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| Garden Visitor, Nicholasville, Ky. |
Raised beds built. Soil in place. No plants yet planted. Yet, somehow this little guy knew he should come into my yard and lie in wait. My cat, watching from the screened in porch, was less than impressed with our invader. My two year old loved! the rabbit (and chasing it). And I’m sure I’ll become a regular Farmer McGregor once planting has begun.
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| Law Offices of Judge Allie Young, Morehead, Ky. |
From this office, Allie Young practiced law on behalf of Morehead’s citizens. He was also elected to the state senate (1924-1936) after having served as a Circuit Judge in Rowan County. While serving in the state senate, Young was the “moving political force” behind the General Assembly’s decision to establish Morehead State University as a state college (it wouldn’t be formally known as MSU until 1966). On campus, a dormitory built in 1926 is named after Young.
This small, unassuming, wood-sided structure caught my eye only because of its historic marker which indicated that Allie Young was a lawyer and a politico who steered the successful gubernatorial campaigns of William Goebel and J.C.W. Beckham. Although I didn’t recognize Young’s name, I did recognize the two names of these two governors (Goebel for his disputed election and subsequent assassination; Beckham for having a county named after himself only to have it dissolved as unconstitutional within 90 days).
But Allie Young, particularly as a judge, has stories of his own. His brother was an attorney who appeared before Judge Allie Young in the fall of 1905. During a jury selection, Judge Young found his brother in contempt and fined him $5. A brotherly spat ensued whereby the suggestion was made by Attorney Young that the fine be $15; after a few more rounds of conversation the fine was settled upon at $25 and 24 hours in jail. The local bar urged the Judge to reconsider, but he was steadfast: “In open Court my brother is to me the same as any other lawyer at this bar and he must treat the court with the same respect and dignity that any other lawyer would.” This story from Morehead was picked up by news organizations such as the Lexington Herald and the New York Times.
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| Russell Theater, Maysville, Ky. |
In 1953, Rosemary Clooney’s first movie, The Stars are Singing, premiered at Maysville’s Russell Theater. Clooney, a Maysville native, would go on to star in White Christmas with Bing Crosby and top the music charts; the Clooney name is an important part of Kentucky’s rich cultural history.
The Russell Theater also has a rich history. Announced in 1928, the theater was constructed through the first year of the Great Depression before opening on December 4, 1930. Local businessman Col. J. Barbour Russell laid out $125,000 for the construction of a “handome, luxurious, and fireproof” theater. As with other period theaters, the decor was opulent. What makes the Russell truly unique (especially for northern Kentucky) is its architectural style: both inside and out, Spanish colonialism prevails. And like the Palace in Louisville or the State Theater in Lexington, the ceiling appears as a sky with twinkling stars. With seating originally for 700, the design included two balconies (the higher of the two being segregated for African Americans). The Lexington architecture firm of Frankel and Curtis (you may recall the same firm designed the Wolf Wile Building in Lexington)
A popular Maysville destination until suburban movie houses opened, drawing away its customers. The Russell Theater closed in 1983 and other businesses moved in before the site was totally abandoned. Weather took its toll on the building – inside and out – but preservation groups began moving in in 1995. In 1982, the building was included in the National Register as part of the historic Maysville area, but preservationists successfully had the building individually listed in 2006.
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| UFOs Over Lexington? Lexington, KY (April 29, 2011) |
I wasn’t going to post this, but after reading about some UFO sightings over Kentucky by UnusualKY … I just couldn’t resist.
Driving down Man-O-War a week ago today (April 29), my wife and I noticed several white blurs in the sky (the ones in the top half of the picture…not the lights at the bottom). Three are in the picture above, but there were others. Although the three pictured here all seemed to be going the same direction, others seemed to have random trajectories. Explaining a few as jet trails would have been simple, but 5 or 6?
Apparently, Kentucky is a hotbed for UFO activity. Did I have a near encounter? Perhaps. Could it have been a meteor breaking up? Don’t know. Here is a transcript of my report to the Mutual UFO Network:
In my car driving on Man-O-War in Lexington (toward US68 from US27), my wife and I noticed a few white streaks in the sky. Thinking at first they were jet trails, I began to be more curious when I noticed about 5 or 6 in different parts of the sky … travelling at different trajectories. I also considered shooting stars or a meteor shower, but there don’t appear to be any other reports (the Lyrids were the week before).
