Historic Contexts

What is a historic context?

A historic context is a narrative that includes information based on a cultural theme, specific chronological period and defined geographic area. It describes broad patterns of community development – considering history, architecture, archaeology, engineering and culture, and identifies specific resource types such as buildings, structures, sites, objects and/or districts that represent those patterns of development.

A cultural theme is considered significant if it can be demonstrated, through scholarly research, to be important to the development of a community. Examples of cultural themes include agriculture, commerce, education, community settlement, ethnic heritage, industry, military activity, religion, politics/government, social history and transportation.

A historic context may be represented by a variety of significant property types. For example, the context "The Timber Boom in Eastern Kentucky, 1890-1920" could include such diverse historic property types as sawmills, logging camp sites, workers housing, schools, social halls, churches, general stores and railroad stations.

A historic context serves as a vital planning tool. It provides direction for evaluating and protecting significant resources and identifying the location, condition and significance of each resource. Historic contexts can help define the focus of planning priorities, goals and strategies.

Historic Context Access | E-Library

Most of the Cultural Historic & Context reports we have can be found in our E-Library (or electronic library). The E-Library is a digital platform that provides access to a vast collection of information on Kentucky’s historic places. The E-Library contains documents like Survey Forms, Cultural Historic Reports, National Register Nominations, and other useful resources. These digitized documents are accessible online through the Box platform and allow users to access materials at any time.

Basic Users | The KHC E-Library offers easy access to a wide range of resources without requiring a login. While it does not include search capabilities, you can freely explore and view available content from anywhere.