National Register Action – The Kaintuckeean

Peabody-Fordson now a National Register Historic District

Club House at Peabody-Fordson District. USDA Forest Service.

On February 1, 2017, the Department of the Interior approved updates to the 1989 inclusion of the Peabody-Fordson Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places. Located in the Big Creek vicinity in Clay County, Kentucky, Peabody-Fordson is also known as the Redbird Ranger Office Complex and are used by the U.S. Forest Service.

Although Forest Service has razed various structures over the years, 3 contributing buildings and 3 contributing structures are included in the district. The district is interpreted as a “late 19th and early 20th century commercial operation centered upon extraction of timber and minerals from this portion of eastern Kentucky.” Brother at 3.

The names Peabody and Fordson relate to the corporate owners of the land. Peabody Coal Company acquired 110,000 acres of Kentucky lands; it was one of the nation’s largest coal companies and its successor, Peabody Energy, is the world’s largest private sector coal company.* Peabody spent much of its efforts in the vicinity addressing inaccurate land records resulting from shoddy surveying in Kentucky. In 1923, Peabody sold the tracts to Fordson Coal Company which was a subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company. Henry Ford wanted to vertically integrate his supply chain and needed coal resources to do so. It was under the Fordson ownership that the contributing buildings in the District were constructed.

Club House

The Clubhouse, pictured at top, was constructed in 1924, and is “a blending of the Colonial Revival and Dutch Revival architectural influences. The two-story frame building rests on a dry laid cut-sandstone foundation; the stone was cut from a quarry along Little Double Creek.” Brother at 5. Originally, the Club House was constructed as a residence for Fordson Company’s professional employees (survey crews, engineers, and draftsmen).

The Forest Service describe “the original hand-cut wood paneling [] on the interior walls [as] providing evidence of an intrinsic past. In the front entry hall, the golden hues of aged maple provide a warm welcome for visitors.”*

Horse Barn

The 1927 Horse Barn is another contributing building. Built by Oscar Bowling, the wood frame building has 7 horse stalls on either side of the central aisle (14 stalls total). Oral history suggests that a Sears and Roebuck pattern inspired the construction and the design “strongly resembles the ‘Honor Bilt’ barn style in the Sears and Roebuck catalogue.” Brother at 7. A pencil mark on the wall of the barn notes the high water mark from the 1947 flood.

1947 Flood. US Forest Service.

The Garage

Garage and Office. Janie-Rice Brother/NRHP.

The ca. 1950 Fordson Garage is the final contributing building in the District. A “one-room frame, front gable building” is simple and comparable in design to the Horse Barn described above. Once used by Fordson as a garage, today the USFS uses the structure for storage.

The National Register application for the Peabody-Fordson Historic District was authored by Janie-Rice Brother whose blog, Gardens to Gables, should be a staple of your Kentucky-centric reading. You can also follow her on Twitter ‎@GerbBrother.

Resources
Brother, Janie-Rice. Peabody-Fordson Historic District. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form #89002099 (Listed 2/1/2017) (PDF).
Redbird History. US Forest Service. Link.

6 Kentucky Sites Listed on National Register of Historic Places

On March 17, 2015, the Secretary of the Interior approved the inclusion of 6 Kentucky properties into the National Register of Historic Places. The properties are located in Campbell, Jefferson, Kenton, and Pike Counties and represent Kentucky’s manufacturing, residential, entertainment, and educational past.

These six sites were previously profiled here and here. And you can read more about the National Register of Historic Places here.

Marianne Theatre

Marianne Theatre Marquee. NRHP Application.

This Bellevue, Kentucky, theatre was designed by Registered Architect Paul B. Kiel in 1941 in the Art Deco and Moderne Style. It was built by owner-manager Peter L. Smith in 1942 in the center of the 600 block of Fairfield Avenue in Bellevue, Kentucky. Already on the National Register as part of the Fairfield Avenue Historic District, the property is being indvididually listed to draw additional attention to it.

There once were over 60 neighborhood theaters in northern Kentucky and the Marianne was one of the finest.

Charles Young Park and Community Center

Charles Young Center. NRHP Application.

