Fayette – Page 8 – The Kaintuckeean

In Memorium: Holmes Hall

Holmes Hall – University of Kentucky, ca. 1914. Author’s collection.

IMHO, the loss of Holmes Hall may be the most devastating of all the demolitions which occurred on campus this summer. Yes, others may have more historic or even architectural significance, but the realtor’s mantra of “location, location, location” weighs heavily (for me) with this demolition.

Holmes Hall stood at such a prominent location: the northeast corner of South Limestone and the Avenue of Champions. From its seat, Holmes Hall welcomed to the downtown area those traveling into Lexington along Nicholasville Road.

It was smartly set back from the curb with a good amount of green space. Behind, the structure consisted largely of three parts: a four-story brick dormitory not dissimilar to many other dormitories on campus, an interesting one-story brown stone appendage that wrapped the building’s frontage along Avenue of Champions as well as part of its eastern façade (the same stone was smartly used around each of the entrances), and the final part of the of Holmes Hall was what truly set it apart.

Holmes Hall – University of Kentucky. Author’s collection.

The stepped canopy that rose from the Avenue of Champions on the eastern side of Holmes Hall was always one of my favorite architectural features on campus. Stone columns held up each step of the multi-level canopy, with each level constructed of seamless concrete.

From beneath the canopy, the covered walkway appeared as a portal to another world. And from above, the canopy gave the impression of a multi-step waterfall. Its beauty was such that it could have easily been part of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water.

Demolition of Holmes Hall. Author’s collection.

It was a visible portal into the heart of Lexington. But the building and its canopy are gone. It would have been nice if at least the canopied walk could have been incorporated into the new design, but this was not to be.

But it wasn’t the only structure on the campus of the University of Kentucky to be demolished in 2014. Gone, too, are Wenner-Gren, Hamilton House, and others. As the campus has grown or changed needs, a number of historic structures have fallen through the years like the old Carnegie Library and White Hall.

What was your favorite campus building at UK that has been removed? Mention it, or share your memories about Holmes Hall, in the comments.

This post is based on an excerpt about the Lost Campus from LOST LEXINGTON, KY.

Lexington has dozens of well-restored landmarks, but so many more are lost forever. The famous Phoenix Hotel, long a stop for weary travelers and politicians alike, has risen from its own ashes numerous times over the past centuries. The works of renowned architect John McMurtry were once numerous around town, but some of the finest examples are gone. The Centrepointe block has been made and unmade so many times that its original tenants are unknown to natives now.

Where to purchase LOST LEXINGTON?

225 Years of Ministry: Lexington’s First United Methodist Church

Reflection of the First United Methodist Church. Author’s collection.

The First United Methodist Church on High Street was built in 1907, though the church’s ministry in central Kentucky extends much further into history. In fact, this year marks the congregation’s 225th year of ministry.

Originally known as the Lexington Society of Methodists when it was begun by Francis Poythress, an elder and circuit rider who had evangelized in the area since 1788. According to Collins’ 1847 History of Kentucky,

As a preacher, few in those days excelled him. His voice was clear and musical; his knowledge of the scriptures vast and accurate; his sermons bedewed with his tears in his closet, fell as the dews of life upon the hearts of his congregation; sinners trembled before the Lord, and the keen flash of the Spirit’s sword was felt passing all through the soul, discerning by its brightness, the “thoughts and intents of the heart.”

In 1790, Poythress invited Francis Asbury to Kentucky and Asbury then preached at the first Methodist conference in Kentucky which was hosted on the property of Richard Masterson about five miles from Lexington. A remaining parcel of this land remains undeveloped as Masterson Park.

The 1789 Lexington church first began on the east end of town and is considered the first Methodist church west of the Allegheny Mountains. It is also one of the first 100 Methodist Churches in America.

But during the early 1800s, the church outgrew its location. A lot was purchased on Hill Street (now known as High Street) and a new church was constructed in 1840. Expansion again occurred twice, but by 1900 the Lexington Methodist Church had again outgrown itself.

So in 1907, the old church building was razed in favor of the present structure which sits on the same site. The cornerstone of the present church was laid on January 13, 1908 and the church was dedicated a year later on January 10, 1909.

