The Design Committee creates an attractive, coordinated and quality image of the community by capitalizing on its unique assets and heritage.

Preservation Spotlight

This is a "before" photo of Ripley's famous SOB (Save Our Buildings) buildings. Located on lower Main Street in the area of Phase One of the downtown revitalization project. In 1997 these two buildings at the left were damaged by fire and there was a demolition order against them. Eleven couples in Ripley banded together to purchase the buildings. They had the demolition order lifted and began restoration. The brick buildings are of Federal style and date from the 1820's. One of the buildings was owned by Eli Collins, one of Ripley's early and leading abolitionists in the Undergroud Railroad movement. Located in the flood plain, had they been demolished, only an elevated structure could have been built in their place.

The "after" photo of the "SOB" buildings appears above. All important architectural elements were retained or restored. Now you can see a vibrant area of the historic district. The building at the left is leased to an area hospital and a new family practice physician is now in her third year of business practicing medicine in Ripley. The red building to the right is a three apartment dwelling.

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