Eastern Kentucky University’s Board of Regent voted nine to one this afternoon to take over ownership of White Hall State Shrine and its property. The house, built in 1798, was the home of Kentucky legislator and anti-slavery newspaper publisher Cassius Marcellus Clay.
The board action sets in motion the transfer of White Hall from State Parks to Eastern. Kentucky Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Don Parkinson says any facility is better managed locally than out of Frankfort. “You have this whole event group down here, conferencing group. They can program this. We’re not going to be able to do that at the state level. But, they have so many opportunities to do conferencing down here, it makes a lot of sense. And it’s a good educational opportunity for the students,” said Parkinson.
The state is providing $100,000 over two years in transition support. Parkinson says state funds will also go to cover one year of tourism related brochures and White Hall will remain on the state’s tourism website.
The only no vote on the deal came from EKU Faculty Regent Richard Day, who expressed concern about keeping up with maintenance costs. “I don’t think we can secure the building in the short term in the amount of money that we have to spend on it and therefore, I think the board needs to identify what maintenance funds should come into play in order to do that,” said Day.
The transition is expected to be finalized in a couple of months.?