Uncategorized – Page 66 – The Kaintuckeean

Stop the Demo of Whiskey Row

Whiskey Row, Louisville, Ky.

Local neighborhoods activist Hayward Wilkirson penned a terrific piece for ProgressLex warning about the struggle to preserve an area of downtown Louisville known as Whiskey Row:

a collection of seven historic buildings (most of a city block) listed on the National Register of Historic Places and protected by the Louisville Historic Landmarks Commission. These buildings, some of Louisville’s most significant architectural treasures, comprise the largest cast-iron-fronted building district outside of Soho in New York City.

Truly a unique and beautiful set of buildings obviously in need of great repair, developer Blue wants to demolish the buildings apparently with no plan for what should come next. Wilkirson and others have labeled this “Louisville’s Centerpointe.” The buildings have been labeled by local and national registers as historic so that extra steps must be taken before any demolition can occur. Without these requirements being fulfilled, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer appears to have given the go ahead for demolition.

I rarely make it to Louisville, but I do remember driving down its Main Street a few years ago and thinking about how terrific it would be if this great group of mid-nineteenth century buildings were restored and reused. Now it is time to either sink or swim.

ProgressLex

I apologize to my readers that I haven’t been actively posting these last few weeks, but I have been busy with work and have preferred spending my spare time driving and photographing rather than writing. I’ll try and post soon. Also taking up my time is my appointment to the board of directors of ProgressLex, a community organization committed to making Lexington the greatest city it can be. I’ll also be posting there from time to time, so check it out.

At ProgressLex, I’m taking a more regional approach than my colleagues because I believe Lexington is more than just the area within New Circle, the Urban Service boundary or even the county line. It is a good organization dedicated to promoting design excellence, economic growth, and greenspace preservation (which, as you know, are all areas on which the Kaintuckeean tends to focus – so long as design excellence includes historic preservation). Again, check it out!

NoD: Jack Jouett, Jr.

Jack Jouett Historic Marker, Owingsville, Ky.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s immortal poem begins, “Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.” His words “one if by land, two if by sea” captured forever Paul Revere into America’s folklore. He is believed a great father of American independence.

But what of the other hero who made a similar ride? In early June 1781, Jack Jouett – asleep in Cuckoo, Louisa County, Virginia – heard British troops and quickly determined their destination: Charlottesville. Jouett took to his horse and rode the 40 miles to warn Governor Thomas Jefferson and the legislature (which had been convened in Charlottesville due to Benedict Arnold’s taking of Richmond).

Arriving hours before the British, Jouett first rode to Jefferson’s home, Monticello, where he successfully warned the Governor and those legislators staying there. Jouett then rode the additional two miles to Charlottesville and warned the balance of the legislature. All but seven legislators successfully escaped thanks to Jouett’s heroics. (Jefferson leisurely stayed at Monticello and escaped himself by horseback with only second to spare, but Jouett definitely warned him!)

Soon after, Jouett moved to Kentucky County. Passing a cabin on his way through the Wilderness Pass, Jouett hears a woman scream. He broke into the cabin only to find her being beaten by her husband and began to separate the two, but the woman defended her husband by taking a cast iron skillet to Jouett’s head. Fortunately, the skillet was of low grade and the bottom fell through, but Jouett rode on until he could find a blacksmith to release the remainder of the pan from his head. [*]

Settling first in what is now Mercer County, Jouett ultimately moved to Woodford County. He served in both the Virginia and Kentucky legislatures on behalf of Kentuckians and he aided in Kentucky’s first constitutional convention. He died while visiting his daughter in what-is-now Bath County and was buried in an unmarked grave at the “Peeled Oak” farm.

walkLEX: 111 West Main Street


Removing the Facade		circa 1920

On the first Sunday of 2011, I stopped to turn left onto Main Street from South Limestone and noticed the facade of 111 West Main Street being removed. I snapped the picture in an attempt to remember the boring facade – which is all I’ve ever known of this building which is occupied by the Sunrise Bakery. The work being done on this block is extensive; check out my prior post on 123 West Main.

According to the historic pictures of the Asa C. Chinn Collection, the property used to (c. 1920) house the Met Restaurant (111), Vacant (109) and confectioners Vrondis & Mehas (107). Vrondis, however, seems to be the main attraction based on signage visible in 1921, which read “L.C. Vrondis / Soda / Five Cents.” L.C. Vrondis was likely Larry C. Vrondis (3/28/1888 – 7/12/1961), SGT HQ Co 159 Brig USA, who is buried at Camp Nelson in Jessamine County. It is also worth noting that UK’s 1922 yearbook, the Kentuckian, contains an advertisement noting the Larry Vrondis Co. as the proprietor of the Savoy Restaurant (per the ad, “The Stopping Place for University People” and “Open Day and Night) which was located next door at 105 West Main Street. It seems that a little more research on Mr. Vrondis might reveal some interesting findings. Anyone care to do some research??

No DestiNATEion (see what I did there?) – Alice Lloyd College

Founder’s Cabin at Alice Lloyd College, Pippa Passes, Ky.

This a rarity here folks – a No Destination post by Mr. Kentucky120.

My wife is a proud graduate of June Buchanan School – a K-12 school located on the campus of Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, Ky.

