Every historic building has a story to tell
A surprise demolition last Thursday in the Downtown Paris Historic District provides credence to some tired truths.* The circa 1875 W. B. Erringer House, demolished at the behest of its owner, the Catholic Diocese of Lexington, underscores America’s willingness to tear down and destroy. The reason circulated by many for the demolition is the (read more)
Category: Bourbon County
Tags: #historicpreservation, #kentuckyarchitecture, #oldhouses, #parisky, demolition
Some houses slip away without too much fuss, like wan characters suffering from a long-term case of consumption in a Victorian novel – characters you assume will disappear with a languishing sigh by the middle of the book. Usually, these are buildings with faded or little street appeal, allowed to deteriorate and never given much (read more)
Category: Bourbon County
Tags: #historicpreservation, #kentuckyarchitecture, #parisky
A mad dash through Ballard County, Kentucky, last summer introduced me to several towns on US Highway 60 – towns that were formed or expanded due to the Illinois Central Railroad line – Kevil, La Center, and Barlow. One my favorite historic houses from 2023 is located in La Center. This small community (population (read more)
It can be hard to avoid negative news in my line of work – historic preservation is not for the easily daunted. That is one reason I take great joy in the many historic buildings and landscapes in Kentucky that are preserved, and the accidental discoveries I make while taking the long road home. Eight (read more)
Category: Marion County
Tags: #historicpreservation, #kentuckyarchitecture, #lebanonky, #vernaculararchitecure
There’s nothing quite as striking as a historic, corner commercial building – one that catches the eye from multiple directions and enlivens its site with architectural detail and a balanced mass and scale. The Clifton Historic District is home to many outstanding historic buildings, but the E.P. Thomas Store and House, with its diagonal (read more)
As any student of historic preservation in America will tell you, the historic preservation movement began with a band of women determined to save the home of the nation’s first President. In the 170 years since the founding of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, many women – and men – have dedicated their time, talents, (read more)
Categories: Bourbon County, McCracken County
Almost one month ago, my main external hard drive stopped working. The day passed in a frenzy of activity that proved useless at resuscitating the vital piece of equipment, and every day I discover a new folder that is missing research and photographs. I am a strong advocate in backing up electronic files, and I (read more)
Category: 1901 Farmhouse
Tags: #1901farmhouse, #historicpreservation, #kentuckyarchitecture, #Pandemic2021
Vital Sites bought this distinctive, wood frame corner store in 2019 to save it from demolition. If you look past the plywood boards and mismatched paint scheme, you’ll find one of the last remaining wood frame corner stores in the Portland neighborhood – perhaps in Louisville – with many of its Queen Anne architectural features (read more)
Back before the Covid-19 Pandemic, daycare centers closing, and work from home, we commuted five days a week. A ritual developed of noting landmarks along our route, and no rural landmark was more popular (or sad), than what my toddler coined as “the Falling-Down house.” Sewell Shop, a crossroads community on US 60 near the (read more)
I never intended to be a preservationist – and I certainly never daydreamed about the wild and hedonistic lifestyle of an architectural historian. No, from the age of 11 (after my goal of being a veterinarian was derailed by my father informing me that I needed to take more of an interest in science and (read more)
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