11 Most Endangered
Country Estates of River Road
Year Listed: 1999
Location: Kentucky
Current Status: Endangered
Threat: Development, Neglect
The wooded bluffs along the Kentucky shore of the Ohio River have always attracted those in search of scenic beauty and bucolic peace. Between the 1870s and the 1930s, families whose names constitute a "who's who" of local political power and social prominence employed well-known architects and landscape architects (including Carrere and Hastings and the Olmsted Brothers) to design homes and gardens in the River Road area. The product of their handiwork is a beautiful enclave of rolling hills, sweeping vistas, lush gardens and stately homes that vividly evokes the era of the country estate. Now, however, the tranquility of River Road has been shattered. A proposed multi-lane highway and bridge would bisect two historic districts and could trigger suburban sprawl in the area; in addition, a planned water treatment facility would introduce five-story-tall industrial structures into this pastoral setting.
Update
While federal reviews for the multi-lane highway loop continue, a planned eastern alignment -- which would induce the most damage -- is still in the works. This eastern beridge would trigger sprawl and would adversely impact the Country Estates. Environmental and preservation activists are participating in the review process and are advocating for a downtown bridge.
