Author: thekaintuckeean

In Memorium, Paintsville style.

World War I Memorial – Paintsville, Ky.

This Memorial Day, we remember those who have fallen in service to our country. Kentuckians have served nobly since the days of the Revolution and they continue to do so today.

World War I Memorial – Paintsville, Ky.

In county seats across Kentucky, memorials are dedicated to those who valiantly gave their lives to defend America. Many are simple markers or tableaus, while others are ornate works of art. I have always been particularly fond of the memorial to the World War I memorial on the Johnson County courthouse lawn in Paintsville.

Solemnly with love, honor and respect, do we hereby dedicate this memorial to the memory of the soldiers, sailors, marines and nurses who gave their lives in the cause of this great Nation. To them there is no death, they live forever in the memory of their glorious achievement.

 The beautiful memorial is unique – I have seen no other like it. Unfortunately, I can find little history on this gem. From a central column emerges the bust of an upward looking doughboy, holding a downward-pointing sword, which rests atop a simple Celtic cross. Perhaps the soldier is in prayer for his fallen comrades? Below, etched into the sides of a two tiered platform are the names of the battles from the Great War: Chateau Thierry. Argonne Forest. Belleau Wood. Soissons. St. Mihiel.

What was once the Great War has become the Forgotten War. On NPR’s Fresh Air, I heard an interview (listen here) this weekend of Richard Rubin, the author of The Last of the Doughboys. In the interview, Rubin was asked why World War I is largely forgotten from the American conscience. His response:

You know, that’s a very interesting question because once upon a time, that was not so. If you walk around with your eyes open, you’ll quickly discover that there are more monuments and memorials in this country to World War I than to any other war. But the war was also a terribly traumatic experience for this country. You have to remember that Americans were in that war for only about 19 months, and yet in that time, we lost 117,000 men. It was a terribly traumatic experience, and afterwards, America withdrew into itself. And then, of course, the Great Depression came along and World War II, and the Great War got pushed further back in our national consciousness.

May we never forget.

Wine and Vine Fest is a jewel for Jessamine County

Kentucky Wine & Vine Festival – Nicholasville, Ky.

Though I’ve lived in Nicholasville since 2004, I’ve never experienced one of her grandest events because a scheduling conflict has always found a way to keep me from Nicholasville and the Kentucky Wine & Vine Fest. That is, until this year.

Last Saturday, I cycled from home to the large white tents at York and Oak streets where a significant crowd had already gathered. Judging from the license plates, many locals were joined by citizens of several Kentucky counties and even those from a handful of states. This festival has truly become a destination for many.

And it is clear why. Throughout the day, live music filled the air. As I listened to people in the crowd, words like tannins and bouquets or dry and semi-sweet punctuated conversations. The festival-goers certainly were appreciating some good grape juice.

Ten Kentucky wineries (plus two vineyards from Indiana) proved how Kentucky’s fertile soil can produce not only fast horses and good bourbon, but also fine wines. Jessamine County even boasts one of these Kentucky vineyards with First Vineyard. The grapes at First Vineyard grow from the same land where America’s first commercial winery operated in the late 1700s. A host of wines from around the country and around the globe were also available to be tasted.

A number of vendors — food and craft — showcased their products. Most bore the “Kentucky Proud” label. So this festival is a celebration not only of wine, but also a celebration of Kentucky.

It is no wonder, then, that the General Assembly designated this event Kentucky’s official wine festival in 2005.

The event, sponsored by Nicholasville Now!, is now in its tenth year. I can assume that during my nine year absence, the festival saw some bumps along the way. But I can say with confidence that this is a festival well done. We can and should be proud that this festival is right here in Nicholasville.

So although I’ve missed too many past Kentucky Wine & Vine Fests, I will endeavour to not again miss out. The festival is held annually on the first Saturday after Mother’s Day. It is already on my calendar for 2014 and I’d suggest that you add it to yours.

This column originally appeared in the Jessamine Journal. 
It should not be republished without permission.

Kentucky Heritage Council’s Ida Lee Willis Memorial Foundation Historic Preservation Awards Announced

The Kentucky Heritage Council, which serves as our state historic preservation office, annually awards a number of awards to recognize “excellence in the preservation of historic buildings and Kentucky’s cultural resources through investment, advocacy, volunteerism, building partnerships, public involvement, a lifelong commitment, or significant achievement.” This year, 2013, marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the awards.

