What does it mean to preserve?

Dictionary definition:
1. to keep alive or in existence;
2. to keep safe from harm or injury.

In simple terms that is what the James Harrod Trust for Historic Preservation in Harrodsburg and Mercer County endeavors to do—keep our history, historic buildings, historic sites, cemeteries and stories alive and in existence and safe from harm and injury. How? A few of the ways we have accomplished this are:

*We have tried to raise awareness through newspaper articles and calendars using historic photos of the amazing historic character our community is fortunate to have.

*We have also bought, with grant or gifted money, buildings in poor repair and restored or sold to those who will restore the buildings.

*We have published “Women of Mercer County” which is basically an oral history written by local citizens telling the stories of women from our past who contributed to our lives. We are now collecting stories of Mercer County men.

*We maintain the McAfee Cemetery, early pioneer cemetery as well as Greenville Springs, site of the one of the first medicinal springs of Mercer County.

* We conduct a Cemetery Tour every year in which local citizens portray characters that had an interesting life or story and are now buried in Spring Hill Cemetery. History comes alive!

*We have received grants to survey, or document, historic outbuildings and barns in the northern part of our county. We hope to continue this survey to the rest of the county.


These are just a few of the things we have accomplished but we have so much more to do:

*We need to get into our school systems so that our young people will recognize their history and its importance.

*We need to implement historic zoning so that our historic properties and character will be protected

*We need to sponsor workshops to help homeowners understand how to preserve, maintain and protect their historic homes. As well as workshops on tax credits, window restorations, and general problems with older homes. It is the GREEN thing to do—restoration is the finest example of recycling!

*We need to recognize property owners who continue to love and preserve their properties.

The list goes on and on and you, dear reader, are probably thinking of other ways we could promote preservation. Please share them with us, join our cause; because once we lose our historic character, that which gives Harrodsburg/Mercer County its identity, we can’t get it back. It is a beautiful community with rich history, we need to keep it alive and in existence.

Helen Dedman, Chair, James Harrod Trust
PO Box 158
Harrodsburg, KY 40330