It’s the first day of May, and in Kentucky, it’s Derby time, but long before our Commonwealth celebrated the first Saturday in May, the date was a traditional agricultural-rooted holiday, celebrating the half-way point between the spring and summer solstices. Moving away from the racetrack and the farm, today also kicks off Preservation Month 2026. If you’ve followed this blog for a while, you may be familiar with the concept, but in case you need a refresher, read this story from 2015.
The theme of Preservation Month 2026 celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Preservation Month’s theme this year seeks to “celebrate the historic sites, neighborhoods, and landmarks that tell the full American story—places that remind us of how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go.”
I fully support this, and find it especially poignant as I spent too much time yesterday searching for photographs I’d taken of a house in Winchester, Kentucky – a house that was demolished in the last two years.
An empty lot where a historic house once stood, Jefferson Street, Winchester, Kentucky.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation urges everyone to “share how the places you protect spark joy, inspire wonder, and connect communities to our shared history. We want to hear about historic sites that tell Americans who we are, places that continue to shape our 250-year journey to becoming a more perfect union.”
I’d love to hear from readers about places that you feel passionate about and help us experience history.
Along the lines of “sparking joy,” I thought would share a few of the stories slowly taking shape, and soon to hit this space (hopefully).
This quirky early 20th-century house in my hometown of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, has fascinated me for years. It went on the market last year and I believe it has finally sold. I have my fingers crossed it will be preserved.
Historic postcard view of the former Parkway Hotel in Burkesville, Kentucky. It’s a long shot, but I am trying to find some folks who remember it and know its story.
In Stanton, Kentucky, is an interesting Cumberland house variation, with a central stairwell located between the two entry doors. It was owned, and possibly built by, a local lumber dealer.
Demolition by neglect has been stalking some of the historic buildings on Main Street in Russellville, Kentucky, and I want to tell their story before more disappear.
Saloon, restaurant, to church – this corner commercial building in Lexington, Kentucky, has a rich and lively history.
If you know a historic building or place that you feel help convey our shared story, drop me a line on social media, on this blog, or via email at gardens2gables@gmail.com.
