Built in 1838. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
One of 3 National Register listings published here for Carter County · listed in 1974 · category: Building · built in 1838.
Sources: the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service · the Wikipedia article
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 101 fires within 5 miles of Van Kitchen House between 1997 and 2020, burning about 1,187 acres in total. None started naturally. 24 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 35 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 30 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 24 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 11 |
| Smoking | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 June 2012 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 7.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | GRAYSON LA |
| 7 May 2008 | Debris and open burning | 6.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 9 April 2001 | Arson/incendiarism | 6.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 8 April 2001 | Arson/incendiarism | 1.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 8 April 2001 | Arson/incendiarism | 5.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 7 April 2013 | Debris and open burning | 3.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | CHURCH LOOP FIRE |
| 7 April 2002 | Debris and open burning | 2.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
| 7 April 1998 | Arson/incendiarism | 4.0 acres | Kentucky Division of Forestry | not named |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Grayson, the town this property stands in, in 47 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 20 hail, 19 thunderstorm wind, 5 flash flood, 2 flood. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2001 | Flash Flood | Grayson | 1 hurt, $250,000 | Streams, such as Star Creek, Norton Branch, Williams Creek, and Wilson Creek flooded. Twelve people were evacuated. About 40 to 50 homes and mobile homes were affected, some with just basement flooding. A barn was destroyed. A parked car was swept away near the junction of Route 60 and 207. A Rush resident said, "I've lived here 41 years and I've never seen it this bad." Water got into the Star Elementary School, causing damage to the teacher lounge and kitchen. An unconfirmed report of 6.5 inches of rain was received from a fireman on Wilson Creek. One woman received a broken leg. |
| June 2003 | Flash Flood | Grayson | $200,000 | Williams Creek flooded roads. About a dozen homes were flooded around Grayson. |
| August 2018 | Flash Flood | Grayson | $150,000 | An abundant amount of rain fell over Carter County causing high water along Highway 1 in Hitchins. In Grayson, parts of the town were evacuated due to flooding. More than 20 apartments were evacuated due to high water with some of the bottom floor units having water inside them. The Carter County fairgrounds were also evacuated as Barrett Creek flooded. The events on the final day of the fair were cancelled. |
| March 2021 | Flood | Grayson | $50,000 | The Little Sandy River at Grayson rose above its 21 foot flood stage on the last day of February. On March 1st the river crested at 27.95 feet, tentatively the fifth highest crest of all time at this location, then returned to its banks the next day on the 2nd. Extensive property damage occurred in the town of Grayson while the river was out of its banks and backwater along streams and creeks drained into the Little Sandy. Many of the local roadways became unusable as flood water spilled into the town and up toward the I-64 corridor. |
| August 1997 | Lightning | Grayson | $30,000 | The emergency dispatch system for the county was damaged. The director said, "we lost the entire control console". |
| May 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $25,000 | A damage path started along Criswell Lane, where a few trees were snapped and uprooted. A single wide trailer was destroyed near the intersection of Satellite Road and Route 60. The strongest winds were estimated around 85 mph in this valley. The damage extended to Sunset Hill Road and ended along Green Oaks Drive. Several large trees were uprooted. Two small old barns were also damaged in this event. Luckily, no injuries occurred. |
| May 2016 | Hail | Grayson | $25,000 | In addition to the wind damage, golf ball size hail fell along Green Oaks Drive. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $25,000 | Trees were blown down in town. A metal roof was damaged. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $20,000 | Several trees were blown down. A few trees fell onto power lines. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $20,000 | Several trees were blown down. A few trees fell onto power lines. |
| February 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $20,000 | Trees and large branches fell on power lines. |
| August 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $20,000 | Uprooted trees blew onto a house along Route 7. A 100 pound well box was blown 70 feet. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $10,000 | Trees fell down onto power lines and houses. |
| August 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $10,000 | no account filed |
| July 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $8,000 | A roof to a house was damaged. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $7,000 | Trees fell onto wires across several roads. |
| February 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $5,000 | Trees were blown down. |
| June 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $5,000 | no account filed |
| May 2002 | Flash Flood | Grayson | $3,000 | Roads were flooded and slightly damaged by small streams, but no dwellings were affected. |
| April 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $2,000 | Several trees were downed by thunderstorm winds. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $2,000 | Trees were blown down onto power lines in the Stinson vicinity. |
| August 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $2,000 | A few trees and large branches were knocked down. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $1,000 | Large tree branches were snapped off. |
| November 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $1,000 | Numerous trees were knocked down along Route 207. |
| September 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | $500 | A tree blew down along South State Highway One in Grayson. |
| February 2025 | Flood | Grayson | - | East Midland Trail was closed due to flooding in Grayson. |
| May 2024 | Flash Flood | Grayson | - | Multiple high water spots were observed within the city of Grayson. |
| June 2007 | Hail | Grayson | - | Penny size hail was seen at Grayson Lake. |
| May 2016 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| April 2014 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| April 2014 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| July 2012 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| July 2012 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| May 2011 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| April 2010 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| April 2010 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| April 2010 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| June 2009 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| June 2006 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| August 2005 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| May 1996 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| May 1995 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| May 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Grayson | - | no account filed |
| May 1993 | Hail | Grayson | - | no account filed |
No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 74000857 in Record Group 79. |
| Wikipedia article | Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA. |
| Carter County | All 3 listed properties in this county. |
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