The cost to build the 700-seat Methodist Church was $65,000 and the Columbus, Ohio architecture firm of Richards, McCarty and Buford were hired for the project.

The building on High Street has had several additions over the past century and the congregation has begun a number of missions which have become churches in their own right. The church history, posted on the church’s website, concludes that even into “its third century, First United Methodist Church continues its mission to invite, equip and deploy faithful followers of Jesus Christ across the street and around the world.”

TONIGHT: deTour at Longwood Antique Woods

Photos from Longwood. Courtesy of Mary Sloan and Whitney Rhorer.

If you are on Pinterest, you have no doubt seen images of old, worn items being transformed into neat decorative pieces or functional pieces of furniture. When a house near our home was demolished, I salvaged a few doors and used one for the front of a bar when remodeling our basement.

Some of the flooding, doors, furniture and other items that can be salvaged are of incredibly high quality made of very fine materials. So when structures cannot be saved, efforts can and should be taken to extract the salvageable pieces so that they can be preserved and repurposed.

For over two decades, George Gatewood has been doing exactly that. He has been at the forefront of this kind of historic preservation for over two decades is George Gatewood. Tonight, join BGT deTours for an exclusive tour of George’s Longwood Antique Woods. Longwood is located at located at 325 Midland Place and we will tour the showroom, offices, and woodworking facility. We will also walk-through their re-purposing methods. Here is a little more about Longwood’s process from its website:

Longwood Antique Woods has been in the business of reclaiming and recycling old wood for twenty-two years and has supplied countless material solutions for floors, doors, bars, beams, furniture art, and much more. The antique wood in our collections is salvaged from historic barns, warehouses, and cabins slated for destruction throughout the Bluegrass region of Kentucky. Our mission is to supply a green product with a unique history; whether it is from the barn of highly recognized War Admiral or rural farmer Papa Shepard. These products add to the architect’s “green” ratings and the end user’s sense of environmental responsibility, all within an historical context without harvesting a single tree. The wood is meticulously saved by our team of craftsmen, restored and reused rather than being lost forever.

Parking (free!) can be found on site and the group will begin gathering at 5:30 p.m. with the tour starting at 5:45. For more details about the BGT deTours program, and to stay informed about future deTours, you can LIKE BGT deTours on Facebook at facebook.com/BGTdeTours. BGT deTours are free and open to the public.

Boo! Looking at the Halloweens of Lexington’s Past

The iconic PumpkinMania at Transylvania University in Lexington, Ky. Author’s collection.

Halloween’s first mention in the newspapers of Lexington came in 1896. The holiday had spread across America along with waves of immigrants, much to the dismay of those of Puritan descent. That reference in 1896 explained “Hal’ow’en” “and how it is celebrated. Something about its origin, history and traditions.”

By 1901, the “tricks” had begun. The Lexington Leader warned its reachers to be on the “look out for pranks tonight.” It was warned that “these local spirits wait a whole year for this night, and woe unto the man whose fences and gates are not bound together strongly or else provided with the proper immovable latches.”

The students of the State College (later, the University of Kentucky) joined the fray. Four State College students were arrested for “violent behavior” on Halloween night.

In 1903, students at Kentucky University (later, Transylvania) enjoyed their own festivities. A party was celebrated in the school’s gymnasium and “all attendants [were] promised a delightful evening, though they [had] to pay dearly for their enjoyment. Before they [could] enter the large room bedecked with autumnal leaves, corn stalks, pumpkins and other rural beauties, the guests pass[ed] through the weird and uncanny scenes of Hades.”

But it was the 1906 Halloween riot that began to change the holiday’s tone in Lexington. As a result of the riot, during which a number of Lexington police officers were “roughly handled,” several students were expelled by late November. Minutes from the December UK Trustees’ meeting reveals that the riots, the obstruction of the streetcars, and the way in which many of the students hid from their actions by retiring speedily back to their dorm rooms caused President Patterson to even consider removing dormitory life from the University.

President Patterson and the University Faculty, ca. 1907. UK Libraries.

