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| A senior architectural historian with the UK archaeological survey is asking for drawings like the one above to show the layout of old Crittenden County crossroads communities. |
"I will give a copy of the report to both the library and the historical society," said Janie-Rice Brother, who visited the county several times as a part of the Preservation Kentucky-sponsored survey project. "Copies of the survey forms will be at the historical society."
A website with similar information is also in the works.
Brother, along with other architectural historians, received a grant to survey barns, farms, houses, schools, churches and even commercial sites in both Livingston and Crittenden counties. Though the federal grant was small, $8,800, Brother said the previous lack of sites surveyed in Crittenden County alone piqued an interest in heading west from Lexington.
"We felt there was a great need," she said recently.
Prior to the surveys being completed and compiled by Brother, Crittenden County ranked 119th of Kentucky's 120 counties in number of surveyed sites. The primary focus of documenting architecturally historic sites was on farms, barns, other rural structures and even former crossroads communities.
“Agriculture is such a big part of Kentucky,” said Brother, the daughter of a Kentucky farmer.
She said completion of the reports is not only a means of documenting historical structures before they deteriorate, it’s the first step to achieving designation on the National Register of Historic Places, which allows property owners certain tax exemptions.
Brother said there are many sites the team of architectural historians did not get to survey in the county, but the small grant limited the time and resources they could dedicate. If more money becomes available, she plans to return and survey a list of sites she has kept in mind.
She is also soliciting information on Mexico, as well as other small communities.
“What would be awesome is if someone could draw out what used to be in these little towns,” Brother said. “It really gives you a sense of how things have changed.”
She can be reached at janie-rice.brother@uky.edu or (859) 257-1944.