Across the street from Lexington’s Isaac Murphy Memorial Garden stands the Charles Young Park and Community Center. This part of Lexington’s East End is undergoing a renaissance and the Charles Young facilities stand to be a landmark in this change.

The park has been owned by the city since 1930 and the one-story brick veneered side-gable community center is an icon of Third Street. During Jim Crow-era Kentucky, segregation dictated separate community facilities for blacks. According to the nomination, the “Charles Young Park provides an important physical and spatial indication of the existence of the East End community, and the importance that a public place holds for any community— for recreation and civic gathering.”

Lynn Acres Garden Apartments

Circa 1950 Aerial of Lynn Acres. NRHP Application.

The 66 two-story apartment buildings in Louisville’s southside were constructed between 1947 and 1950. The complex includes a variety of 12-, 8-, and 4-plex units with greenspace behind each structure intended for children’s play but which is now used by many residents for gardening.

The brick construction and side-gabled roofs had architectural attention in their design – a rarity in today’s residential apartment design. But perhaps the layout of the buildings deserves the most attention as the green space between them and the connected streets are key to good community design.

Louisville, Gas & Electric Co. Service Station Complex

LG&E Service Station Complex. NRHP Application.

Also known as the Edison Building, this gas and electrical service station was constructed ca. 1924. It stands on a 4+ acre lot at Louisville’s 7th and Ormsby, and all of the acreage is included in the nomination. Even before 1924, the site’s utility was related to generating power.

The main structure is cube-shaped and constructed primarily of poured cement. The south façade is the most decorated of the four sides and it is divided into 9 bays. The three-story structure was built with the potential of expansion to 8-stories, but demand was never realized for the additional square footage. A red brick gate house, ca. 1890, also stands on the property.

Hellman Lumber and Manufacturing Co.

Hellman Lumber. NRHP Application.

On Covington’s 12th Street, stands the Hellman Lumber and Manufacturing Co. This warehouse was built from 1886-1894 and the company is one of the community’s oldest businesses dating to 1879. Without a doubt, many of Covington’s structures have been built with wood that has passed through this facility.

The nomination form describes the main warehouse as “an intact two-story two-bay side-gabled brick warehouse-style corner commercial building that is approximately 14,000-16,000 square feet. The original foundation is wet-masonry limestone.” The building and its story represent an intact representation of the era’s booming lumber industry.

Elkhorn City Elementary and High Schools

Elkhorn City High School. NRHP Application.

Near the heart of Elkhorn City are its schools with the complex (6.8 acres) including 6 structures, of which 3 are contributing to the historic character: a 1938 WPA high school, a 1956 elementary school, and a 1956 music instruction building.

Elkhorn City lies in Pike County about 20 miles from the seat of Pikeville. During the academic life of these buildings as academic facilities, 1938 to the 1980s, the manpower required for coal mining increasingly declined even when demand was high due to mechanization of the process. The nomination form provides that “These facilities demonstrate a continual dedication to public education within this rural Kentucky community. Their existence displays a successful development from rural school facilities into a modernized educational system.”

6 Sites Recommended for the National Register (part 2)

Yesterday, I profiled 3 of the 6 sites recommended for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places by the Kentucky Historic Preservation Review Board. The sites were:

Marianne Theater in Campbell County;
Charles Young Park and Community Center in Fayette County;
Lynn Acres Apartments in Jefferson County;
Louisville, Gas & Electric Co. Service Station Complex in Jefferson County;
Hellman Lumber and Manufacturing Co. in Kenton County; and
Elkhorn City Elementary and High Schools in Pike County.

Below, I’m briefly going over the last three properties on the list: the Louisville, Gas & Electric Co. Service Station Complex, the Hellman Lumber and Manufacturing Co., and Elkhorn City Elementary and High Schools.

All 6 nominations which will be forwarded to the National Park Service (NPS) for final determination of eligibility. A decision on designation will be rendered within 60 to 90 days.

Louisville, Gas & Electric Co. Service Station Complex

LG&E Service Station Complex. NRHP Application.

Hellman Lumber and Manufacturing Co.

Hellman Lumber. NRHP Application.

