Historic Preservation in Fayette County

Bettie Kerr presented an overview of historic preservation in Fayette County to the Forum class on March 29, 1998. Bettie is Director of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government's Division of Historic Preservation. Her presentation included slides which illustrated examples of five categories in which historic places in our community are recognized.

The historic marker closest to Second Presbyterian Church is two blocks away at Clay Villa on Forest Avenue.

The closest building on the National Register of Historic Places is us!

Also on the National Register is the Woodlands Historic District which begins a block away. It extends from Woodland Avenue to Ashland Avenue and Main Street to High Street and includes Woodland Park.

Lexington has 13 Historic Districts. Three are within a few blocks of Second Presbyterian:

The Bell Court Historic District begins a block away, across Main Street.

The South Ashland Avenue/Central Avenue Historic District begins four blocks away, down Central Avenue.

The Aylesford Historic District, Lexington's largest, begins just across Central Avenue behind the church.

All 13 Historic Districts are within two miles of Second. In the Historic Districts, changes in exterior appearence are subject to review for appropriateness.

Well preserved houses over 100 years old may receive a plaque from the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation.

There are many nearby and some, like the Rogers home, are within a block of the Church.

Lexington has three National Historic Landmarks:

Ashland, Home of Henry Clay, is one mile east.

Old Morrison, the administration building at Transylvania University, is one mile west.

Keenland Race Course is 6 miles west.