HERITAGE ON THE HILL: HERITAGE TOURISM IN OWINGSVILLE, KENTUCKY By: Aleia Brown, & Jenna Stout F 2013 – S 2014

SCOPE  Project: Heritage Tourism Development  Location: Owingsville, Kentucky Located only 45 minutes from Lexington  Fieldwork: October 18-19, 2013 Courthouse Square Owings House

METHODOLOGY  Initial site visit  Historical background research  Second site visit  Oral history  Debriefing/Reflection  Writing Plan and Consulting with Community Members Top Photo: Miss Virginia & Friends Bottom Photo: Greencrest Cemetery

Heritage on the Hill

 Bourbon Furnace Founded circa 1791 Owned by Owings “ Iron Road” built to accommodate trade  Bourbon Furnace Founded circa 1791 Owned by Owings “ Iron Road” built to accommodate trade Historic Resources Owingsville is a small town with a rich history. Beginning in the late eighteenth century, the area was an important hub of iron trade.

Historic Resources Bypassed by New South industrialization and railroad development the architectural heritage of Owingsville central district remains largely intact.  ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE Survival of early residences National Register of Historic Places WPA  WHAT’S MISSING? 1893 fire in commercial district African American neighborhood Bank of Owingsville, built circa 1811 Bath County Middle School, built by the WPA Owingsville Rosenwald School Photo from Fisk University Rosenwald School Database, date unknown

Local Tourism Potential  Traditional festivals and local events  May Day Festival  Farmer’s Market  Heritage trails  Civil War  Midland Trail  Iron Trail  Quilt Trail  Architecturally Appealing Townscape  National Register district  Historic Cemeteries

Community Resources  Limited development  Limited infrastructure  “Dry” County  Isolationism StrengthsChallenges  Mayor incentivizing small business growth  Successful track record with small projects  Opportunity for clean living, hitting the reset button  Strong advocates working to build tourism while maintaining community integrity

PROPOSAL GOALS  Identifying a starting point  Optimize web presence  Strengthen existing resources  Build partnerships  Helping Owingsville find direction for the future  Develop untapped resources  Build community infrastructure

PROPOSAL  Interpretive Recommendations  Build a more inclusive narrative  Emphasize Owingsville’s role in the regional and national narrative  Tourism Development Recommendations:  Redesign walking tour and develop signage  Capitalize existing markets  Revitalize and raise regional profile of festivals  Connect regionally through existing trails Above: “Pap” Ruff Memorial, Owingsville Cemetery

The Jailhouse Creating Interpretive Community Space

Needs Structural Assessment…

Adaptive Reuse

Reflections and Personal Challenges  The challenges of integrating narrative  Heritage tourism and its many meanings Aleia Brown- Jenna Stout-