Elkhorn City Elementary and High Schools

Elkhorn City High School. NRHP Application.

And finally, a little bit more about the National Register of Historic Places:

The National Register

Owners of National Register properties may qualify for state and/or federal tax credits for rehabilitation of these properties to standards set forth by the Secretary of the Interior, as certified by the Kentucky Heritage Council, or by making a charitable contribution of a preservation easement. National Register status does not affect property ownership rights, but does provide a measure of protection against adverse impacts from federally funded projects.

The National Register is the nation’s official list of historic and archaeological resources deemed worthy of preservation. Kentucky has the fourth-highest number of listings among states, at more than 3,300. Listing can be applied to buildings, objects, structures, districts and archaeological sites, and proposed sites must be significant in architecture, engineering, American history or culture.

6 Sites Recommended for the National Register (part 1)

Marianne Theatre (Bellevue), Lynn Acres Apartments (Louisville); and the
Charles Young Center (Lexington). Images from respective NRHP Applications.

Last week, the Kentucky Historic Preservation Review Board approved six sites for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, nominations which will now be forwarded to the National Park Service (NPS) for final determination of eligibility. A decision on designation will be rendered within 60 to 90 days.

The sites were:

Marianne Theater in Campbell County;
Charles Young Park and Community Center in Fayette County;
Lynn Acres Apartments in Jefferson County;
Louisville, Gas & Electric Co. Service Station Complex in Jefferson County;
Hellman Lumber and Manufacturing Co. in Kenton County; and
Elkhorn City Elementary and High Schools in Pike County.

A summary about the first three is included below and the final three will be covered in a post tomorrow. But first a little bit about the National Register and the process for getting a property listed:

The National Register

And now for the properties …

Marianne Theatre

Marianne Theatre Marquee. NRHP Application.

There once were over 60 neighborhood theaters in northern Kentucky and the Marianne was one of the finest.

Charles Young Park and Community Center

Charles Young Center. NRHP Application.

Lynn Acres Garden Apartments

Circa 1950 Aerial of Lynn Acres. NRHP Application.

The other 3 sites nominated by the Heritage Council will be discussed tomorrow on the Kaintuckeean.

Old Southeast Greyhound Line Building Nominated for National Register Inclusion

Southeast Greyhound Line Building on Loudon Ave. – Lexington, Ky.
Photo: National Register Application.

The Kentucky Historic Preservation Review Board has recommended a number of sites for inclusion onto the National Register of Historic Places. Among them is the old Greyhound Bus Terminal on Lexington’s Loudon Avenue. The immense structure – nearly 104,000 square feet – features a “muted Art Deco style” façade divided into three distinct units. The mammoth structure at 101 West Loudon Avenue was constructed in 1928 for the Consolidated Coach Corporation.

“The taller central portion contains 2 garage doors and is framed by slightly-projecting brick pilasters that terminate with narrow limestone caps. Two units flank that central portion. Historically these were symmetrical: a three-bay unit with each bay indicated by a flush pilaster with narrow limestone cap, above which sits the parapet.”

In 1914, the Greyhound bus lines began in Minnesota as a method of transporting large numbers of workers. In 1931, the Consolidated Coach Corporation which owned 101 West Loudon renamed itself Southeast Greyhound Lines. By 1950, Southeast Greyhound Lines merged into the larger Greyhound entity and the Loudon Ave. structure was closed as an office in 1960. It was acquired by the Transit Authority of Lexington (LexTran) in 1972.

The application describes the structure’s improving neighborhood as follows:

Much of the recent development along the North Limestone corridor fills in where historic structures once stood, creating a lively new district which still retains much of its historic character. This includes turning the old Spalding’s Donuts building at 5th and Limestone into an arcade bar, and Urban Wildlife, a public art installation created at Luigart Studios, which was a former brewery. Across the street facing the opposite direction is a new company, Bullhorn Creative, and other retail shops, including an antique furniture store, a thrift store, an art gallery and a restaurant. The building is also near a railway, constructed in the late 19th century, which transports industrial and manufacturing goods throughout the state and country.

