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The Kirkpatrick & Co Blog
Historic Homes
3 Books for Lovers of Kentucky Architecture
If you enjoy our historic architect series, you’ll love these three books on Kentucky’s architectural history. These titles are perfect for gifting and can be easily found at Joseph Beth or larger retailers.
Kentucky Barns: Agricultural Heritage of the Bluegrass by Carol Peachee
“From horses to tobacco to bourbon, the [...]
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December 3, 2024
H.W. Aldenburg | Bluegrass Architects to Know
Mirror Houses on N. Broadway
It was the last decade of the 19th century and business was booming for Lexington architect H.W. Aldenburg. With a roster of prominent clients, he and partner James R. Scott were constructing homes & buildings across the Bluegrass, from stone manses downtown to grand hotels like Winchester’s Brown-Proctoria.
Born in [...]
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November 19, 2024
Historic Home & Farm Research Q & A
We at Kirkpatrick & Co. take pride in our role as storytellers. We craft a narrative, graciously sharing the story of the property to potential buyers. This process requires tremendous preparation, from capturing photos and video to gathering historic details.
Our expert knowledge & historic home research add great value to [...]
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November 6, 2024
The Kirkpatrick & Co. Marketing Approach
The Kirkpatrick & Co. Approach | Marketing Your Home
Our full-service boutique brokerage is known for our bespoke marketing with just the right touch. We build a specific suite of marketing strategies customized for each property.
You can rest assured your property will be presented efficaciously & graciously– to a well-qualified group [...]
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October 16, 2024
Why are so many Bluegrass roads “mills”?
The Bluegrass, rich in flowing water, was once studded with historic mills. Today, many modern thoroughfares bear the names of these once essential hearts of commerce.
Most of the region’s mills were grist mills, used to process corn. The corn was then used for cooking, animal feed, or preserved through distillation [...]
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October 11, 2024
Thomas Metcalfe “Old Stone Hammer” | Building the Bluegrass
10th Kentucky Governor Thomas Metcalfe made an impressive mark on the Commonwealth both politically and architecturally. Metcalfe’s beginnings as a humble stonemason and later as a fierce politician left him with a well-earned nickname, “Old Stone Hammer.”
Raised in modest settings in Kentucky and his native Virginia, Metcalfe was apprenticed to [...]
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September 25, 2024
Morris L. Levy | Building the Bluegrass
Lexington, Kentucky developer, builder, & realtor Morris Levy was a significant shaper of the Bluegrass landscape.
Born in Kiev before the turn of the century, Levy immigrated to Cincinnati before finding work in Lexington as a tailor. By the 1920s, he was immersed in Bluegrass real estate. In 1949, his company, [...]
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July 18, 2024
Magdalen Harvey McDowell | Bluegrass Architects to Know
“In a day woman’s sphere was thought to be confined to the drawing room, the kitchen and the nursery, [she] sought an outlet for her genius in painting, architecture, kindred activities.” Obituary, The Lexington Herald
As a young woman in Louisville
Born in Fincastle, Virginia in 1829, Magdalen Harvey McDowell was a [...]
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July 9, 2024
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