Fayette – Page 27 – The Kaintuckeean

walkLEX: Behold, Lexington (part deux)

Architect’s rendering of the proposed development. [*]

In April 2010, I posted about the announced project to built a CVS drugstore at the eastern entrance to downtown (across Main Street from Thoroughbred Park). The block, which I then pictured in its state of demolition, had consisted of mostly surface parking and single-story commercial buildings. The proposal to build the CVS was soon met with great opposition by a community action group, ProgressLex, which argued against the design of the CVS as being inappropriate for its position as a gateway into the downtown area. As a result of ProgressLex’s efforts, CVS slowed development to consider community input.

Construction was to begin in September of 2010, but the discovery of an underground utility box further delayed construction. Today we get word that a three-story mixed use development will be built at the location. Architectural renderings indicate a structure with a design similar to that of the modern Main+Rose, yet a small green area (with public art?) will be left for the easternmost (and prominent) corner. And a parking structure is proposed as well, eliminating the debate (for this site) about the overabundance of surface lots which reduce Lexington’s urban density.

I’ll look forward to seeing more information about this development, though I remain concerned about the introduction of two floors of office space when we already have a significant amount of vacant commercial square footage throughout Lexington (including downtown).

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??

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!!

NoD: Southern Lights

Southern Lights Display at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Ky.

At Lexington’s Kentucky Horse Park, the winter lights of Southern Lights have been on display for several weeks. They are a popular area attraction – and a great holiday tradition! It is an outdoor light display which you enjoy from your vehicle – it really is spectacular with the all the grand displays.

In addition to the light show, you can get out of your car (at the end) and go into the museum area where you will find a trade show, a fantastic model railroad display (my 2 year old was enthralled!) and a impressive dollhouse exhibit. Plus snacks and hot cocoa and a petting zoo, etc. A lot of fun; a great evening. It is open through the end of the year.

As a personal disappointment, another blogger (an equine health blog) has actually posted on Southern Lights using my pictures before I could. So I guess that means a hat tip goes to the Jurga Report?

Check out all the pictures from Southern Lights posted to my flickr account. And if you can’t make it out with all the hustle of Christmas 2010, add Southern Lights to your 2011 calendar? Have you been before? What is your favorite part?

UK’s Collage

Holiday Collage at Singletary Center, Lexington, Ky.

I’ll be posting about some local holiday traditions. Last weekend, the wife and I attended UK’s Collage performance at the Singletary Center for the Fine Arts. We attend (almost) every year and love the show! It features a 200-voice strong men’s and women’s choir plus the Lexington Singers Children’s Choir. Both the men’s and women’s a cappela groups perform – individually and together. Handbells, a steel band, bluegrass and more… some of the best of the university and the community are brought together for Collage. To get a taste for the performance, check out this video featuring the performance of the Nigerian Christmas carol Betelhemu – an audience favorite! It is too late this year, but put Collage on your Christmas calendar for 2011!

walkLEX: Silversmith Shop

@ Cheapside’s Patio, Lexington, Ky.

The patio at Lexington’s Cheapside Bar & Grille was once the site of Asa Blanchard’s silversmith shop. A historic marker identifies the site:

On this site, 1810-1838, was shop of Asa Blanchard, the most noted of Kentucky’s silversmiths. Blanchard silver was as prized in Kentucky as that of Paul Revere in New England. Among his customers were the most prominent families in the Bluegrass. A master craftsman who trained many apprentices, Blanchard was a goldsmith as well as a watch and clockmaker. He died in 1838.

Little is known of Blanchard prior to his arrival in Kentucky, but it is believed that he trained in England and his name appears in the 1790 and 1800 censuses of Wildersburgh Town, Vermont. He arrived in Lexington probably in 1808 and began acquiring the property at this corner (Short and Mill) in 1808. His work was presented to Henry Clay, governor Isaac Shelby. Also a clockmaker, one of his works appears at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. [*] Asa Blanchard died in Lexington in 1838.

And in economic development news, remember that another modern silversmith – Tiffany & Co. – is opening a manufacturing facility in Lexington next year.

This post was republished by KyForward on June 1, 2011.

walkLEX: Uneeda Biscuit

Uneeda Biscuit Ghost Sign, Lexington, Ky.

Walking down Short Street, you can see two different buildings bearing old ghost signs of a bygone era. Ghost signs were popular marketing tools in the late 1800s through the mid-1900s (conveniently, when our society both walked and was sans-suburbia). You can find them in most urban areas, and they are great reminders of the past because of both the marketing technique and the product itself.