The transformation of the NoLi neighborhood is nothing short of amazing. Hopefully, the old Southeast Greyhound Lines building will find a next chapter in its life and continue to contribute to the vitality of the city and the region.

Source: H-L (B. Fortune); National Register Application.

In Kentucky, Four Additions to the National Register and Two Newly Designated National Historic Landmarks

Each week, the National Park Service transmits a list of properties added to the the National Register of Historic Places. Depending on applications pending, there are weeks where no Kentucky properties are listed for inclusion. Some emails are full of Kentucky’s rich history. Such was a recent e-mail.

As I alluded to in one of my weekly roundup’s last month, two Kentucky properties were designated as National Historic Landmarks. This designation is the highest designation that can be afforded a property in terms of historic significance. With the inclusion of the George T. Stagg Distillery in Franklin County and the Camp Nelson Historic and Archeological District in Jessamine County, the number of Kentucky properties designated as National Historic Landmarks rests at thirty-two.

North elevation of the Liggett and Meyers Harping
Tobacco Storage Warehouse, Source: NRHP App./KHC

From Lexington, the Liggett and Meyers Harpring Tobacco Storage Warehouse (1211 Manchester Street) was added to the Register. Constructed in 1930, the warehouse sits on a six acre tract and was well-situated to tobacco storage. A rail spur from the L&N railroad ran to the property and, as preferred shipping methods changed, proximity to New Circle Road kept the Liggett and Meyers building relevant. The building itself is constructed in six segments with each segment containing 20,000 square feet. This immense structure was important to an industry vital to central Kentucky. Today, the building is part of the city’s growing Distillery District.

Ludlow Theatre, ca. 1975
Source: NRHP Application / KHC

The Ludlow Theatre, 322-326 Elm Street, is in the community of Ludlow in Kenton County. The Ludlow Historic District, added to the National Register in 1984, already includes the ca. 1946 theater, but the Ludlow Theatre is now individually listed. Of course, in 1984 the Ludlow Theatre (then less than 50 years of age) was deemed a non-contributing structure, yet the passage of thirty years has changed perspective. Consistent with much of the architecture built in the mid-twentieth century, the Ludlow Theatre is “largely a modest modern building
with little to characterize it within a specific style.” Architectural interest is found in the façade, however, as every sixth of the variegated brick projects slightly from the façade. The most significant change to the building’s exterior since 1946 is the removal of the marquee. This occurred around the time of the historic district’s inclusion on the Register, but can be more readily attributed to the theatre’s closure in 1983.

Hindman Historic District
Source: NRHP Application/ KHC

As Nate wrote, “There is no legitimate reason why anyone would ever stumble upon Hindman.” Though, remarkably, the National Register application remarks that “few Kentucky counties can match the education, literary, cultural, and political heritage found in and near Hindman.” With credits like that, one can imagine the variety of architectural styles found in the district. Much can be credited with three of the earliest Appalachian Settlement Schools being established in Knott County. So if one were to stumble into Knott County’s seat, they would find the sixty-one buildings in the Hindman Historic District, of which 40 are deemed to be contributing. They consist of religious, governmental, residential, commercial, educational, and health care purposed structures, though the majority are two-story residences and commercial structures built between 1903 and 1960. After this period, however, many older structures have been significantly altered or demolished and this has diminished the historic character of the community.

Buck Creek Rosenwald School
Source: Kentucky Heritage Council

Finally, the Buck Creek Rosenwald School in Finchville was constructed ca. 1920 as a one-room school house and was adapted into a residence in 1959 (the school had closed in 1957). One story with hipped roof, this simple structure was a Rosenwald school for African American children during the years of segregation. It was one of only two Rosenwald schools in Shelby County. Two contributing buildings – an outhouse for either sex – are also mentioned in the National Register application. The application also contains accounts of the school day from former students – a fascinating read! More fascinating is that the application was the project of Girl Scout Julia Bache in pursuit of her Girl Scout Gold Award. Well done, Julia!

