Preserve Paris KY

04/09/2026

A perk to a well-preserved downtown - being featured in a Christmas movie! 🎥 🎄 ❄️

04/06/2026

03/29/2026

This weekend was a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do. 💛

On Saturday morning, Hopewell Museum / Historic Paris-Bourbon County, Paris-Bourbon County Public Library and The Garden Club of Kentucky, Inc. welcomed local children and families to the historic Wallis House for an Easter egg hunt filled with laughter, community, and new memories made on historic grounds. Moments like these bring our shared spaces to life - connecting the next generation to the stories that shaped Paris. 🐣

Later that evening, we gathered to celebrate the grand opening of Hotel Thoroughbred - a stunning transformation of the former Hinton Building. This project is a powerful example of what historic preservation can achieve. Rather than losing a piece of our past, we’ve given it new purpose - fueling local pride, economic growth, and a sense of place that simply can’t be replicated. 🐎

Preservation isn’t just about saving buildings - it’s about investing in our community today. It creates vibrant spaces where families gather, businesses thrive, and history remains a living, breathing part of everyday life. 🏛️

Weekends like this remind us: when we preserve our past, we strengthen our future.

03/29/2026

Congratulations to one of our founders, Chris Poynter, on the opening of his downtown Paris KY hotel! It is beautiful, thoughtful and what preservation is all about. And, congratulations to one of our other founders, Kathy Werking, on catering this event. The food and service were incredible!

Hotel Thoroughbred

01/03/2026

🏛️ Founder Highlight: Kathy Werking

Rounding out our series is the creative spark of Preserve Paris, Kathy Werking!

With a Ph.D. in communication and a heart for service, Kathy is the ultimate community connector. She believes that a town’s strength lies in its culture and the stories we tell together.

⭐️ Art with a Mission
As the owner of Art on High and founder of the non-profit On the Move Art Studio, Kathy uses creativity to build bridges. She’s spent years bringing art education to underserved youth and fostering local talent through the Hopewell Creative Arts Guild.

⭐️ The Community Builder
Kathy is a champion for our local economy and the "Made in Paris" movement. Her focus is always on:
• Fostering Connection: Ensuring every resident feels a sense of belonging.
• Academic Perspective: Bringing a thoughtful, research-backed approach to how we grow.
• Creative Stewardship: Using art to keep our historic spaces vibrant and full of life.

"A town without its history is like a canvas without its base layer. We preserve Paris because our historic architecture provides the color, the texture, and the identity that make our community a masterpiece."

⭐️ Why we love having her:
Whether she’s serving on the board of the Hopewell Museum or organizing a local supply drive, Kathy’s empathy and vision ensure that our downtown heartbeat stays front and center.

Leave a ❤️ in the comments to thank Kathy for bringing so much heart to Paris!

01/02/2026

🏛️ Founder Highlight: Dr. Nimalie Yarem

Next in our series is Nimalie Yarem, a founding member of Preserve Paris who brings a world-class scientific perspective and a deep love for local history to our mission.

As a dedicated Infectious Disease Doctor, Nimalie has spent her career focusing on the health and safety of communities. Now, she’s applying that same dedication to the "health" and longevity of our historic hometown.

⭐️ Scientific Precision meets Local History

In the medical world, details matter, and Nimale brings that same analytical, care-focused approach to our board. Her impact stretches across the community:
• Hopewell Museum Board: Nimale serves on the board of the Hopewell Museum, ensuring our local stories and artifacts are preserved with the same care she gives her patients.
• Community Wellness: She understands that a vibrant, preserved downtown is a key ingredient for a healthy, thriving community.
• A Legacy of Care: Just as she advocates for public health, she is a fierce advocate for the architectural soul of Paris.

"Preservation is about more than just aesthetics; it’s about sustaining the heritage and the environment that keep our community strong."

⭐️ Why we love having her:
Nimalie’s ability to balance a demanding medical career with her leadership at the Museum and Preserve Paris is an inspiration. She reminds us that protecting our past is a vital part of building a vibrant future.

Drop a ❤️ in the comments to thank Dr. Yarem for her expertise and her heart for Paris!