So, I couldn’t explain it. I did manage to snap a picture of 3 of them. I lost sight of the objects when I went into Orange Leaf for some frozen yogurt and I didn’t regain sight of them when I came back out.
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| Wolf Wile Building, Lexington, KY |
At the corner of Main and Quality Streets in downtown Lexington sits a classic example of mid-twentieth century urban commercial architecture. Its most noticeable feature is a limestone pillar that reaches above the roof line on the northwestern corner with vertical block letters: WOLF WILE. The four-story stone and brick building was built for the Wolf Wile Department Store in 1948 on a site that had previously been a bus depot. [*] Wolf Wile had moved from a location near Union Station to this new location designed by the Lexington architecture firm of Frankel and Curtis and the NYC firm Amos Parrish and Co.
The Parrish firm specialized in retail design and the Wolf Wile building represented a change in mid-century design. With an emphasize on maximizing floor space, sales and utility, the building was designed from the inside out – a clear departure from the highly ornamental commercial structures popular only decades earlier (consider 123 West Main). This International Style of architecture was and is rare in Lexington; the minimalistic style so popular in Europe between the two World Wars caught on in the United States only after WWII. [*]
The Wolf Wile Department Store was one of Lexington’s finest department stores, providing “family ownership, conservative management, low overhead, and personal service” for 103 years. [*] After more than a century, Wolf Wile shuttered in 1992 as Lexingtonians sought more suburban shopping destinations.
Four years later, in 1996, the building was acquired by the James N. Gray Construction company for use as its corporate headquarters. That same year, the National Register listed the building. You can see pictures included in the submission packet here (PDF). These pictures are very clearly those of an empty department store, but that also show the architectural features that have been preserved by the Gray renovation.
In opening the floorplan and including more natural light, Gray has preserved the Main Street and Quality Street facades. The interior has preserved the fantastic stairs and the elevator area with its polished Italian marble wall. The Main Street doors, however, are closed at Gray Construction. Instead, the primary entrance is on Water Street. This realignment of the building is dramatic as the primary entrance is now where the loading dock once stood facing out to the railroad tracks that decades ago were replaced by a widened Vine Street.
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| A Month Pre-Opening | Grand Opening Day |
A few weeks ago, I got a sneak peek at what was to come. For the first time in years, a grocery store would open in downtown Lexington. Having grown up downtown, I remember the nearest grocer being either the Winn Dixie on Leestown or the Kroger on Euclid. Well, folks. The times they are a changin’!
My April visit revealed an unfinished ceiling, new subway tile, exposed brick, an empty bank vault … and blueprints. A month ago, this space could have been finished as a law office, a loft or anything. But it was planned to be and has opened as a grocery store.
Shorty’s – An Urban Market opened on Sunday, May 1 with a ribbon-cutting and champagne. I held a glass in one hand and my two-year-old’s hand in the other. As we explored the selection, we found a great selection of meats, fruits and veggies and packaged food. Prices were comparable with other high-end groceries, but the convenience factor at Shorty’s is high for those working and living downtown.
The remodeling of the suite at 163 West Short Street is part of the Traditional Bank Building (which was formerly the home of Central Bank & Trust) was designed by EOP Architecture of Lexington. Milk bottle light fixtures, dark wooden shelving and a refrigerated section in the bank vault are some of the highlighted features.
As a result of having my 2-year-old at hand, I couldn’t snap the number of pictures I normally would have taken. Even so, check out my other before-after shots on flickr. Check out some more great photographs from Savoring Kentucky and canonchef. If you are in the area, check out Shorty’s – it is a great example of adaptive reuse. And, at least on its first day, it is a great little grocer!
This post was republished by kyforward.com on May 18, 2011.
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| Big White House at Camp Nelson, Nicholasville, Ky. |
Somehow, it was not until February 2011 that I visited Camp Nelson. A Jessamine County landmark, it is a well-spring of historical information and trivia. A Civil War-era camp established to supply Union troops, it also served during that war as a recruitment center for African-American troops and as a military hospital. Of the 4,000 acres once within its bounds, 400 acres have been preserved. It is also now the home of the Camp Nelson National Cemetery.