Rose-Daughtry Farmstead in Bowling Green Added to the National Register

Rose-Daughtry Farmstead – Bowling Green, Ky.
Photo: Nat’l Reg. Application (KHC)

Northeast of Bowling Green on the Louisville Road sits the old community of Bristow. There stands the most recently listed Kentucky property on the National Register of Historic Places. The principal building on the Rose-Daughtry Farmstead, the residence, dates to circa 1880. Six other contributing structures are now included on the Register which exemplify the “overall character … of a prosperous farmstead that had its origins in the late-nineteenth century.”

Judge Rose’s residence, ca. 1880, is T-shaped with both a front and back porch. Though architectural plans were widely available through catalogues of the day, Judge Rose clearly did not adopt this approach as the house is unique and avoids and specific traditional design. “The round-headed windows, brick arches and brackets are typical of Italianate style,” but the “porch roof on the façade … topped by a balustrade … is not style-specific.”

The ‘jail’ at the Rose-Daughtry Farmstead
Photo: Nat’l Reg. Application (KHC)

One contributing structure is the one-pen ‘jail’ having a high rock-faced stone foundation and brick walls surrounding a dirt floor and front gabled roof. Oral histories suggest that Judge Rose kept prisoners here due to the distance (six miles) from town. It has been suggested that Judge Rose also utilized the prisoners as farmhands.

The property remained in the hands of the Rose family until 1949. Today, the property is located within the Ephram White Park owned by the Warren County Fiscal Court. It was listed on the National Register on March 13, 2013.

The National Register application is available from the Kentucky Heritage Council (the Kentucky state agency charged with recommending sites for inclusion to the Interior Department) shows an interesting history to the Rose-Daughtry application itself. Originally recommended for inclusion in 2008, the application was returned to KHC for additional information. Apparently, the original application had both “technical and substantive” deficiencies. A major part that was lacking was the comparison and contrast between the typical features of regional farming sites and the applicant property. The application contains good insight for those preparing National Register applications.

Two Churches and a School Added to the National Register

St. James AME Church – Danville, Ky.
Source: NRHP File, Ky. Heritage Council.

On January 23, 2013, the National Park Service approved three Kentucky sites for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Two of the properties are historic African-American churches in Danville while the third is a historically black high school in Hopkinsville that has been closed since the 1980s.

Danville’s Second Street Christian Church and St. James AME Church remain as the town’s only African American congregations meeting in their historic buildings. Previously, the area of Danville was predominately African-American, but 1970-era urban renewal decimated the neighborhood identity.

St. James AME, 124 E. Walnut St., was organized shortly after the Civil War and the present building was completed in 1882 in the Gothic Revival style. Alterations through 1922, including the loss of a bell tower, largely changed the style of the structure to one characterized as Colonial Revival. It is the oldest continuously used African American church in Danville. (NRHP File 12001198, courtesy Ky. Heritage Council).

Second Street Christian Church – Danville, Ky.
Source: NRHP File, Ky. Heritage Council.

The Second Street Christian Church, 228 S. 2nd St., was erected in 1908 out of the newly popular concrete block. This inexpensive building material could be given texture through the use of stamped block faces which were generally available, including through the Sears Roebuck catalogue. With the exception of the obviously filled-in arched window (done in the 1960s), the exterior of the church remains largely unchanged. Originally constructed as the New Mission Baptist Church, the building was purchased by the Colored Christian Church (now the Second Street Christian Church) in 1927. (NRHP File 12001197, courtesy Ky. Heritage Council).

Attucks High School – Hopkinsville, Ky.
Source: Crispus Attucks Comm. Assoc.

Hopkinsville’s first African American school, the Attucks High School, 712 1st St., was built in 1906. In 1957, Christian County schools began the integration process which resulted in the conversion of this building to an integrated middle school in 1967. Since 1988, it has been vacant though an effort is underway to convert the historic structure into a community center. The materials of the two-story brick school were reclaimed from the Clay Street School and reformed into the present largely Italian Renaissance style structure at a cost of $17,640. The architect was John T. Waller and construction was completed by the Forbes Manufacturing Company (NRHP File 12001199, courtesy Ky. Heritage Council).

What is the National Register of Historic Places?

NRHP Plaque. Photo: Public Domain.

