A preservation group says the state's picturesque small towns are in danger of fading away. Preservation Kentucky's Most Endangered Historic Places for 2011 highlights the history being lost in small hamlets across the state. Part of the state's charm is towns such as Sadieville, Midway, Millersburg, Lynch, Marion and Perryville, said Rachel Kennedy, executive director of Preservation Kentucky, part of the Kentucky Heritage Council. Kennedy told The Lexington Herald-Leader that disinvestment in small towns is "a serious problem" in the state. The group noted that many historic places in small towns have ignored and allowed to deteriorate.
Using Sadieville as a case study, we recognize that disinvestment in these small towns is a serious problem," Kennedy said. "For example, when a historic school closes in small-town Kentucky that makes it more difficult to attract new residents and their investment in the town. It also makes it difficult to retain middle-class families and residents. The town treasury suffers these effects through a declining tax base and a lack of community spirit. Without positive change, a town like Sadieville could fade away.
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