Historic Context and Cultural Landscape Studies

The largest scale of contexts in Kentucky is the Cultural Landscape Studies. In the 1980s, the Kentucky Heritage Council devised the Cultural Landscape Study approach to help researchers find the appropriate basis for comparisons that support National Register evaluations. The Cultural Landscape Studies arise out of the observation that Kentucky has several distinct culturaltopographic regions and resources within each region share commonalities.

The Commonwealth is split into five geographic regions defined by geology, soils, and topography: Eastern Kentucky, the Bluegrass, Pennyrile, Jackson Purchase, and the Ohio River Cities. Each Cultural Landscape Study discusses the region’s history according to a standard set of historic themes: Agriculture, Architecture, Commerce, Education, Ethnic Heritage, Landscape, Manufacturing, Military Affairs, Politics/Public Service, Religion, Social and Cultural Activities.

The typical breakdown of historic eras throughout the state follows these historic time periods: 1780- 1820 (Settlement and Initial Development); 1821-1865 (Antebellum Regionalism); 1866-1917 (Postbellum Industrialism); 1918-1945 (Between the Wars); 1946-present (Modern Era).

The preservation community has developed the historic context as a tool to discern the significance of properties. It is a narrative used to shed light on which historic properties are most valuable, and which treatments are most appropriate for the historically significant properties. Historic context narratives bring together relevant information needed to assess which properties are most valuable to us and which are the best candidates for National Register listing. The historic context serves a vital planning function.