re really not that far away.”
Spindletop Craft Fair and Open House
Saturday, Nov. 25 • 10 a.m-4 p.m. • The Club at UK’s Spindletop Hall, 3413 Iron Works Pike
Spindletop Hall will be open for the general public to visit the historic mansion and tour the grounds for this rare occasion. More than 40 vendors will sell a variety of merchandise such as jewelry, woodworking, soaps, artwork, photographs, stick horse heads, children’s clothing, quilted, crocheted, embroidered items and more.The public will also have the chance to dine at Roxie’s, the club’s restaurant.