RSVP for the Hopemont Lecture!
2025 Hopemont Lecture: Dr. Melynda Price
We are honored to host Dr. Melynda Price, Co-Director of the Monuments Workshop and Director of the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at the University of Michigan, for this year’s Hopemont Lecture.
As our nation approaches its 250th birthday, this timely lecture will explore how communities remember and commemorate our collective histories—and how our understanding of law, land, and identity shape those stories. Dr. Price will draw on her experience as both an attorney and professor of law to examine the deep connections between race, place, and “the natural” in the contemporary South.
This free public event promises to be one of the most thought-provoking programs of the year—but space is limited. RSVP here or through the button below to reserve your spot!
Thursday, September 25th, 2025
7:00 — 8:30PM
Lexington History Museum
210 North Broadway, Lexington, KY 40507
Parking will be available at Hopemont (201 North Mill Street) and the Lexington History Museum
2025 Hopemont Lecture Preservation Workshop
The next morning, join us at Hopemont for a half-day, interactive workshop designed for preservation and public history professionals, students, and grassroots leaders. This program will feature Dr. Price in conversation and include a roundtable discussion with local leaders.
Friday, September 26, 2025
8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Hopemont
201 North Mill Street, Lexington, KY 40507
Brief Itinerary:
8:30–9:00 AM – Coffee, pastries, and networking
9:00 AM – Welcome by Dr. Jonathan Coleman, Executive Director
9:15–10:15 AM – Dr. Melynda Price Q&A, in conversation with Blue Grass Trust President Dr. Richard Schein
10:30–11:30 AM – Preservation at Work Roundtable Discussion moderated by Dr. Jonathan Coleman, featuring:
Dr. Lori Garkovich, Professor Emeritus, UK
Dr. Amanda Higgins, Executive Director, LexHistory Museum
Dr. James Seaver, Kentucky Historical Society
Yvonne Giles, Historian and Research Consultant
EDUCATION
Recap: Vanishing Traces of Early Kentucky
Dr. Zak Leonard's recent lecture, "Vanishing Traces of Early Kentucky: An Architectural History of Log and Stone Buildings,” is now viewable on our Education webpage and our YouTube channel. Filming was made possible with support from the Kentucky Historical Society, while the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Kentucky Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities have also funded this project.
The talk, which previews a new virtual tour that will launch this Fall on our Tour the Historic Bluegrass platform, discusses Lexington's early foundational myths, log and stone construction methods, and the complex social and economic histories of these often-vulnerable properties.
Upcoming October 2025 deTour
Old Episcopal Burying Ground
📅 Date: Wednesday, October 1st
⏰ Time: 6PM
📍Where: 259 E Third St, Lexington, KY 40508
(Parking will be available at the nearby Polk-Dalton Clinic)
Join us on Wednesday, October 1 for our deTour of Lexington's Old Episcopal Burying Ground, one of Lexington’s earliest cemeteries. Established in 1832 by Christ Church, this historic cemetery is the final resting place of many of Lexington's eminent 19th-century citizens.
Within months of its founding, the burying ground became the site of tragedy during the 1833 cholera epidemic, which claimed more than 500 lives in Lexington — including a third of Christ Church’s congregation. By 1850, over 400 burials had taken place here, many tied to the cholera outbreaks of 1833 and 1849.
As part of this special deTour, we’ll also step inside the caretaker's house — a rare chance to see this historic structure up close!
September 2025 deTour Recap
JC Cockhouse at Botherum
On September 3, we had the pleasure of gathering at the JC Cock House, a circa 1810 summer kitchen on the historic Botherum property, for a truly memorable deTour. Thanks to celebrated landscape designer Jon Carloftis, this early structure has been masterfully adapted for modern use while preserving its historic character. Guests explored how updated features—like new electrical, plumbing, and drainage—can coexist with 200-year-old craftsmanship to breathe new life into an historic building.
The evening also included a walk through Botherum’s renowned gardens, where Carloftis’s thoughtful design offered a perfect backdrop to this inspiring example of preservation and reuse. Many thanks to Jon Carloftis for opening his home and gardens, and to all who joined us for this special evening celebrating the power of preservation and design
ADVOCACY
Blue Grass Trust Opposes Third—and Largest—Dormitory Proposed for E. Maxwell
HUB, which already operates two private dormitories in Lexington, is now intending to build a gargantuan 8-story complex that will fill the entire block bordered by Rose, Kalmia, Maxwell, and Stone. This project will result in the loss of twelve National Register-listed residences that mostly date to the 1920s. These include the architecturally significant, stone-faced Webb House at 255 E. Maxwell and the Italianate Renaissance Revival apartment building at 273 E. Maxwell, which is one of the only examples of this type in the city.
Unlike the Maxwell and Subtext private dormitories that will soon be constructed on E. Maxwell, this project area is already thickly settled and consists entirely of historic properties. Moreover, it directly abuts the Aylesford local historic district. Even with superficial “townhouses” attached, this new facility will violate the 2045 comprehensive plan’s density and growth policies that are supposed to regulate transitional spaces bordering H-1 overlays. As this project will cater to the exact same demographic as the upscale Maxwell and Subtext complexes, it also arguably violates the equity policies of the comp plan as well. By their own admission, HUB will completely remove the existing urban tree canopy and provide parking for 485 vehicles while neglecting to offer any “community-oriented component.”
HUB will tentatively request a rezoning of this site before the Planning Commission at 1:30 on September 25. The Blue Grass Trust will be contributing testimony, but we urge any Lexington residents — especially those living in Aylesford — to attend and share their own thoughts on the needless destruction of this historic area. For updates on the hearing, please visit our website and social media accounts.
DIRECT SERVICES
Every House Has a History
Uncovering Gentry Road’s Past
Our fee-based property research services are not only intended for grand buildings. Recently, the new owner of 391 Gentry Road near Athens contacted us to learn more about the secondary dwelling on her property. While this house has lost many of its historic features, it likely dates to the nineteen teens and would have presented as a 1.5-story, three bay cottage with a central gable, full front porch, and small rear extension. Prior to that period, the parcel belonged to the Barker family, whose ancestor, William, had settled in this area near Boone’s Station in the late eighteenth century. Remarkably, the Barkers still own several historic buildings on land that abuts the Gentry Road tract.
To begin exploring the history of your property, please visit the property research page on our website! Founder’s Day Event Recap
In Memoriam: Eugene Young
December 5th, 1950 - August 21st, 2025
It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our friend and board member, Eugene Young. Eugene joined the Blue Grass Trust Board of Directors in 2021 and served with distinction, including as Treasurer from 2023–2024. A dedicated advocate for historic preservation, he brought thoughtful leadership, generosity, and a steady commitment to protecting Central Kentucky’s historic places.
Learn more about his incredible life and the legacy Eugene leaves behind by reading the touching memorial prepared by his family.
We are deeply grateful for the time, talent, and care Eugene shared with our organization, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