That measure did not happen. But the following year, President James Patterson spoke to the student body on Halloween on the origins of the holiday and encouraged peaceful festivities. Patterson’s words must have resonated for the holiday did not warrant inclusion in the local papers for a few years.

The Kentucky Kernel, Nov. 2, 1916.
UK Libraries.

It was a decade later, in 1916, when the police were again “busy” with “pranks and disorders.” News accounts in the Kentucky Kernel believed that “according to the ancient and revered tradition of the people of the city, University of Kentucky students were blamed with all the disorder committed.” Incidents involving the “several people [who] were shot” during the night were blamed on UK students.

In what must have been a disastrous period for “Town-Gown” relations, riotous events of varying degrees occurred each Halloween through the 1920s.

At that time, the University instituted a annual Halloween dance for its students. While a seemingly fun activity, its design was truly to contain the students.

The Buell Armory’s floor was decorated and the students wore costumes to the dance.

A Halloween Dance at the University of Kentucky. UK Libraries.

The costumes worn by the students would have been unacceptable, offensive, and certainly politically incorrect today. The images above depict some students in blackface while others are dressed up as members of the Klan. It would not be until 1949 when African-Americans were admitted to the University of Kentucky.

By the mid-century, the focus of the newspaper’s attention on Halloween had centered around children. In 1977, the Lexington Leader first reported on the disgusting act of tampering with Halloween candy with razor blades, pins, and drugs. In 1982, the LFUCG began urging civic organizations to promote trick-or-treating alternatives (like trunk-or-treats) because of the increasing fears over the tampered with candy. Once council member even sought to ban trick-or-treating altogether.

In 1993, the Herald-Leader suggested that kids dress up as arctic explorers because of the “first-ever Halloween snow forecast.” Which, of course brings us to tonight with snow once again on the forecast.

Stay warm, have fun, and be safe! And Happy Halloween!!

A New Sign (A New Landmark?) in Downtown Lexington

New Signage O’er The Square in Lexington, Ky. Author’s collection.

A new landmark was installed within the past week days in Lexington, and it hasn’t been without some controversy. Above the old Victorian Square development downtown, new signage identifies the block’s new identity as “The Square.”

On social media, the font and design of the new signage has been blasted by some while others approve of the vintage-looking sign. It rests atop a block of structures which date to the 1870s and 1880s.

Main Street façade circa. 1976. Photo from Lexington-Fayette Historic Commission.

The façades, plus some interior walls, of these historic commercial structures were preserved when the spaces were converted into a downtown shopping block and labeled Victorian Square. The structures along Broadway have more architectural detail on their façades than those on Main Street, but the entire block is a well-done reuse of space.

Nearly all buildings on the block are three-story in height and the gaps between each have been “filled in” with entrances to the central interior courtyard developed as part of the large commercial space.

Preserving the block a century later was a key step in saving a section of Lexington’s identity, though during the same period entire blocks of similar structures were razed to create Triangle Park, the Lexington Center, and Rupp Arena. In the nomination of the block to the National Register of Historic Places, the block was described as

Markings for the old Victorian Square, rebranded as
The Square. Author’s collection.

a very important block visually and commercially in downtown Lexington. Its buildings were constructed for use as commercial structures mostly in the 1970s and ’80s at a time when the citizens of Lexington were prospering and trade was lively. The Block reflects those times. It has the same profile and charm as it did then as well as having many of the same kinds of businesses it had in earlier years. Time has passed by; many of its Victorian embellishments such as bracketed storefronts, ornate hood molds, pressed tin ceilings and tiled stoops survive.

Commercially, Victorian Square never thrived. Recently, the development has been rebranded as “The Square.” Signage has been going up to note the development which is seeing a major shift in occupants with newcomers Urban Outfitters, Alumni Hall, and a myriad of new restaurants recently opening (or preparing to open) their doors.

7 Lexington Landmarks

It’s #HumpDay! The Louisville Zoo Camel.
Author’s collection.

It’s #humpday again! So I’m rolling out the camel and a list: today let’s explore 7 Lexington landmarks. But I have to ask, are there other landmarks I didn’t think of or mention? Please mention others in the comments!

The Old Courthouse
Morrison Hall
Hunt-Morgan House
Ashland
Big Blue Building
Rupp Arena
Memorial Hall

You can click through most of these landmarks for more history and photos.

