SE Bluegrass News

Banther: Farristown preservation moving ahead

Berea City Council members heard a report from Farristown resident Aaron Banther, who has assumed a leadership role in the effort to preserve the Farristown community. The community is a historically African American, agricultural hamlet that predates Berea College, Banther noted.

Banther reported that there have been two meetings in recent months about the preservation of Farristown. Since efforts began, the project has also received a grant from the Kentucky Historical Society to conduct oral interviews about the community. A team of six people are conducting interviews of descendants and families, getting a sense of what the community was like, Banther said. Berea College will be the repository of those records.  

Banther also told council members he has had discussions with administrators at Farristown Middle School to find ways to engage students concerning the history of the community, and he spoke with the teacher there who leads the school’s history club. Club members are expected to participate in the on-going effort to restore the Farristown Cemetery.  

In other developments, $5,500 has been raised to deploy a welcome sign to alert visitors of Farristown’s unique history. That may complement tentative plans for a three-acre park, which would be dedicated to the families of Farristown. “There’s an opportunity there and I think people would really appreciate that,” Banther said.  He suggested there could be interpretive markers in the park representing the original families of Farristown, including photos and stories.

Caudill expressed hope that Banther would come back in the future to update council members, while Cora Jane Wilson, Jerry Little, and Teresa Scenters thanked Banther for the work he is doing. Jim Davis added he hoped Banther would contact him regarding the repair of headstones in the Farristown Cemetery. Councilmember Katie Startzman, meanwhile, expressed hope the city will research Banther’s idea to extend sidewalks in Farristown to make it more pedestrian and tourist accessible. Banther asserted that a Farristown community that has historical markers and places of interest could aid the city’s efforts to draw tourists to town.

In concluding his report, Banther acknowledged that the city has other priorities, but he urged council members to continue their support to preserve the history of Farristown.

Mayor Fraley praised Banther’s efforts and vowed to continue the work of historical preservation. “His talents in historic preservation and grassroots community building are a natural gift,” Fraley said. “So, I appreciate the work that you are doing, and again, Farristown history is Berea history. We’re here to support you and walk the path with you together,” Fraley told Banther.

The next Berea City Council meeting is slated for November 1.

Original source can be found here.