Every historic building has a story to tell
Historic preservation can sometimes be a troubling, even divisive term. I haven’t heard it used in a while, but the term “hysterical” preservationist was bandied about quite a bit, and I am sure still is in certain circles. A common misconception is that preservation supporters want to stop time, and freeze every historic building so (read more)
Recently, a friend inquired, as I was prattling on about Kentucky, if any of our towns had original names (this friend being English and laying claim to those names which originated across the pond – you know who you are). I paused, a tart retort pleading to be released, but as my brain frantically scanned (read more)
A house, from the outside, reveals only a portion of its true character. Details – like intricately carved brackets, or a romantic-looking bay window – lead the viewer down one path of speculation, but upon opening the door, you tumble, like Alice, down a rabbit hole of a completely different house. Sketching out the story (read more)
Anonymity comes easy these days. Shopping on the internet is easy and hassle free, and even in brick and mortar stores, the need for actual human contact can be minimal. Although there are times I am relieved to not see anyone I know when I dash out for an errand, the sense of community that (read more)
Much like the rest areas of today’s modern automobile travel, or the busy interchange laden with fast food options, the roadside tavern beckoned to the weary 18th and 19th travelers. Don’t be misled! It was much more than your friendly neighborhood bar.[1] Taverns provided lodging, food, and a gathering spot for the local community – (read more)
There are certain things all Kentucky schoolchildren learn (at least those of us who went through the public school system). All 120 counties, and the county seats. Daniel Boone, blazing a trail through the wilderness. That Derby Day is a sacred holiday, and that while basketball may be the Bluegrass religion, we revere a 19th-century (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)
I’ve been very, very lucky to spend three of the past five summers in England. But while I was away, playing across the pond, morning glories took over my garden, my dogs lost any semblance of obedience, and my pocketbook…well, let’s just say that historic preservation is not a career one pursues for the utmost (read more)
It can be hard to look at something from a time you recall and have it labeled “historic.” Of course, in fashion, a decade is all it takes for styles to be revamped and recycled, which perhaps leads to a more open mindset among the fashion-conscious crowd? Architecture tends to strike a more personal chord (read more)
Categories: Bluegrass, Historic Preservation, Kentucky architecture, Mid-century Modern
Tags: Architecture, Atomic age, Mid-century modern, recent past
As a child, I made houses of anything and everything (leaves were a challenging, yet ephemerally charming material). I inherited my older siblings’ Tinker Toys and Lincoln Logs, and a series of dollhouses. The Lincoln Logs, however, were a favorite – made even more intriguing by the fact that we had an actual log house (read more)
Categories: Bluegrass, Green County, Kentucky architecture, Vernacular, Vernacular architecture
Tags: Bourbon County, Green County, Lincoln Logs, Log houses
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