Ida Lee Willis (Photo: KHC)

Ida Lee Willis was the first lady of Kentucky (her husband, Gov. Simeon Willis, served from 1943-47) and was “directly responsible for saving the Vest-Lindsey House in Frankfort. She was named the first state historic preservation officer (SHPO) in 1966 after the enactment of the National Preservation Act.

Awards are divided into three categories. Preservation projects as well as individuals and groups are eligible for awards, but one individual is the recipient of the Ida Lee Willis Memorial Award itself.

In 2013, that honor goes to Stephen L. Collins of Shelbyville.

Recipients of the Preservation Project Awards are: Cox Building (Maysville), Rockcastle River Historic Truss Bridge (Laurel, Rockcastle Counties), and Sadieville Rosenwald School.

Recipients of the Service to Preservation Awards are: Nancy Adams of the Pine Mountain Settlement School, Keith Nagle of Discover Downtown Middlesboro, Inc., and the BGT deTours Committee!

Honorees will be honored at a reception on Thursday at the Governor’s Mansion.


Note: Links above go to Kaintuckeean posts on these sites. Hopefully, I’ll get to all of them!

A Thief is in Our Midst: Historic Iron Door Stolen from Hunt-Morgan House

CSI: Lexington. The Hunt Morgan House.

During the Civil War, General John Hunt Morgan and his cavalry engaged in guerrilla style warfare springing attacks and raids on Union troops, supply chains, and communities. He was once caught and imprisoned at the Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus (demolished, 1998, for the Nationwide Arena), though the General escaped.

The subject iron door

Apparently, however, a raid against his history as occurred at the Lexington property bearing his name. From the property owner, the Blue Grass Trust:

A circa 1800s iron prison door, weighing more than 400 pounds and approximately 6 to 7 feet tall and 3 feet wide, (pictured above, on its side) was stolen from the grounds of The Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation’s Hunt-Morgan House. The iron door is from the Ohio State Penitentiary that housed General John Hunt Morgan during the Civil War. It was donated to the BGT by Burl McCoy of Morgan’s Men and has significant historical significance. The Blue Grass Trust is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the safe return of the iron door. Please call the BGT at (859)253-0362, or the LFUCG Division of Police at (859)258-3600 with any information, re: Case #2013-072783.

The Blue Grass Trust and Debra Hensley are offering a $500$1,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of this historic artifact.

Support @WestSixth! #NoMoreMagicHat

 

West Sixth Brewing Company is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the corporate conglomerate that owns the once small Vermont brewer, Magic Hat.

The suit alleges customers are confused by the West Sixth logo (compare the logos above and share your thoughts in the comments). The only confusion would be the increased sales Magic Hat would receive because customers thought they were buying Kentucky awesomeness.

Click the following link to sign West Sixth’s online petition to Magic Hat to drop the lawsuit. [West Sixth]

Kentucky’s Oldest Florist, Michler’s

Michler Florist on Maxwell Street – Lexington, Ky.

Drive slowly down Maxwell Street and you may find one of the gems of Lexington. For generations, the Michler family has grown beautiful flowers and other flora in the greenhouses which now occupy land sandwiched better the University of Kentucky and downtown Lexington.

Michler Florist, or Michler’s, is the Commonwealth’s oldest continually operated greenhouse and florist.  Carl Michler, an immigrant from Württemberg, Germany, began to establish his greenhouses on the site in 1902. It was a family business and remains so to this day.

It was written in the Herald Leader on the occasion of Michler’s 100th anniversary that Michler’s “is a fundamental piece of traditional downtown Lexington. It’s a grass-roots family business as old as the neighborhood around it, with a strong old-fashioned flavor.”

Carl’s two sons, Louis and Charlie shared the operation until Charlie broke out to begin the defunct Michler Nurseries on Richmond Road. Louis kept the family greenhouse operating on Maxwell Street before turning the helm over to his son, Karl, who returned from military service in World War II.

Karl’s son, John, would later operate the family business after having studied horticulture at UK. His expertise has expanded Michler’s offerings to include native species and educational offerings in perennials and garden design. And now, through John’s son Robin, a fifth generation has joined the fray!

