Blue Grass Trust Turns 70!
Celebrating Seven Decades of Making Preservation Possible
In 2025, we mark a monumental milestone: seven decades of making preservation possible. Since 1955, the Blue Grass Trust has been a leader in preservation education, advocacy, and service, ensuring that Kentucky’s unique stories and historic places endure for future generations.
This anniversary will be commemorated with a year-long celebration, including events, initiatives, and programs designed to honor our rich history and inspire the community to continue its preservation efforts. Highlights include:
70th Anniversary Founders’ Day: A special celebration at Hopemont in July, uniting supporters and leaders to reflect on seven decades of preservation achievements.
A New Tour the Historic Bluegrass Virtual Tour: A free, curated digital tour launching this summer, exploring Fayette County’s earliest stone and log structures.
Special deTours: Visits to iconic sites the Trust has helped preserve over the years, offering a unique look into the impact of preservation efforts.
This is more than a celebration of the past; it’s an invitation to shape the future of preservation in Central Kentucky. Learn how you can get involved and contribute to the ongoing mission of the Blue Grass Trust at www.bluegrasstrust.org/our-impact.
EDUCATION
Upcoming February 2025 Virtual deTour
📅 Date: Wednesday, February 5th
⏰ Time: 6PM
Tune in here on February 5th for our virtual deTour celebrating one of Lexington’s most acclaimed native sons: Vertner Woodson Tandy, a pioneering architect and trailblazer.
Born in 1885, Tandy became the first African American registered architect in New York State. His iconic designs, like Madam C.J. Walker’s Villa Lewaro, showcase his groundbreaking talent. Join us as we explore his journey from Lexington to his profound impact on architecture, civil rights, and community leadership
January 2025 deTour Recap: Allen Chapel CME Church
We returned to our virtual deTour format for the winter season on January 8th, starting with a journey into the history of Allen Chapel CME Church in Winchester, Kentucky. Built in the late 19th century, this Gothic-inspired brick church reflects the deep roots of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (also known as the Colored Methodist Church) in the region. Originally established by a congregation that worshipped in the basement of the local Methodist Church before emancipation, Allen Chapel became a cornerstone of faith and community life after it was constructed on East Broadway Street. Though the church now shows signs of deterioration, exciting efforts are underway to begin its restoration, ensuring its story continues to inspire future generations.
Watch the virtual detour here to explore this significant landmark and the work being done to bring it back to life one day.
ADVOCACY
2025 Blue Grass Trust Preservation Awards
Call for Nominations
Each year, the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation proudly hosts the Preservation Awards, celebrating the transformative impact of historic preservation in Central Kentucky. These awards honor the individuals, organizations, and projects that champion the value of preserving our region’s history and heritage.
We encourage you to submit nominations for those who have made a difference in promoting historic preservation across Central Kentucky.
👉 Click here to complete the nomination form and provide supporting materials.
Poor Planning and Dubious Design Choices
“The Maxwell” Controversies Continue
Lexington is in the midst of a building frenzy, as de facto privatized dormitories continue to spring up all along the perimeter of the University of Kentucky. The recent rezoning of E. Maxwell and Stone Avenue notably permitted the construction of a 278-unit, 656-bed, 75-foot-high building (The Maxwell) that will replace twelve National Register-listed residences currently offering affordable housing. Troublingly, the owners of that property are now reneging on promised design features that helped secure the project’s approval. How is this permissible? And more generally, how do commissioners and staff monitor these sprawling complexes to ensure they cohere with their often-historic settings?
Dr. Zak Leonard’s recent op-ed in the Herald-Leader, which is also available on our website blog, explores these issues and questions the appropriateness of the developer’s design and tactics. The Blue Grass Trust fervently believes that new construction should harmonize with the existing building stock in historic neighborhoods. The city’s comprehensive plans also support this position. Lexington’s distinctiveness is something to celebrate and elevate, not eradicate.
DIRECT SERVICES
Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits Workshop
Thursday, February 20th | 6 PM at Hopemont
Join us for this exciting workshop and discover how you can qualify for refundable tax credits to repair historic homes and buildings, with insights from Katie Wilborn, Site Development Program Administrator for the Kentucky Heritage Council.
This FREE workshop is presented in partnership with the Blue Grass Trust and Kentucky's State Historic Preservation Office. Complimentary parking is available in the parking lots of 201 North Mill Street and 210 North Broadway.
Featured Plaque Property
Fairlawn Farm | 906 N. Broadway, Lexington, KY
Main House Const. 1850s
One of the country’s premier Standardbred operations, Colonel W. T. Withers’ Fairlawn Farm encompassed 150 acres between N. Limestone and Russell Cave Road. Established in 1875, it produced horses that were “sent to Canada and Prince Edward Island, to Oregon, to Australia and New Zealand, to Italy and to the Russian province of Bessarabia." Tune in to our social media channels on Tuesday, January 21 to learn more about Withers' career and Fairlawn's dramatic rise and fall.
