Welcome to Rockdale

Rockdale's history dates back to the late 1700s, originating from a treasury warrant purchased by Edward Tyler in 1782 for $1,605, which granted him the legal right to acquire approximately 1,000 acres in southeastern Jefferson County from what was then the Commonwealth of Virginia. The main structures at Rockdale were added to the National Register of Historic Places in the 1980s, and the property is also part of the Tyler Settlement Rural Historic District—a roughly 600-acre area in eastern Jefferson County situated about one mile inside the Gene Snyder Freeway (I-265) with Taylorsville Road as its southern boundary—which was likewise added to the National Register in the late 1980s; the adjacent Blackacre State Nature Preserve, at approximately 300 acres, is by far the largest single parcel within the District. Your hosts purchased the property in April 2021 and immediately began extensive renovations of the main house, stone house, and spring house, all carried out under the stewardship of the Kentucky Heritage Council (KHC) to ensure the work conformed to the exacting standards of the National Register of Historic Places—an effort proudly recognized with the 2024 KHC Historic Preservation Award. Today, Rockdale consists of approximately 13 acres and several historic structures.