Harrodsburg High School: This Place Matters

This beautiful school was completed in 1924 after careful planning by the Harrodsburg School Trustees making sure the costs did not exceed the budgeted $60,000.  Contractor Noland Wilson was responsible for the demolition of the Thompson/Bell/Harvey house that stood where the present school now stands.  Brick from the house was used in the new structure and the Matthew Lowery (local craftsman) woodwork was sold in the school office. Art Deco and Classic features, such as arched doorways and windows, and patterned brickwork, have made this school a place of pride for many generations. Surrounded by a beautiful stone wall (part dry stack and part WPA project) this site welcomed travelers into Harrodsburg on heavily traveled US 68, as it still does today.

This structure was a contributing factor in the listing of Lexington Street (US 68) on the National Register of Historic Places.

During the 1950s, a wing was added for the expanding population. In the 1990s another expansion brought more classrooms and laboratories, increasing the school capacity. Sadly the core of the school, the 1924 two-story wing, has been patched, compromised, and neglected.  Yet it still stands, sturdy and proud on top of the hill.  But its future looks dim. Will it be restored and repaired if only to be closed in the future? Can it be retrofitted for another purpose, while keeping features that make it so beautiful? Could it be used as a magnet school or something similar? Authorities have stated that this school, including all the wings, could be made the most energy-efficient school in the system. It is best suited and situated for transportation, bus, and traffic. What will happen to the athletic fields if this school closes?  

This decision is not about teachers but it is about education. Teaching our students, young and old, to appreciate our heritage, our sense of place, and respect and appreciate our historic treasures. Teaching that recycling, restoring, and saving what we have is better than neglecting or tearing it down. We can not reject our responsibility to pass on our rich heritage to present and future generations.  

This Place Matters.