History of FNU’s President’s House

The President’s House is a historic house located at the back of Frontier Nursing University’s (FNU) campus in Versailles, Kentucky. FNU utilizes the space to host events, dinners, receptions, and house guests.

The President’s House was originally constructed in 1854 by William Cleveland, who had purchased the property from the Crittendon family. Mr. Cleveland designed the brick residence in Dominion Georgian style. The Cleveland family lived there for 65 years.

In 1922, the Cleveland farm was purchased by Professor Robert K. Massie where he operated the Massie School for Boys for approximately ten years. In 1931, the property was purchased by the Methodist Church. For the next 86 years the property, including this house, was used by the Kentucky Methodist School for Children in service to children. It was first used as a school, later an orphanage and most recently as a mental health treatment home for 12-17 year olds. It is a frequent occurrence for Frontier to have visitors stop by who lived in this house as a child. (Scan the QR code for more information about the Kentucky Methodist School for Children.)

In 2017, the Kentucky Methodist School for Children moved to a new location and FNU purchased the entire property, including this historic building. Great care and consideration were given to the renovation of the building, which was renamed the President’s House, to facilitate gatherings for the FNU community.
FNU’s President does not live in the house but there are four bedrooms upstairs that are used for visitors to our campus. The house is open and accessible to faculty, staff and students when they are on campus, highlighting our commitment to inclusion and fostering a sense of belonging for the entire Frontier community.