LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- There’s a bit of history tucked away on Bardstown Road, near the Watterson at the Farmington Historical Plantation.
“It's like a little park in the middle of Louisville that a lot of people just don't know about,” said Brian Sims, the grounds keeper for the last 17 years.
The home at the center of planation was built in the early 1800s. It belonged to John and Lucy Speed. One of their most famous visitors was Abraham Lincoln, 20 years before he was elected president.
“He stayed here for about three weeks, August of 1841,” said Sims.
But the tranquility that surrounds the 18 acres of history has been disturbed.
“They broke into this building, broke into the blacksmith shop,” explained Sims.
He told WHAS11 News that more than $1,500 worth of lawn equipment was stolen from two of the storage buildings that sit near the historic house.
“It's my weed eaters, it's my blowers, it's my chain saw, hand tools and things like that is what they ended up taking,” he said.
The glass still on the ground where Sims said the thieves broke in and plywood has boarded the window that he said they crawled through to get inside the storage shed next door.
“It just hurts that when you struggle as much as we do. I mean what are you going to do?” he asked.
And it's not the first time. Sims told WHAS11 News they see vandalism every few years, but nothing this costly for the non-profit with only two full-time employees.
“It takes a lot of money and a lot of manpower to upkeep this much property, we have multiple out buildings, we have a museum that's 200 years old. It takes a lot of upkeep.”
And it comes at the worst time, as Farmington Historical Plantation prepares for upcoming Derby parties, festivals and working to prepare the hemp crop. The spot is one of few in the Commonwealth with permission to grow hemp.
“We have an event coming up in two weeks for our hemp and plant sell that I have to get ready for,” he said frustrated.
Sims said a police report has been filed. In the meantime, officials at the Farmington Historical Plantation want to add more security cameras. This week's incident was not caught on camera.