1. The Old Courthouse

At the heart of any town is its courthouse. Lexington’s historic courthouse, though currently mothballed, is the heart of the community. Our fourth courthouse, it was built in 1898.

2. Morrison Hall

Designed by Gideon Shryock, the structure faces Gratz Park and is the icon of Transylvania University. Frankly, it is the icon of the city as Lexington’s official seal depicts Old Morrison.

3. Hunt-Morgan House

Also known as Hopemont, the HMH was built by the first millionaire west of the Alleghenies: John Wesley Hunt. Tradition suggests that the Thunderbolt of the Confederacy, General John Hunt Morgan, rode his horse in through the front door, bent down and kissed his mother on the cheek, before riding through the rear of the house – all in avoidance of Union troops. Oh, and a Nobel laureate was born here (Dr. Thomas Hunt Morgan).

4. Ashland: Henry Clay’s Home

The Home of Henry Clay. Well, sort of. The home in which Henry Clay actually lived was in poor condition when it was demolished in 1854; son James Clay rebuilt the present Ashland mansion. Oh, and the video above is an awesome new #sharethelex video. Watch it.

5. Big Blue Building

Sure, it isn’t historic. But it is an icon of Lexington’s skyline.In fact, it is the tallest building in town and is the key to the city’s skyline. Completed in 1987, the octagon-shaped structure’s 31 stories reach 410-feet into the air.

6. Rupp Arena

The home of the Kentucky Wildcats (aka the Greatest Tradition in College Basketball) since 1976, Rupp Arena is named after the legendary coach Adolph Rupp. Today, it seats 23,500 people for basketball and it played host to the NCAA Men’s Final Four in 1985.

7. Memorial Hall

Just as Old Morrison is the chief landmark for Transylvania University, so Memorial Hall is the iconic building for the University of Kentucky. In UK’s logo, the outline of Memorial can be found between the U and the K. Photo: UK Campus Guide.

Yes. There are more landmarks I didn’t mention. A lot more. What did I miss? When you think of Lexington, what landmarks do you think of? Tweet me, comment on on Facebook or below and let me know your Lexington Landmarks!

Thomas Hunt Morgan a ‘key figure in modern science’

The Thomas Hunt Morgan Biological Sciences Building at the University of Kentucky.
Author’s collection.

Lexington’s Nobel laureate has been in the news lately. Quite remarkable for a guy who received that award some 81-years ago.

But Thomas Hunt Morgan’s great contributions to science, and his hometown’s affinity for history, have kept his story alive. And an effort is underway to make sure that the story thrives.

A few weeks ago, the Women’s Club of Central Kentucky donated its home to the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation. That home was the childhood home of Dr. Morgan.

An online post by Dr. Tom Kimmerer in September profiled the Lexington buildings connected to Dr. Morgan and set forth an explanation of the import of Dr. Morgan’s research: “Morgan is a key figure in modern science not just because of his accomplishments, but because of his underlying skepticism. He did not believe any biological theory unless he could test it. But once he had thoroughly tested it over and over to his own satisfaction, he yielded his skepticism.”

The Herald-Leader‘s Tom Eblen profiled Dr. Morgan yesterday and observed that, as a community, we celebrate the wrong Morgan. Dr. Morgan’s uncle, John Hunt Morgan, was the Thunderbolt of the Confederacy and his statue atop Black Bess features prominently on the old courthouse lawn.

In other words, the guy who fought for the losing side in the Civil War is honored in Lexington more than the man who altered the course of research in the biological sciences. So … maybe that should change?

2016 will mark the sesquicentennial of Thomas Hunt Morgan’s birth and it would be the perfect time for the community to rally around this native son.

Dr. Morgan went on to attend the University of Kentucky and Johns Hopkins University before entering academia at Columbia University.

Utilizing an experimental approach to science, unlike the then-prevalent ‘stamp collecting’ method which disproved nothing, Dr. Morgan discovered a link between chromosomes and inherited traits. For this, he is known as the “Father of Modern Genetics.”

