Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, the creative force behind 21c Museum Hotels, have found success by using their passion and intuition as a guide in hospitality, farming, preservation, philanthropy, investing and collecting contemporary art.
We’re delighted to congratulate them as recipients of this year’s ‘Linda Bruckheimer Excellence in Rural Preservation Award’ from Preservation Kentucky for their preservation and transformation of Hermitage Farm, just up the road from our Louisville headquarters in scenic Goshen, Kentucky.
The Excellence in Rural Preservation Award honors preservation leaders, projects, or programming devoted to preserving Kentucky’s important rural heritage. This includes small town preservation, barn and farmland preservation, rural heritage-based education projects, and historic architectural or archaeological survey and National Register of Historic Places work intended to preserve rural properties.
Together, Steve Wilson and Laura Lee Brown purchased 700 acres of land named Hermitage Farm in 2010 to ensure it would not be turned into a housing development. Over the past 14 years, they have successfully transformed the farm into a world-renowned Thoroughbred horse operation and a scenic location for weddings and events. They are also in the process of creating a full bourbon experience, as well as farm to table dining options.
“Steve and I are very honored to receive this recognition,” said Laura Lee Brown. “Land conservation is one of our core values. Kentucky’s beautiful, wide open green spaces are its most valuable asset.”
Kudos to our founders for their dedication to preserving the spaces that make Louisville and Kentucky a better place.
