The ceremony is outside at the serene and historic Gratz Park. See below for some fun and very interesting history about the place we plan to say “I do” . We hope you find it as intriguing and beautiful of a place as we do! Parking is very limited surrounding Gratz park. Please make sure you adhere to parking regulation signs. Please no parking on the grass. Ceremony is outside so please plan accordingly! History and Park Design The Gratz Park Historic District occupies a tract of land that was established in 1781 as Outlot #6 when the town plat was prepared that year by order of the Virginia Assembly. In 1793 Transylvania Seminary purchased the lot as the site for its Lexington campus. In 1816 a large three-story structure, designed by Matthew Kennedy, Kentucky’s first architect, was built at the northern end of the lot to serve as the main building for Transylvania Seminary. Following the destruction of that building by fire in 1829, the Transylvania campus moved across Third Street to its present location. Only one building from this original campus remains, which is often referred to as “The Kitchen.” People began building private residences on the perimeter of this area in the 1790s. Gratz Park is named for early Lexington businessman Benjamin Gratz. In 1824 Gratz bought the home on the corner of Mill and New Streets, and the home remained in the Gratz family until 1984. Gratz was a businessman, a trustee of Transylvania, a member of the city council, a founder of Lexington’s first public library, and a founder of the Lexington Ohio Railway. Arch replica and original gates During the Civil War, the lot was used as a parade ground and bivouac for Union and Confederate troops. In the decade after the Civil War the lot fell into neglect – full of tall weeds and a hangout for local ruffians. In 1875, Howard Gratz, the son of Benjamin Gratz and the publisher of The Kentucky Gazette, took it upon himself to improve the open green space by selling subscriptions to fund the improvements. Among other things, a wrought iron fence was placed around the entire perimeter with double gates at the four corners. In 1879, Mr. H. M. Sanford donated the arches placed at the four corners. The arch that is now in the park is an exact replica. The attached gates are original. Howard Gratz’s improvements were finished by 1876. The park was dedicated on September 4, 1876 as Centennial Park, but the name was later changed to Benjamin Gratz Park. During the 25 years after the park was officially named, it was the center of community gatherings. Horse shows, band concerts, public meetings, and militia drills were among the activities. Howard Gratz continued to care for this property owned by Transylvania until the turn of the century. In the 1890s, he planted many of the park’s tulip poplars after a great storm had ravaged the older trees. When Andrew Carnegie offered the city of Lexington $60,000 to build a library, the city fathers decided that Gratz Park was the best location. They negotiated with Transylvania and paid $9000 for the land to place the building in the southern portion of the park. Anderson Gratz, son of Howard Gratz and grandson of Benjamin Gratz, opposed this location for the Carnegie Library. He had GPNA Famous Faces (2)become a very successful busi in St. Louis, and he offered to purchase land anywhere else in the city as an alternative site for the library. His failure to save the southern portion of the park only further encouraged him to preserve the northern end of the park. In the first years of the twentieth century, the Transylvania Board of Trustees devised a plan to subdivide the park green space for homes. In 1915, Anderson Gratz offered to pay $21,000 to Transylvania for the northern portion of the park if the city of Lexington would also pay $10,000 to the college. After a fairly lengthy period of negotiation and indecision, the city agreed in 1917 to follow this plan. Under the agreement, the city accepted Anderson Gratz’s generous donation with his restriction that the land of Gratz Park could never have buildings placed within the green space. The park thus remains largely as it has been for over a century. In 1958 Gratz Park was named the first local historic district in Lexington, as well as of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Today the park is maintained by the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government Division of Parks and Recreation httpss://www.gratzpark.org/?page_id=24

The reception is just a few short blocks from the ceremony location. There is a parking garage to the right of The Melodeon, as well as parking available across and on side streets. Bites and desserts will be served . There will be a cash bar inside The Melodeon and the Grove beer garden is also open for anyone over 21. It’s quite the sight to see! So throw on your best glad rags and come have a ring a ding ding of a time! Mingle, dance, eat have a giggle water or two and let your hair down! See below for some history about this wildly cool historic building! Melodeon Hall is also referred to as the historic McAdams and Morford Building. Throughout the history of this structure, it has consistently housed multiple commercial uses such as wholesale retail and drug stores, a college education center, and an entertainment center including a theatre and lounge. This building is noted as a landmark in the growth of Lexington’s commerce and culture, but is noted most importantly as the building with the richly designed and outstanding cast iron façade. Around 1817 the lot was occupied by a two-story pharmacy building (the first pharmacy on this lot), built by the pharmacist George W. Norton. This building would be occupied by various pharmacies for the next 162 years. In 1849, Norton demolished the two-story building and replaced it with a three-story masonry structure that showcased an Italianate cast iron façade. A year later, in 1850, the building was open to the public. The Norton pharmacy operated on the first floor while the second and third floors were occupied by the great hall, also known as Melodeon Hall. The hall was a popular social event space for the public to convene for entertainment. This theatre caught the attention of renowned performers and important public figures to utilize as a platform for public speeches. In 1884, the theatre closed and Melodeon Hall became the main location for the Commercial College of Kentucky University for 35 years under the direction of General Wilbur R. Smith. Following the closing of the college, various other businesses were located within the old theatre section of the building. Between the dates of 1904- 1921, businesses such as a shoe shop, a dry goods store, photographers, and lawyers occupied the space. In 1904, the Harry K. McAdams and J.W. Morford partnership bought the structure for $32,275.00 and utilized the space for another pharmacy. Around 1969, The Urban Renewal and Community Development Agency of the City of Lexington was removing the “undesirable” buildings and neighborhoods, including those that make up the historic fabric of Lexington, in the hopes of redevelopment. William Lucas, the owner of McAdams and Morford at the time, sent a letter to President Richard Nixon, asking for a reprieve of this 120-year-old structure. Lucas succeeded in preventing the destruction of the building. Not long after, the building was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. After his success, Lucas continued to operate the space as a drug store until 1993. In 1994 his son, William Lucas Jr. sold the property to its current owner, BCM Inc. In 2021, Harvey’s Bar and Hugo’s Ultra lounge occupy the old McAdams and Morford pharmacy with storage spaces on the second and third floor. On the second and third floor, there is a wall that separates Harvey’s and Hugo’s from additional businesses. These businesses include Ancora Massage and a salon named the Suites of the Bluegrass on Main. The Suites of the Bluegrass on Main occupies the old theatre (Melodeon Hall) space. Fun history courtesy of tourthehistorybluegrass.com