Oh, and yes. It is #MarkerMonday. Dr. Morgan’s alma mater had a historic marker placed in front of the biological sciences building at the University of Kentucky which is named in his honor.

Born in Lexington, Ky. on September 25, 1866, Morgan was a nephew of Confederate General John Hunt Morgan. He attended the State College of Kentucky(University of Kentucky) during the 1880s. Morgan graduated as valedictorian in 1886 with a B.S. and an M.S. in 1888. He earned a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1890. Class of 2010.

(Reverse) Thomas Hunt Morgan, 1866-1945- Morgan discovered the basic mechanisms of heredity and was a pioneering geneticist, winning the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1933. In 1966, the University named the new Thomas Hunt Morgan School of Biological Sciences for him. Class of 2010.

Named, too, was the Thomas Hunt Morgan School of Biological Sciences at UK. These honors occurred in 1966, 100 years after Dr. Morgan’s birth. In 2002, however, the biology school was absorbed into the Department of Biology. The department no longer bears Dr. Morgan’s name.

A Lost Fall Tradition: Haggins’ Huge Party at Elmendorf

Green Hills Mansion – Lexington, Ky. UK Libraries.

Fall traditions in Kentucky abound. Each community seems to have a fall festival. Grand plans are made to enjoy the rites of Keeneland and Commonwealth Stadium. Each glorious event occurring with anticipation of the next. All the while, the weather turns brisk just as leaves turn their color.

James Ben Ali Haggin
LexHistory.

But one tradition faded into the recesses of our past. But a scion of central Kentucky would make his annual pilgrimage to his Kentucky mansion for a few months before returning north again.

James Ben Ali Haggin, the Mercer County native who made his millions on California gold, consolidated his equine holdings to Fayette County in 1905. It was here, on his Elmendorf Farm, that he built Green Hills Mansion.

Green Hills was 40-rooms strong and its construction costs are estimated in today’s dollars at over $200 million. Opulence was everywhere.

And the opulence continued at the gala hosted by Haggin and his wife upon their arrival at Green Hills each autumn.

Dining Room at Green Hills. UK Libraries.

The Lexington Leader had this to say of the inaugural gala in 1902:

Unusual interest centers today in the cotillion to
be given tonight by Mr. and Mrs. Haggin at Green Hills, their palatial country place
on Elmendorf farm. Scores of guests have arrived from
nearby and distant cities and are quartered at the hotels or with friends. The
caterers and decorators have several special cars sidetracked at Muir Station,
a few miles from Elmendorf.

The next day, the morning Herald gave its notes on the “huge party.” Each year, the Haggins hosted a “festive array” for both “the Lexington and country people.” But after only a few months in the Bluegrass, Haggin and his wife annually departed Kentucky and their empire here for their New York and Rhode Island homes.

After Haggin’s death, Green Hills was sold to Joseph Widener. By 1929, the vacant home was too costly to maintain and the property taxes too steep. Green Hills was demolished leaving behind only the columns as a “mute testimony” to the grandeur that once was.

This post is based on an excerpt about the Green Hills Mansion from LOST LEXINGTON, KY.

Lexington has dozens of well-restored landmarks, but so many more are lost forever. The famous Phoenix Hotel, long a stop for weary travelers and politicians alike, has risen from its own ashes numerous times over the past centuries. The works of renowned architect John McMurtry were once numerous around town, but some of the finest examples are gone. The Centrepointe block has been made and unmade so many times that its original tenants are unknown to natives now.

Preorder LOST LEXINGTON here

Donation reunites two parcels of Hunt-Morgan history

Thomas Hunt Morgan House – Lexington, Ky. Blue Grass Trust.

At Second and Mill streets is the home built by John Wesley Hunt, Hopemont, that later became known as the Hunt-Morgan House. Around two corners from Hopemont’s iconic Palladian window is 210 North Broadway.

The latter building has been home to the Woman’s Club of Central Kentucky since 1965, but both the building and that organization have longer lineages. WCCK is now celebrating its 120th anniversary and in celebration has “made an extraordinary preservation gift to the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation.”

