Category: Uncategorized

NoD: Raceland’s Track

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Raceland Race Track Historic Marker, Raceland, Ky.

The town of Chinnville changed its name in 1924 when its greatest tenant arrived: a horse track. renamed  Raceland after the new track. Raceland, the track, hosted its first race, the “Ashland Stakes,” on July 10, 1924 before a crowd of 10,000. A few days later, a crowd of 27,000 witnessed the inaugural Raceland Derby, which featured five Kentucky Derby contenders including its victor Black Gold.

The one-mile oval track, nicknamed the “Million Dollar Oval” was apparently quite splendid. The track was surrounded by a white picket fence covered in “rambling red roses. The bridle paths and front lawn were paved in red tapestry brick, matching the clubhouse, steward’s stand and judges stand. The infield contained a alke and several sunken gardens.” [*]

Of course, it should come as no surprise to Lexingtonians that Raceland’s course was a beautiful racing venue. It was founded by Jack Keene who would go on to found his namesake racecourse, Keeneland, eleven years later.

Raceland, however, did not fare so well. Due to a lack of funds, the course closed in 1928 after only four seasons. Today, very little remains but a historic marker marks the spot. And so does a golf driving range.

NoD: Camp Swigert

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Camp Swigert historic marker, Wurtland, Ky.

It has come to my attention that some of you are disappointed when they see a pictured historic marker. Sure, a marker isn’t as attention-grabbing as something that still exists – but it does mark an important piece of history for a reason. Regarding Camp Swigert, Kentucky historic marker #2247 reads:

Union Civil War training camp was organized Dec. 12, 1861. Made up of 20-25 acres. It became center of volunteer enlistees under command of Col. D. W. Lindsey. Recruits from surrounding counties, Frankfort & Louisville were assigned to form the 22nd Regt of Ky Volunteer Inf. Both black and white infantrymen stationed at Camp Swigert.
Engaged in skirmishes in eastern Ky & West Va., followed by Middle Creek, Ky and Cumberland Gap,Tn. They moved through Tennessee and Mississippi. The 22 Ky Volunteer Inf. Regt. consolidated at Baton Rouge, La in March 1864 into the 7 Ky Veteran Inf. Non-veterans were mustered out in Louisville on January 20, 1865.

After the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, the colors of the KY 22nd Regt was said to be both “torn” and “covered with blood.” [*]

Streetscape Project Threatens Local Businesses Again

Downtown Nicholasville
Main Street, Nicholasville, Ky.

This post was originally published yesterday on ProgressLex.

Lexington’s South Limestone Street is truly beautiful. The work done to revitalize that gateway into downtown Lexington put the utilities underground, improved the sidewalks and streetscape and completed some necessary underground storm sewer work. But the improvements came at a great cost as many locally-owned businesses struggled to survive (some failed) during a construction process that lasted much longer than projected.

I am confident that Nicholasville’s Main Street will be equally as beautiful once its streetscape project is complete. But in a small town without a college next door, it may take longer for the local businesses affected by the construction to rebound.

The project engineers, CDP Engineers, originally suggested that construction would be coordinated to “minimize the overall effect to the downtown businesses unlike … the S. Limestone Project in Lexington where the entire street will be closed for up to a year.” Now, six months after work began, the project is less than 50% complete.

At a meeting on March 21, a representative from CDP Engineers reminded those gathered at a public informational meeting that the stated goal of the revitalization project was to bring “urban life [to] downtown Nicholasville.” One of downtown Nicholasville’s finest “urban” assets was the Main & Maple Coffee Shop – a community gathering place, that closed its doors on March 18. Other businesses have shuttered as a result, at least in part, due to the ongoing construction.

But in Nicholasville, gems remain. The Alternative Jewelry Shop creates beautiful, one-of-a-kind fine jewelry. Euro is a tapas bar which turns out excellent tastes and even more excellent drinks. These locally-owned businesses (and others) have survived the first six months of construction only to face a still-uncertain construction timetable.

Remember supporting the South Limestone businesses when they faced a similar situation? Now is the time to come to Nicholasville and support its fantastic locally-owned businesses.

NoD: Bridges of Camp Nelson

Camp Nelson
Camp Nelson Bridge, Jessamine/Garrard county line, Ky.

Pictured above are the three bridges, or at least what remains of them, which crossed the Kentucky River from Jessamine into Garrard County. In the upper-left you can see the current Camp Nelson Bridge which carries US-27 high above the river. In the middle remains the southern stone approach from the double-barreled covered bridge that spanned the site for nearly 100 years (1838-1933). The steel-truss structure from which this picture was taken remains, but is closed to traffic; it was open from 1933 until 1971.

More on each of these three bridges to come…

walkLEX: Western Suburb

Lexington's Historic Western Suburb
West Short Street in the Historic Western Suburb, Lexington, Ky.