Michler’s is unique for in those greenhouses – now a century-plus old – the plants sold here are still cultivated in-house. The alternative seen in most floral shops is to only assemble arrangements from the cuttings from far distant lands.

Ordinarily, I’d include a flickr link here – but, alas, I accidentally deleted my photos from this deTour. A pity, as the beautiful flora is a spectacle to behold. Since I can’t share them, you should stop by Michler’s at 417 E. Maxwell Street.


The Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation hosts a monthly deTour for young professionals (and the young-at-heart). The group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Learn more details about this exciting group on Facebook! You can also see Kaintuckeean write-ups on previous deTours by clicking here.

This Just Happened, a weekly roundup

Kentucky Heritage Council recommends fifteen sites for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places [KHC Presser]

Answering complaints of Lexington’s wayfinding signs being too autocentric, Leadership Lexington plans for pedestrian oriented signage [KyForward]

A conference on Appalachian feuds? It’s set to occur at the Filson Society in Louisville [Courier-Journal]

Lots of great photos from a tour of the new Newtown Pike campus for BCTC [KyForward]

Most Kentuckians want medical marijuana; a quarter support recreational legalization. We miss you, Gatewood! [NKY.com]

First Lady Michelle Obama spoke last weekend at EKU’s commencement. Some text and video. [cn|2]

Once struck by lightning, Newport’s Old Salem Methodist Church emerges as an arts house [KyForward]

Maysville and Bardstown are now designated Kentucky Cultural Districts [Bluegrass Politics]

Reinternment of the 178 former patients at Eastern State occurred this week on the campus of the future BCTC [Herald Leader]

Along the Great Allegheny Passage: Ohiopyle

Ohiopyle Low Bridge Spanning the Youghiogheny River

Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania had as of the 2010 population a permanent population of 59. This small borough, however, comes alive during the summer months. Arriving in April, we beat the summer rush of adventure seekers on the rapids of the Youghiogheny River.

Restored Ohiopyle Rail Depot

Ohiopyle is also a trail town along the Great Allegheny Passage, a rail-trail linking Cumberland, Md. to Pittsburgh, Pa. Ohiopyle was also our starting point for our first venture on the GAP which would take us along the route of the old rail lines of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad, Union Railroad, and the Western Maryland Railroad. Our journey would extend from Ohiopyle to Frostburg, Md. and back.

Ohiopyle and the Low Bridge

We arrived in Ohiopyle later than expected, but early enough to get a bite to eat before beginning our day’s trek to Meyersdale, Pa. A tasty lunch at the Ohiopyle Bakery & Sandwich Shoppe was both tasty and filling. The bakery/cafe opened in 2011 and is one of many eateries in this community – a testament to the tourism brought to this trail town of 59!

The Yak and the Trail

Our first 11 miles of trail, between Ohiopyle and Confluence, are five-star rated by National Geographic. They write, “The beauty of the Southern Ohiopyle section of the trail rivals that of the Northern section. Rapids abound and there are plenty of places to leave the trail and find your way down to the rivers edge.”

One cannot overstate how gorgeous this part of the ride was; the rapids of the Yak River and the just-beginning-to-bloom flora around the trail were simply picturesque.

There is also history along the trail. The occasional marker recalls the mills and pioneers that once settled this wilderness. Maple syrup, rye whiskey, grist and saw mills were all trades undertaken by these early settlers.

Dry laid stone wall along the GAP

Little is remaining from the earliest settlers, but a marker near a dry-laid stone wall recalled these early Scots-Irish and German pioneers. Looking carefully, one can also spot what would have been the channels diverting water to and from the mills in the area.

This is the first part of a multi-part series on the Great Allegheny Passage. The next segment will be about the community of Confluence, Pa. The remainder of my photos from the GAP Trip are available on flickr.

Kentucky’s Reputation Hurt by de Tocqueville’s Missed Opportunity

Chaumiere’s “octagon room” asserted to have been built
for Gen’l Lafayette, who never visited
Photo: Jess. Historical Society
Alexis de Tocqueville

On Dec. 5, 1831, the Ohio River froze over, making voyage impassable for Alexis de Tocqueville and his party. They disembarked at Westport, Oldham Co., Ky. and walked the cold 22 miles to Louisville. It was one of many poor experiences that during a 10-month voyage planned to determine “what a great republic is like.”