01/01/2026

🏛️ Founder Highlight: Chris Poynter

Next up in our series is Chris Poynter, a Paris native whose passion is literally etched into the brick and mortar of Main Street.

From the newsrooms of The Courier-Journal to leading global PR for Woodford Reserve, Chris has traveled the world, but his heart never left Bourbon County.

⭐️ The Crown Jewel: Hotel Thoroughbred

Chris’s most ambitious project yet! Opening in Spring 2026, this boutique hotel is a masterclass in preservation, proving that our historic buildings are the ultimate engine for our future economy.

⭐️ A Family Legacy

Preservation is a family affair for Chris. Alongside his parents, Darrell and Debbie, and husband, Andy Embry, he has breathed new life into icons like the Robneel Building and the Paris Train Depot.

"We don't just see old buildings; we see the soul of our hometown."

⭐️ Why we’re lucky to have him:

The Visionary: Awarded by Preservation Kentucky for architectural excellence.

Community Builder: Board member for Secretariat Park.

Paris Proud: Ensuring visitors who come for the horses stay for our history and hospitality.

Drop a 🥂 in the comments to celebrate Chris’s "can-do" spirit!

12/31/2025

Founder Highlight: Erin Diggs

To begin our Meet The Founders series is founding member Erin Diggs, a relatively new resident of Bourbon County who pairs a love for small, rural communities (like the one she grew up in in Indiana) with high-level professional expertise.

By day, Erin excels in Capital Equipment Medical Sales. While that might seem worlds away from historic brick and mortar, she brings a powerhouse skill set to the Preserve Paris board.

⭐️ Professional Precision Meets Preservation

Erin’s corporate background is critical for our mission. She brings:

Strategic Planning: Helping us navigate the "big picture" of smart growth and long-term planning.

High-Level Negotiation: A formidable advocate when working with building owners and officials to protect our local assets, while being focused on the well being of our community members.

Results-Driven Leadership: Bringing the “get it done” attitude to our group’s initiatives.

⭐️ Heart for the "Small-Town Soul"

For Erin, this work is personal. Whether she’s serving on our board or the HPBC/Hopewell Museum board, she is dedicated to ensuring Paris remains a place where everyone feels heard and at home.

"Preserving Paris is about protecting the stories and the sense of belonging that make our community home. It’s also about how that protection translates into sustainable economic viability, affordable housing, and overall downtown development."

Why we love having her: She’s the perfect bridge between professional strategy and small-town warmth.

Drop a 🙌 in the comments to thank Erin for her dedication to our town!

12/31/2025

In 2025, Gardens to Gables’ most popular post was about sudden demolition of the W.B. Erringer House in downtown Paris, Kentucky.

This wasn’t the way we wanted to make history, but it was the moment that changed everything.

Did the house need to come down? Was there a viable alternative to demolition? We don’t know. And that’s the problem. Decisions about a piece of our shared history were made quietly, and once the dust settled, it was too late.

That moment became the catalyst for the founding of Preserve Paris.

Preserve Paris exists to advocate for:
✔️ Expanding the city’s historic district
✔️ Public notice when demolition is proposed
✔️ A 45-day pause period within the historic district, giving the community time to learn, ask questions, and explore alternatives that could potentially save a building.

Expanding the historic district isn’t about stopping progress. It’s about guiding it responsibly. Inclusion in the district opens property owners to valuable state and federal tax credits that help fund repairs and restorations. Preservation work creates local jobs, strengthens heritage tourism, and reinvests in the long-term economic health of our downtown.

Most importantly, it protects what makes Paris Paris.

Historic downtowns are the heartbeat of small communities. Once these buildings are gone, they’re gone forever, and with them, the stories, craftsmanship, and sense of place that can’t be replicated.

Preserve Paris believes our community deserves transparency, participation, and a seat at the table when it comes to decisions that shape our shared landscape. Knowing what’s happening - before it happens - matters.

Protecting historic downtown Paris isn’t optional. It’s essential. It’s vital. And, it’s worth advocating for.

https://www.gardenstogables.com/demolition-files-w-b-erringer-house-1105-main-street-paris-kentucky/?

A surprise demolition last Thursday in the Downtown Paris Historic District provides credence to some tired truths.* The circa 1875 W. B. Erringer House, demolished at the behest of its own…