In 1870, 210 North Broadway was built for Capt. Charlton Hunt Morgan and his wife, Mrs. Ellen Key Morgan. At the helm of design and construction was one of the finest architects of time and place, John McMurtry. The land on which the Hunt’s built was once a part of Hopemont’s more significant acreage. It has been announced that WCCK is donating the North Broadway property to the Blue Grass Trust. The BGT, already the owner of the Hunt-Morgan House on North Mill, will reunite these two parcels again under common ownership.

Historic marker outside

Born at Hopemont in 1866, Thomas Hunt Morgan was a young boy when his parents moved into 210 North Broadway. It was here that young Thomas began to show his interest in biology and naturalism as he gathered birds, birds’ eggs and fossils. By the age of 16, he was enrolled at the State College, later the U. of Kentucky, from which he would graduate as the valedictorian in 1886.

A professorship at John Hopkins University was followed by the same at Columbia University. While at Columbia, Dr. Morgan created his infamous “fly room.” Using the inexpensive and fast breeding species, he studied heredity at a chromosomal level.

In 1933, Dr. Morgan received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for “his discoveries concerning the role played by chromosomes in heredity.” He was the first Kentuckian to receive the Nobel Prize and he is known as the “Father of Modern Genetics.”

After earning his Nobel Prize, Dr. Hunt was named the president of Caltech. He would pass away in 1945 in Pasadena, California.

His childhood home at 210 North Broadway would forever bear his name as the Thomas Hunt Morgan House. Over the years, various additions have been made to the property as it has seen various uses since it was the Morgan family residence. Specifically, an auditorium (ca. 1912) and dining hall (ca. 1970) have left many more square feet than originally included in the McMurtry design.

The buildings future is secure as it will become the new home for the Blue Grass Trust in the spring of 2015.

The Horse Cemetery: Hamburg’s Last Vestige of Itself

Hamburg Horse Cemetery on Sir Barton Way, Lexington. Author’s Collection.

In the shadow of the Super Walmart at Hamburg Place in northeast Lexington is a small cemetery of famed equines. Hamburg was once a massive horse farm which encompassed some 2,000 acres. The horse cemetery is seemingly all that is left of the site’s heritage.

And the horse cemetery isn’t even in its original location for it has been moved a few hundred yards from its original site which is now the parking lot for the aforementioned Walmart.

Birdseye View of Hamburg Place. U. of Ky Libraries.

The origin of Hamburg Place began in 1898, when John Madden purchased 235 acres along the Winchester Pike. Madden, a successful thoroughbred trainer and owner, named his farm Hamburg after his horse of the same name, which had been sold and the proceeds from which were used to acquire the farm. Although John Madden died in 1929, his family continued his legacy and success.

That is, until development became too tempting.

In the late 1990s, development began by Madden’s family.

Lamenting the loss, a 2000 publication by the Sierra Club suggested that “the conversion of Hamburg Place, a historic farm outside of Lexington, is emblematic of the changes that poorly planned growth is bringing to Kentucky.” The report went on to note that “where once there were 400 acres of trees and pasture there is now an Old Navy clothing franchise and lots of parking.”

Although, the names of Madden’s horses – among them Old Rosebud, Sir Barton, Alysheba, Star Shoot and Pink Pigeon – can be found on Hamburg’s street signs, it is the cemetery which is the most tangible reminder of what once occupied this massive expanse of land.

Monument to John Madden in Hamburg. Author’s Collection.

Buried here are many of the horses named above, each with a headstone in a circle around the central monument to Nancy Hanks.

Nancy Hanks was born in 1886 and named after the mother of Abraham Lincoln. Her great achievement as a trotter was a world’s record of 2 minutes, 4 seconds to the mile.

There is also a memorial, though not the gravesite, of founder John Madden. “The Wizard of the Turf” and the “Founder of Hamburg Place.”

This post contains excerpts from LOST LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

Lexington has dozens of well-restored landmarks, but so many more are lost forever. The famous Phoenix Hotel, long a stop for weary travelers and politicians alike, has risen from its own ashes numerous times over the past centuries. The works of renowned architect John McMurtry were once numerous around town, but some of the finest examples are gone. The Centrepointe block has been made and unmade so many times that its original tenants are unknown to natives now.

Preorder LOST LEXINGTON here