Renovation to turn old tobacco barn into new visitor’s center at Old Friends underway

GEORGETOWN, Ky. (WTVQ) — A renovation to convert an old tobacco barn into a new visitor’s center at Old Friends in Georgetown is underway after garnering $150,000.

The nonprofit thoroughbred retirement facility will call its new visitor’s center the Ms. Josephine Abercrombie Center. The renovation is sponsored in part by Josephine Abercrombie’s Pin Oak Foundation, named in honor of the late owner of Pin Oak Stud in Versailles, which will match up to $750,000 in donations.

So far, $150,000 for the project has been raised, including $50,000 by the Georgetown/Scott County Tourism board.

Pin Oak Stud’s Clifford Barry says that the concept of building such a facility at Old Friends is something Abercrombie would have truly liked.

“Ms. Abercrombie had entrusted us with some charitable endeavors, and after her passing, we felt like this was something that was very close to her heart and something she’d be very passionate about. Through her whole life it had been about the care of the horse,” said Barry. “And, this is a wonderful way to honor her name and her legacy here in the Bluegrass.”

When complete, the new center will be broken up into three spaces. One side will be large monitors for race viewing and the other will be a stage for things like handicapping seminars, symposiums, guest speakers and more.

There will also be a display space showcasing a collection of horse-racing memorabilia, artwork and racing trophies donated to Old Friends by the Bobby Frankel Estate.

To donate for the center’s construction, head here: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/old-friends-inc/barn-renovation-matching-donations