I could, and eventually plan to, write a number of posts about the rich history surrounding Camp Nelson, but I’ll begin with its most notable landmark that is locally known simply as the “White House.” Formally, it is the Oliver Perry House and was used as quarters for the officers. The only building remaining from the Civil War era, it is a two-story frame Greek Revival originally constructed by Oliver and Fannie (Scott) Perry circa 1850. During the War, the Union added the rear two-bay deep addition. The building had fallen under complete disrepair prior to its meticulous restoration by the Jessamine County Fiscal Court which has been an instrumental force in preserving this historic area.
In 1863, General Ambrose Burnside (for whom the sideburn is named – check out these chops) commandeered the Perry-Scott House and it was utilized by the Union for two years. Surrounding landowners also had their lands confiscated by the Union army to amass and secure the 4,000 acre site. The largest landowner was Mary Scott, Fannie Scott-Perry’s mother.
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| Empty Lot on Jefferson Street (before) | Nick Ryan’s Saloon (after) |
The dining scene on Jefferson Street in downtown Lexington has been rapidly changing over the past couple years. Most of the changes have been positive (a sad note was when the Cuppa tea cafe closed earlier this month – obituary by thebravetart). One of the most positive improvements to this part of the Western Suburb is the construction and opening of Nick Ryan’s Saloon (where they proudly display the history of this great name).
As you can see from the pictures above, just a short while ago an empty lot sat on Jefferson Street across from the Harrison Elementary playground. A quick glance at the building wouldn’t reveal a building completed in 2010 — it looks like a much older building that has been well taken care of. The two story brick is patterned after the nearby Green Lantern with its long porches across the front and French doors which provide access to the open dining area. [*] Plans to renovate the neighboring building and expand were altered when it was determined that the structure couldn’t be saved; Nick Ryan’s will expand in yet another neo-historic building. [*]
But I’m not here to do a restaurant review (disclosure: I love the place). I’m here to appreciate how the restaurant embraces its pseudo-history. Recognizing that this is not a continuation of the old, Nick Ryan’s is an example of an excellent infill project for the primarily-residential neighborhoods that surround downtown. Aside from building a terrific building that is appropriate for the area, the owners selected a name with a Lexington history.
Nick Ryan’s Saloon existed before, circa 1905 on North Mill Street (at 120 North Mill, to be exact). Nick Ryan’s honors the tradition with historic photographs in the restaurant and on the website, though a love history is the only connection between the now and then. Of course, the real Nick Ryan who opened the original saloon in 1905 grew up in the Western Suburb where the new namesake saloon now resides. All saloons shuttered when prohibition began in 1920, but the Ryan’s survived with their other business interests (clothing and restaurants).
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| Simon Kenton Bridge; Maysville, Ky. |
The Simon Kenton Bridge spans the Ohio River between Maysville, Ky. and Aberdeen, Ohio (the picture above was actually taken in Aberdeen). The bridge opened on Thanksgiving Eve, 1931. Until that time, ferries were used (photo) to transport people across the Ohio (vehicular traffic had to go through either Newport, Ky. to the west or Portsmouth, Ohio to the east).
The first ferry authorized in Maysville (f/k/a Limestone) was in 1794 to Benjamin Sutton for whom Maysville’s Sutton Street is named after. But with the completion of the Simon Kenton Bridge, the ferries came to an end.
You may recall that Limestone was once part of Bourbon County and leaders from this region, including the namesake of this bridge (Simon Kenton), traveled to Paris to conduct county business. In 1777, Kenton saved the life of Daniel Boone and Kenton County is named after him. Born in Virginia and making his mark in Kentucky, Kenton ultimately settled and died in Ohio.
When this silver-painted suspension bridge opened, 15,000 people turned out. Four high school bands and the University of Kentucky Marching Band all performed to celebrate the opening of the 3,163 foot bridge. [*] Designed by a Harrisburg, Penn. firm, the superstructure was completed by the famous J.A. Roebling Company which had years before designed the Roebling Bridge in Covington (as a design model for its more famous Brooklyn Bridge). In 1945, the tolls were removed and the bridge became toll-free.
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| The Billy Klair House, Lexington, Ky. |
We all recognize the name of Boss Tweed – the leader of the nineteenth century NYC political machine. A similar figure existed in Lexington in the early twentieth century: Billy Klair. His home, at the corner of Old Georgetown and West Short, is pictured above and is a landmark of the Historic Western Suburb.
by James Duane Bolin.