100 E. State Street - The Swayne Block

This was the site of a 2-story stone house built by John Taylor in the early 1800s. John was the grandfather of Kennett’s most notable citizen, Bayard Taylor. Taylor was born here in 1825 and was a 19th-century author, diplomat, poet, and journalist. He published over forty books including a local favorite, The Story of Kennett. A fire of mysterious origin destroyed the stone house in August 1878. After the fire Evan T. Swayne built the building you now see. A bronze marker was placed in 1925 to commemorate Taylor’s birthplace (look in doorway of Green Eyed Lady.) Some of the houses on the north side of East and West State Streets were built in the 1830s and marked the beginning of development of the village.