The Uneeda Biscuit was first produced and sold in 1898 – it was the first mass-produced cracker in the United States. Prior to Adolphus Green’s creation for the National Biscuit Company, mothers would send sons with soap bags to get a fill of crackers at the local bakery. Unsurprisingly, many of the crackers came home broken. The company created a seal design for wax paper and the rest is history. Ultimately, National Biscuit Company became Nabisco in 1971. The Uneeda Biscuit was discontinued in 1999.

Cheapside Park, c. 1920-1921

Cheapside Park, circa 1920-1921.

With my office around the corner, Cheapside Park has been any easy target for posts. Its new Fifth Third Bank Pavilion is a great community asset, but we can roll back the clock and see what Cheapside looked like around 1920-1921.

Thanks again, Asa Chinn for all the great photographs you took in your day. And to the KY Digital Library for making them available! And to my paralegal, Leann, for emailing me this picture. The KDL identified the various businesses as follows:

Cheapside: Main to Short (West), 111 Monarch Loan Co., Burrough’s Adding Machine Co., W.F. Johnson, 115 Cheapside Shoe Market, 117 George M. Ramsey Sign Co., 119 J.C. Berryman, 121 Republic Trust Company, 123 A.B. Jones, 125 Arcade Drug Store, 127 J.T. Slanton, Dr. E.D. O’Leary, Daniel O’Leary, Arthur Stewart, 129 King & Daniel, 131 H.G. Riddle, W. King & Son, J.C. DeLong

Nat Northington

At the Kentucky-Charleston Southern football game, I examined the program and read about UK’s “History and Traditions.” I noted one I had not seen before: Nat Northington.

Nat Northington

Nat Northington was the first African-American football player to sign with an SEC school (UK) when he did so in 1965. Two African-Americans signed with Coach Charlie Bradshaw to the 1967 squad, the other being Greg Page. Page was paralyzed during a preseason practice and died from complications 38 days later; the university opened a residential apartment community bearing Page’s name in the 1979.

As a result of Page’s injury, only Northington would play football for the Wildcats during the 1967 season. He therefore became the first African-American to play in an SEC game when Ole Miss came to Lexington’s Stoll Field on September 30, 1967. It would take another three years before UK’s basketball team would sign an African-American player.

Sources: ESPN, UKAthletics, Lex H-L. Photo: KYVL.

Dixiana Farm Mansion Burns.. and Some History

Postcard of Dixiana Farm, Lexington, Ky.

A sad news update on a building I’ve never noticed… an early-Saturday-morning fire consumed and destroyed the mansion at Dixiana Farms (f/k/a Hamilton Stud) in Lexington. WKYT’s video is here. Firefighters stood by waiting on water tankers to deliver water to the scene as no hydrants were near. Located off Russell Cave Road, it appears that parts of the mansion predated the Civil War (the oldest parts destroyed). Dixiana Farm was founded in 1877 by Barak G. Thomas (1826-1906), a major in the Confederate army who later was elected sheriff of post-war Fayette County. Major Thomas, in ailing financial and bodily health, sold the farm in 1897 [fn] and retired to his ‘city home’ at 194 West Main Street (n/k/a 646 West Main Street after renumbering in 1907). [fn] Barak G. Thomas passed in 1906. [NYTimes obit]

Dixiana Mansion, Lexington, Ky.

Ultimately, in 1909 Dixiana Farm was purchased by James Ben Ali Haggin (a major name in Lexington history) who owned the adjacent, more prestigous Elmendorf Farm. Haggin converted the great Thoroughbred farm to tobacco land and Dixiana was used for that purpose until Haggin sold the farm in 1925 to James Cox Brady (then one of the thirty richest men in America) who restored Dixiana to racing prestige. There is a lot more history here and here. Most recently, the property was purchased for $13 million in 2009 by Bill Shively..

I only wish I had seen the mansion before it burned. So much history…

UPDATE (2-17-2012): The history of the farm in this post is correct, but I was today advised by Dixiana Farms that the mansion pictured above remains standing. It was actually the Domino Stud Farm mansion that burned in early 2010. The two farms – Dixiana and Domino – were separated in the 1940s but reunited under both original acreage and name in 2009. Here is a photo of the Domino Mansion, courtesy of Dixiana Farms, as it appeared before it was lost to fire. Stay tuned as plans are pending with regard to this historic landmark:

Photo: Dixiana Farms