Upon reaching Louisville, the river still offered no passage and de Tocqueville experienced a large swatch of central Kentucky as he traveled south toward Nashville. His writings on Kentucky were not kind:

“Nothing in Kentucky … gives the impression of such a finished society.”

Kentuckians “are well known through the union for their violent habits.” “They seem to deserve that reputation.”

Ouch.

Though unimpressed with Kentucky, de Tocqueville extolled the United States in his great work, Democracy in America. In this magnum opus, he warned that “when the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness.”

To avoid such darkness, we should take occasion to examine our history. A great starting point in the history of Jessamine County is the grand country estate of Colonel David Meade: Chaumiere des Praries.

A young David Meade
Photo: Rootsweb

Colonel Meade was born in Virginia, schooled in England and married a young girl from Williamsburg, Va.

He served in the House of Burgesses which was dissolved by Lord Botetourt, the then-governor of colonial Virginia. He would not again hold public office. Instead Colonel Meade acquired a significant estate on the James River. It is said that here “he practiced the fine art of landscape architecture and hospitality, and often entertained the leaders of Virginia.”

In 1796, however, Meade departed Virginia for the wilderness of Kentucky.

The year before, he had purchased about 300 acres in what is now Jessamine County. Once here, he would master that fine art of landscape architecture with his Chaumiere des Praries.

Of Chaumiere’s landscape, Meade’s granddaughter wrote: “The grounds were extensive and beautiful; at that time it was said there was not so highly and tastefully improved country seat in America. … And then the walks — the serpentine one mile around … and in a secluded nook, a tasteful Chinese pavilion. The birdcage walk was cut through a dense plum thicket, excluding the sun, and led to a dell, where was a large spring of water, and the mouth of a cave.

At this point was the terminus of the lake, and … a waterfall.”

His house guests were both frequent and notable: James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, General Charles Scott, and Zachary Taylor were all guests. Statesman Henry Clay and Transylvania University president Dr. Horace Holley were both known to regularly travel 9 miles from Lexington to the house and gardens at what is now Catnip Hill Road.

Nothing but glowing remarks of Col. Meade’s hospitality, his home, and the grounds of Chaumiere have been written. Dr. Holley wrote that “there is no establishment like this in our country.”

Chaumiere des Praries was a site to behold. Meade died in 1832 (the year after de Tocqueville traversed Kentucky); the estate sold in 1835 to a “plain practical farmer” who quickly turned the Colonel’s gardens into grazing pastures. The farmer felled trees, destroyed the parks and drained the lakes.

Neighbors, incensed, decried the “Paradise Lost.”

But how different would de Tocqueville’s impressions of Kentucky have been had he feasted at Chaumiere and strolled its grounds?

This text for this post originally appeared in the Jessamine Journal. It should not be republished without permission.

Louisville’s Most Endangered Properties

Preservation Louisville has released the names of the community’s most endangered historic properties.

  • Vacant & Abandoned Shotgun Houses, which are in dwindling supply in the city
  • Colonial Gardens, described as a “dilapidated reminder of the South End’s colorful past, historic value and uncertain future.”
  • Mid-century modern structures are not old enough to be recognized by enough people for their signficance and too few steps are being taken to preserve the era’s architecture
  • Ouerbacker House, 1633 W. Jefferson Street, ca. 1860-1865.
  • Corner store fronts of retail establishments from antebellum to midcentury were staples of American life as we shopped in the local general store. 
  • Roscoe Goose house, 3012 S. Third St., ca. 1900, was occupied by the jockey who rode 91-1 Donerail to victory in the 1913 Kentucky Derby.
  • Lampton Baptist Church, located at 850 S. Fourth Street, was founded in 1866.
  • Doerhorfer house, 422 W. Broadway, was designated a city landmark in 2011. Despite the designation, the 2 1/2 story frame structure remains at risk.
  • Historic Old Clarksville Site in Indiana is where George Rogers Clark built his cabin and mill. It is a key part of Kentuckiana history and must be protected for future generations.
  • Water Co. Block downtown Louisville contains many older structures utilized by the old water company. A mixed use development proposal puts them at risk.