Historic Homes in Mercer County

National Register of Historic Places

“The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources. 

Listing in the National Register of Historic Places provides formal recognition of a property’s historical, architectural, or archeological significance based on national standards used by every state. Under Federal Law, the listing of a property in the National Register places no restrictions on what non-federal owners may do with their property up to and including destruction, unless the property is involved in a project that receives Federal assistance, usually through funding or licensing/permitting.

National Register listing does not lead to public acquisition or require public access. A property will not be listed if, for individual properties, the owner objects, or for districts, a majority of property owners object. National Register listing does not automatically invoke local historic district zoning or local landmark designation. “

How to list a property on the National Register.

Frances Keightley began a Historic Sites Survey of Mercer County in 1966. Since that date, a number of people have worked with the Kentucky Heritage Council to identify all the sites worthy of preservation in Mercer County. The Kentucky Heritage Council made it a county-by-county, federally assisted project to photograph, research, and map all the buildings and sites that contribute to the cultural heritage of the state.

More than 70 sites were identified, nominated and listed on the national Register of Historic Places from the Mercer County survey. Mercer County’s National Historic Register List includes an archeological site, homes, monuments, churches, public buildings, historic districts, a dam and a state park. The sites have architectural, social, historical, military, commercial, and educational and/or political significance.

This page showcases a photo of most of these sites, with a link to a brief description and an additional link to the application submitted to the National Register of Historic Places. The application gives more in depth coverage of a historic site’s history and architecture, frequently with additional photos and drawings.