Bluegrass Culture, Commentary, & News
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Bluegrass Culture, Commentary, & News
Keene, Kentucky | Historic Bluegrass Hamlet
This small hamlet in Jessamine County was first known as “North Liberty.” It was later renamed “Keene” when several Keene, New Hampshire residents moved there. The vibrant community quickly grew to include a grist mill, hemp factory & rope walks, tailor, hatter & more.
19th century Business Directory Map of Keene, […]
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May 14, 2024
Herman L. Rowe | Bluegrass Architects to Know
1839-1913
Herman Rau was born in Genoa but educated in his homeland, Germany. After completing his degree in Stuttgart, he made his way to Chicago, anglicizing his name to “Rowe” and meeting his wife, Nellie.
Rowe was invited to supervise the building of “Old Main” at what is now the University of […]
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May 9, 2024
Martin Geertz | Bluegrass Architects to Know
Martin Geertz 1854-1946
Largely forgotten, the architect Martin Geertz’s handiwork has outlived his legacy in the Bluegrass. Some of his works have even been misattributed in recent years. Arriving in Lexington, Kentucky in the 1870s, Geertz quickly developed a reputation for his versatility, designing buildings including “apartment flats”, lovely estates, cottages, […]
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April 8, 2024
Paint the Town Chinese Vermillion! Vibrant Historic Paint Colors in Lexington
The Colorful Bluegrass
We’ve always known Lexington, Kentucky is a colorful place to live. We were surprised to find how literally true that was all along. From the earliest days in the “Athens of the West,” residents were enlivening their walls with punchy colors of paint.
Chinese Vermillion. Prussian Blue. Patent Yellow. […]
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March 7, 2024
Thomas Lewinski | Bluegrass Architects to Know
When Thomas Lewinski arrived in Lexington in 1842, he was among the first professional architects in the region that included Gideon Shryock & John McMurtry. Born in London to a Polish father and English mother, Lewinski had pursued the priesthood before finding he was more suited to military life. The […]
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February 26, 2024
Meet Alfred Cohen, Famed Bluegrass Muralist
Above, a young Martha Stewart trying her hand at painting a mural at her historic Turkey Hill farm
When marketing a historic home, we are always interested in a home’s decorative details. We document all the unique features as we help our clients seek a new steward. One detail we […]
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February 18, 2024
Preparing Your Farm for Sale
Selling a property successfully requires preparation and attention to detail. We at Kirkpatrick & Co. carefully guide our clients to ensure a desirable presentation. Much is written on improving curb appeal and staging when selling residential properties. (We’ve shared our best advice, too. And also here.)
Here are a few tips […]
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January 22, 2024
2023 Bluegrass Farm Market Report
Kirkpatrick & Co. is pleased to present our annual report on farm sales in the Bluegrass region. First, we’ll explore the statistics & trends in Lexington-Fayette County before turning our attention to the rest of the region. What was the average price per acre for farmland in Scott County? What […]
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January 20, 2024
Why buyers hate shoe booties
Decades of experience have taught us that buyers unconsciously shy away from properties with certain characteristics. Allow our expertise to help prevent these common seller pitfalls.
These features suggest to buyers that a seller might be challenging during negotiation or due diligence.
Requiring shoe booties at the door during a showing is […]
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January 19, 2024