Effort Begins to Preserve Buildings in Denmark

16 Mar 2017


Community Development

As Debra Parmenter reaches the crest of the hill, she brings her white SUV to a stop along the dusty, country road.

For just a moment, she pauses to take in the view.

“As I come over this hill, I just have a sense of peace and belonging,” Parmenter says, looking across the sweeping dale. “And I think about the early settlers, mostly of Danish descent, and how they looked down across this valley, and how it reminded them of their homeland. That’s why they named it Denmark. It reminded them a lot of the topography of the area they were from.”

Soon, she takes her foot off the brake, easing the vehicle down the hill toward the agricultural community originally settled in the 1870s.

But today, the town of Denmark is only a mere shell of its former self.

Abandoned limestone buildings stand as reminders of a once-thriving community. For years, these buildings were left to fade away, taking with them the small town’s history and heritage.

But if Parmenter has anything to say about it, she will keep the community’s legacy alive.

After years spent watching Denmark’s buildings fall into disrepair, she decided to do something about it.

For the rest of the story, visit: http://livelincolncounty.com/effort-begins-preserve-buildings-denmark/