I certainly knew that June Buchanan School was small; my wife was in a graduating class of nine. But for some reason I don’t know what I was expecting when I finally made the trip over to Pippa Passes. Alice Lloyd College is quite a wonderful little place. The school was founded in 1923 by Lloyd and Buchanan, who travelled to Kentucky trying to improve the educational system of those in Appalachia. What began as a model Appalachian community transformed into the Caney Junior College. The school became a four-year college in 1982, the same year that June Buchanan School was founded.

Interestingly, all students, regardless of how much they pay to go to school, are required to perform some job at the school. They may work as janitors, tutors or do some other work study, but all of them must have a job. The school averages around 500 students.

The origin of the name Pippa Passes is among the more interesting stories I’ve heard. I always assumed it had something to do with a mountain “pass.” The real story is more interesting though. The name comes from one of Alice Lloyd’s favorite poems – “Pippa Passes” – by Robert Browning. The poem is famous for the line – “God’s in his heaven – all’s right with the world.” The name Pippa Passes actually relates to the unknown goodwill and happiness that the title character Pippa brings to those that she passes.

Kentucky120 Progress map

Ed. note: For those that enjoy these maps or are curious as to how the Kentucky120 and NoDestination efforts are progressing, check out the new map page and spreadsheet.

Up to 56 counties now. Only 4 more and I’m halfway there. There are a couple of easy ones that for some bizarre reason I haven’t hit yet (Jefferson and Bullitt for example), but after those, it’s definitely going to get more difficult.

Knott County Courthouse – Hindman, Ky.

I’ve noted before that my wife is from Eastern Kentucky, and one thing that I’ve come to understand about this area of the state is how unbelievably difficult it can be to get around. My wife tells me about snow and ice keeping kids out of school for a month, and I never really understood how that could be possible until I made this trip to Hindman. There is no legitimate reason why anyone would ever stumble upon Hindman. You really have to intend to end up there. Roads meander and wind, and I couldn’t believe that I was only one county over from where I’ve previously been. Interestingly, Knott County is the only county in Kentucky that doesn’t either border or contain a portion of a river. This courthouse, which is actually the old courthouse now, was built by the WPA in 1935-36. Apparently a really interesting courthouse with a unique arched front preceded it but burned down.

This is the new Knott County judicial center, which sits directly across the street from the old courthouse. It looks completely out of place in the downtown area. It dwarfs everything else in Hindman.

NoD: Jesse Stuart

Jesse Stuart Memorial
Courthouse Lawn, Greenup, Ky.

On the county courthouse lawn of Greenup County sit a number of memorials. One of these is dedicated to Greenup County’s finest son, Jesse Stuart. Stuart was born in Riverton, Greenup Co. in 1907. He was named Kentucky’s poet laureate in 1954. At the time, and until 1990, poet laureates in Kentucky were selected by the General Assembly and held the title for life (since 1990, the Governor has annually named a poet laureate for the Commonwealth). [*]

Stuart famously said, “Write something to suit yourself and many people will like it; write something to suit everybody and scarcely anyone will care for it.” His poems, short stories and autobiographical sketches illustrate Kentucky’s people and places with vivid descriptions.

One of the classic Jesse Stuart’s is the Split Cherry Tree wherein a young boy is kept late at school for climbing and damaging a cherry tree. His uneducated father, upset that the youth wasn’t home to help with his chores, goes to the school to quarrel with the boy’s teacher. In the end, the father realizes the importance of education.

The marker on the courthouse lawn reads: “By your own soul’s law learn to live. / And if Men Thwart You, Take No Heed. / If Men Hate You, Have No Care. / Sing Your Song, Dream Your Dream. / Hope Your Hope and Pray Your Prayer.” Which is peculiar, as this poem is attributed not to Stuart but to Pakenham Beatty. (Anyone know the story on that???) Mr. Stuart died in 19984.

New Mayors

Jim Gray and Greg Fischer supporting their respective basketball
teams on Friday, Dec. 31, 2010. H-L Photo.

Kentucky’s two largest cities inaugurate new mayors this week. In Louisville, Greg Fischer replaces Jerry Abramson who has held the office since 1986. In Lexington, Jim Gray defeated incumbent Jim Newberry to take office. Both men speak to the rich histories and bright futures of their communities. There is also a good indication that they will, as businessmen, work together to improve not only their cities but the region and Kentucky as a whole. I wish them both the best!

The two mayor-elects had a friendly wager at the basketball game on Saturday pitting the Kentucky Wildcats against the Louisville Cardinals. The Wildcats demolished the Cardinals in Louisville’s Yum! Center. Resulting from their wager, Fischer will put a wildcat on his desk and has invited Gray to Churchill Downs for the next Kentucky Derby.

Merry (White) Christmas!!

Snowy Jessamine County, Ky.

Christ Church Cathedral
Lexington, Ky.

Merry Christmas, Kaintuckeeans!!

The snow is falling on this beautiful day – and the ground has a fresh cover of snow. Amazingly, today is only Lexington’s 13th white Christmas since 1872. [*]

Last night, the trip to and from Christ Church Cathedral was full of snow and the candlelight Eucharist service was full of beauty and wonder. Our family celebrates the Christmas season Scandinavian style (I am 25% Swede, 25% Norse). I’ve posted a lot of pictures of our julbord (a Christmas smorgasbord) on my flickr account.

However you celebrate this day, Merry Christmas to you and yours!!