This year Blue Grass Trust (BGT) is celebrating 70 years of education, advocacy, and historic preservation in the Central Kentucky area.

Today, we're sharing our conversation with BGT Executive Director Jonathan Coleman to learn a little bit more about the group behind those famous bronze signs adorning historical places.

About BGT

BGT is a donor-funded nonprofit that aims to protect + promote special historic buildings in the community. “Basically, we’re a group of concerned citizens, with a mission to educate, provide service, and mostly to advocate for preservation,” said Coleman.

“We want to make preservation accessible for everyone. We don't care if it's a 1950s bungalow or 1700s mansion,” he added. The group can lead you to available historic tax credits or people who can properly renovate older homes.

Buildings must be at least 50 years old to be eligible for a BGT plaque. | Photo by LEXtoday

The signs

We see them everywhere, but what exactly do the plaques represent? “It's basically a way to sort of shift one's focus to think about the house. It's not just bricks and mortar, it actually represents something that's part of the fabric of a larger community,” Coleman said. Find out how to become a part of the Plaque Program.

Celebrating 70 years

In celebration of this milestone, BGT is launching a year-long series of events + special programs aimed at bringing the community together to reflect on the past, present, and future of Kentucky's preservation efforts. Here's how you can get involved this year and beyond:

Become a member — the group receives no regular city, state, or federal funding, so local support + membership is key.
Check out its deTours — learn about sites that make the Bluegrass special, held the first Wednesday of every month at 6:00 p.m.
Take a self-guided walking tour
Share your stories, photos, and artifacts for the Blue Grass Trust History Harvest
Be on the lookout for 70th Anniversary Founders' Day in July
Learn more about the earliest stone and log structures in Fayette County with the "Tour the Historic Bluegrass" program launching this summer