The National Register of Historic Places was begun in 1966 because “the historical and cultural foundations of the Nation should be preserved as a living part of our community life and development in order to give a sense of orientation to the American people.” 16 U.S.C. 470(b)(2). Through the National Preservation Act of 1966, the Department of the Interior was charged with compiling and maintaing a registry of significant American sites and places.

Each week, a new round of applications is approved. In order to be approved, an application must first be recommended by the state historic preservation office (SHPO). In Kentucky, the Kentucky Heritage Council (KHC) acts as our SHPO.

Since its inception, the KHC has conducted an ongoing Historic Resources Survey of historic places within the Commonwealth. To date, over 90,000 Kentucky locations have been surveyed. This comes as no surprise given Kentucky’s rich history.

Kentucky has also fared quite well when it comes to inclusion on the National Register. In fact, only three states (New York, Massachusetts, and Ohio) have more inclusions in the registry than the Commonwealth. The National Register includes 3,200 districts, sites, and structures with over 42,000 historic Kentucky features.

A board, the Kentucky Historic Preservation Board (KHPB), works in conjunction with the Kentucky Heritage Council to review and approve Kentucky-based applications for inclusion on the National Register. Meeting three times a year, the KHPB reviews applications for conformity with National Register guidelines.

C&O Railway Depot – Catlettsburg, Ky.

On May 17, the KHPB met at Lexington’s Spindletop Hall to approve seven applications for consideration. These locations are: Bybee House in Barren County, “Raccoon” John Smith House in Bath County, the C&O Railway Depot in Boyd County, both Spindletop Farm and Springview Farm in Fayette County, Jefferson County’s Jefferson Jacob School and Lustron House, and the Jefferson Street/Fountain Avenue District Expansion in McCracken County.

Copies of each site’s application are available from the KHC and we’ll be reviewing each individual application once included on the National Register.

Lexington’s Historic Veterans Affairs Hospital

I call on all Americans to come together to honor the men and women who gave their lives so that we may live free, and to strive for a just and lasting peace in our world. — President Barack Obama

Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Leestown Road – Lexington, Ky.
Photo: Cultural Resource Analysts, Inc., NRHP Application.

Lexington’s Leestown Road VA Medical Center was added earlier in the year to the National Register of Historic Places. As we recognize those who gave their “last full measure of devotion” in service to our country on this Memorial Day weekend, we note this registry inclusion of a facility that has treated countless members of the armed services since it opened in 1931.

Since the Pilgrims’ war with the Pequot indians in 1636, Americans have looked to honor and support their veterans and their families. These benefits and their method of delivery has certainly evolved over the past four hundred years. In 1930, President Franklin D. Roosevelt consolidated and coordinated veterans benefits through the creation of the Department of Veterans Affairs. That same year, construction was underway at the Leestown Road facility.

The Main Building, pictured above, is an impressive four-story atop raised basement, hip-roofed, multi-bay revivalist that is centrally located at the medical center. The focus of the building’s symmetrical design is a three-bay projecting pavilion with four terra cotta pilasters beneath the all-seeing oculus in the pediment’s tympanum. Until 1950, a wood and copper cupola towered above the pediment, but it was removed in 1950 after having been twice struck by lighting leaving only the cupola’s brick base.

The Main Building is one of eleven original buildings at the medical facility’s campus. Though it remains an active center of treatment, construction and development of the campus ceased in 1950 with a total of forty-one buildings of which the Main Building remains the largest and the most ornamental. In 1934, the facility was converted to a veterans’ neuropsychiatric facility which prompted the construction of many recreational facilities on the campus including a softball field, horseshoe pits and a miniature golf course.

Although the number of buildings at the Leestown VA have increased over the years, the overall acreage of the campus has decreased from an original 291 acres to only 135 acres today. With over 92,000 veterans in the Lexington service area, the hospital is an important component to caring for those who have served in uniform. The Leestown facility offers inpatient post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment, nursing home and hospice care, home-based primary care, prosthetics and orthotics, geriatrics, optometry, mental health, and substance abuse treatment.

Sources: NRHP Application, via Kentucky Heritage Council, VA History, VA Leestown, VA Memorial Day