On the most recent deTour by the Bluegrass Trust, we visited the Historic Western Suburb. Having grown up in this neighborhood, I was quite familiar with some of the stories – but there is always more to learn. Short Street, the 600 block of which is pictured, is the focus of the neighborhood which stretches from Newtown Pike to Saunier Avenue with a number of jagged north-south variations (see this map) to encompass historic properties.

The neighborhood was formally platted in 1815 making it one of (if not the) oldest suburb of Lexington.  The land – and much of the area – had been owned by Colonel John Todd, a Revolutionary War officer who was killed at the Battle of Blue Licks. His daughter, Mary Owen (aka Polly), inherited all of her father’s vast estate making her the richest woman in Kentucky; she was three years old.

Greek Revival architecture is predominant in the HWS is Greek Revival, but architectural style is as diverse in the WS as the people who have called her home. Throughout its history, the neighborhood would be considered what is now “upper middle class.”  Lawyers, businessmen and others have always called the HWS home. Their businesses were often located next to the businesses, leaving opportunity for later infill.

One of the HWS most notorious residents was the famed Madame Belle Brezing. She learned and practiced her trade in neighborhood brothels (one of which was located in what is now the Mary Todd Lincoln House). Apparently, Madame Brezing’s first participation in the sex trade occurred at the lumber yard which was located at the site of the gas station (Main and Old Georgetown).

This post was republished by kyforward.com on May 6, 2011.

NoD: Hayswood Hospital

Atop the hill overlooking Maysville and the Ohio River rests the old HayswoodHospital. A massive and imposing structure that by all accounts is quite haunted, the old hospital has been an empty shell since 1983. As a result of almost thirty years of abandonment, it looks like something right out of the History Channel’s Life After People.


Built in 1915 (expanded in 1925 and 1971) atop the demolished remains of the even older Wilson Infirmary (which dated to the 1800s), the hospital closed with a patient capacity of 87 beds. Since its 1983 closure, a number of different ideas have been levied of what to do with the property – but currently only time and invasive species have bothered to invest.

The ghost stories are many and are well-documented (from AbandonedOnline.net):

According to several accounts, a woman carrying a baby was seen walking through the nursery area of the hospital. The woman, having died in labor, was soon followed by the newborn (4). Others have reported seeing doctors in the hallways and hearing the cries of its former patients, along with spotting lights in the windows. And the few have reported seeing strange markings in the basement that bestow a threatening hostility on whoever walks or drives by.

I would have ventured deeper into old Hayswood, but I was alone and had concerns about the buildings structural soundness. The pictures are so cool, I’ve embedded a slideshow and have included lots of links (most of which have even more awesome pictures).

NoD: Alanant-O-Wamiowee

Maysville, KY
Historic Marker #84; Maysville, Ky.

Kentucky Historic Marker #84 states that

Ancient buffalo trace carved in the wilderness by prehistoric animals seeking salt. Trace was later used by buffaloes, mound builders, Indians and pioneer settlers. Also known as Warrior’s Trace.

There are a couple of conflicting reports regarding the path of this particular trace. The historic marker, as well as Filson’s 1784 map, identify this trace as the “Warrior’s Trace” which generally heads south from Limestone n/k/a Maysville southeast before cutting through the Cumberland Gap; this is likely correct. But there are other sources, including the Kentucky Encyclopedia, labeling the Alanant-O-Wamiowee as the which have it going through what is now Big Bone Lick and crossing the Kentucky River near Leestown. This buffalo trace is located near and lends its name to what is now the Buffalo Trace Distillery. A third trace nearly paralleled the first until it reached the Blue Licks to turn southwest toward Lexington.

Regardless of the course, these traces were wide swathes of land cut into forest and leaving permanent paths where the large bison (and their now-extinct sister-species) would migrate. The paths were later used by armies and settlers, and more recently as road beds.

NoD: St. Patrick’s Parish

St. Patrick Catholic Church - Maysville, KY
St. Patrick Catholic Church; Maysville, Ky.

One of the first buildings I noticed in Maysville was the Catholic church. An impressive contemporary interpretation of the Romanesque style, St. Patrick’s Parish includes many Gothic qualities in its brick and stone construction. [*] In April 1901, Fr. Patrick M. Jones became the parish priest and found the parish and its buildings in poor condition. The existing parish church was all-brick and had been erected in 1849.

Fr. Jones had been born in County Limerick, Ireland in 1853 and emigrated to the United States in 1875. Ordained in the Covington Diocese in 1877, he ultimately came to his pastorate in Maysville. He worked tirelessly to grow the parish and to improve its buildings. On June 26, 1910, the present church was dedicated. It seats 1,200. The considerable sum raised for the church’s construction was $100,000; the church was built (as well as a school, cemetery expansion and so much more) in a rather quick period of time. To note, all this was done with little debt:

[*] It is a great testimony as to how the St. Patrick’s Parish grew. As I’ve found with Catholic churches, St. Patrick’s was open on a typical day for prayer and reflection. The altar is beautiful; check out my other flickr photos.