NoDestination – Page 10 – The Kaintuckeean

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.

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?

NoD: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

The Red Doors of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Newport, Ky.

Aside from the Cross, the most recognizable sign of a church (Episcopalian) is the red door – they are great for spotting from a block away. Also impressive is the number of Episcopal churches in Kentucky which are historical points of reference.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Newport is such a church. It’s ivy-covered stone clock-tower next to the courthouse square makes for a beautiful church. The congregation began in 1845 and construction began on this church building in 1871. It is worth noting that the Episcopal Church in Kentucky did not split during the Civil War as did other denominations; this was a principal cause for St. Paul’s continued growth. “By 1870…the political prejudices and antipathies engendered by that terrible catastrophe were largely removed; and Federalist and Confederates together knelt in brotherly love and good-will at the same altar.” [*] Services were first held here in 1873, but the building was not completed until 1888. The project was over budget at a cost of $33,000 rather than the expected $19,452. The church, however, has weathered many storms: an 1880 earthquake, the flooding of the Ohio River in 1884 and 1937, as well as tornadoes in 1915 and 1986.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Newport, Ky.

But it is the people who attended St. Paul’s that complete its story (and cause it to have a historic marker, #1511):

For a century and a quarter, a St. Paul’s Episcopal Church has stood on this corner. Since 1871, the bell in the towering spire atop this native stone church has rung for services. Here worshipped Gen. James Taylor, War of 1812; Henry Stanbery, who defended President Andrew Johnson at his impeachment trial, 1868; Brent Spence, 37 yrs. in Congress, a lifetime member.

The church offers many social services for its urban community and continues to hold weekly services.

NoD: World Peace Belll

World Peace Bell, Newport, Ky.

You’d think something called the World Peace Bell would be in New York, right? Near the U.N.? Perhaps in Europe – Switzerland would be a good spot. Nope and nope. [Well, OK. There are other peace bells, too.]

The World Peace Bell is located in Newport, Ky. Dedicated on 12-31-1999, it first rang when the 2000s began – it could be heard from a distance of 25 miles. The bell, a Verdin, was cast in France and sailed the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans before navigating the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers to reach its Kentucky home. The bell itself is 12 feet high, 12 feet in diameter and weighs 66,000 pounds! (With clapper and support, the total weight is nearly 90,000 lbs.) It rings at noon, daily.

Check out the other pics of the World Peace Bell from my flickr photostream.

NoD: Nicholasville Streetscape Project

Main Street, Nicholasville, Ky.

Lexingtonians can sympathize with what is currently going on with Nicholasville’s Main Street. Lexington’s months of burying utility lines, sidewalk adjustments have ended and moved south to Nicholasville. (Though Nicholasville’s beautification project is not [at least partly] prompted by a settlement with the EPA.)

Nicholasville’s improvements will come in three phases and will utimately include three new parks in the downtown area. Nicholasville Now has a lot of information about the project on their website. I’ll post more when Phase I is complete, but until then watch out for traffic cones!

NoD: Northern Kentucky Firefighter’s Memorial

Firefighter’s Memorial in Newport, Ky.

Near the Campbell County courthouse (seen in background) is the Northern Kentucky Firefighter’s Memorial depicting a firefighter carrying one child and walking two other children to safety. The “northern Kentucky” region is unlike any other in Kentucky: its citizenry identifies itself not by county or community, but simply by its generic “northern Kentucky” term. This memorial – and the corresponding firefighter’s association – is dedicated to the brave men of the various Northern Kentucky fire departments (39 departments in 4 counties) [*] and particularly those brave men and women who have laid their lives in service of their neighbors and communities.

NoD: Hopewell Presbyterian Church

Hopewell Presbyterian Church, Paris, Ky.

Hopewell Presbyterian is one of the oldest church congregations in Bourbon County first holding service in 1785 and being officially recognized by the Transylvania Presbytery in 1787. Fire twice caused the church to be rebuilt, most recently in 1904.

You might recall that Paris was originally charted as Hopewell; this church remains one of the few reminders of the community’s original name. The church remains an active congregation with weekly services. Additional pictures are available on flickr.

Maker’s Mark Tasting

Maker’s Mark Tasting @ World Equestrian Games, Lexington, Ky.

One of the vendors unique to Kentucky set up at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington is Maker’s Mark. Its temporary building looks similar to those in Loretto and its product is available throughout the Games. In the Kentucky Experience, there are bourbon tastings where you can sample the three kinds of Maker’s. I enjoy bourbon, but Maker’s holds a special place in my heart. Oh…and I love Maker’s 46. (I’ve enjoyed it since it was first released a few months ago!) It is incredibly smooth and the perfect sipping bourbon. Maker’s Julep is a great blend of bourbon, sugar and mint – a wonderfully mixed mint julep straight from the bottle!

If you enjoy Bourbon or want to experience a taste of Kentucky, enjoy a Maker’s tasting. And invite me to enjoy it with you!

No Destination: Catlettsburg Depot

Railroad Depot, Catlettsburg, Ky.

Catlettsburg was once called where the “river meets the rail.” The Catlettsburg Rail Depot, originally part of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, is no longer an active station. Until 1998, Amtrak used to stop at CAT on its Chicago to NYC Cardinal train, but the line now stops in Ashland. Amtrak also utilized Catlettsburg as the termini of the Hilltoper line (a line that operated from 1977 to 1979 – check out this story (and pics) of riding the line in 1979) It served as an active C&O passenger station from 1904 to 1958.

In his rail journal dated 2004, Dan Chazin called the abandoned Catlettsburg station a “small, unattractive station.” To be sure, it is an old (1904) station and its yellow brick is certainly not the most asthetically appealing rail station I’ve ever seen. That said, it is a classic rural rail station from that era. Given the loss of rail traffic – and rail stations – nationwide, the structure is significant. This is why I’m so glad to see that it has been, since 2006, the Russell E. Compton Civic Center and Museum. From the picture, you can see that work is being done to expand the role of the center in the community.

At the time of my visit, a rusty caboose sat next to the station. Within months, the caboose was restored and painted a bright red with sharp yellow trim. From the pictures at Ashland’s Daily Independent, they’ve done a great job restoring the caboose.

A number of my flickr Catlettsburg photos were taken at the depot.

No Destination: UK Cheerleaders

World Equestrian Games 2010 - Opening Ceremony

UK Cheerleaders at the World Equestrian Games, Lexington, Ky.

The University of Kentucky has a great athletic tradition. Men’s basketball has seven national championships. It is, however, the cheerleaders who are the University’s greatest champions.

With 18 national championships, the UK Cheerleaders are the most storied program in the country. In fact, they’ve won 14 of the last 16 UCA championships. The trophy seems to have a permanent place in Lexington.

Last Friday night, the cheerleaders participated in the opening ceremonies of the World Equestrian Games. There performance was great and their Rockette-style moments (like that pictured above) were spectacular. But this picture also deserves some credit: I posted on flickr 242 WEG2010 photos which received 3,439 hits in the first 24 hours of being online and the picture above was (by far) the most popular. GO CATS!