Tag: NoDestination

No Destination: New Castle

New Castle, Kentucky

Marketed as “life in the s-l-o-w lane,” New Castle was founded in 1798 and incorporated in 1817. It has always been the county seat of Henry County. From its website:

The view from this Henry County “seat” hasn’t changed much in 200 years. Local traditions linger , even with Louisville just 35 minutes down the road. New Castle (pop. 919) is one of the smallest towns in Kentucky certified in both “Renaissance on Main” and “Preserve America” programs; we tend to our town with the same grit and teamwork it takes to farm. Nothing fancy here–a busy courthouse square, a few characters and a lot of lawyers (15 at last count.).

So in the past 200 years, not much has changed in New Castle. Except that there are more lawyers.  As for the origin of the town’s name, it is unknown. (Per Wikipedia and, more importantly, the Kentucky Encyclopedia.) I would suggest it is named after my favorite beer, Newcastle Brown Ale. The ale, however, wasn’t created until 1927 so I doubt that is correct.

No Destination: Gen. William O. Butler

Born in Jessamine County, General William Butler was a Mexican War hero who practice law and ultimately died in Carrollton.

The Presidential election of 1848 was full of Kentucky connections and is evidence of Kentucky’s political prowess of old. In the race, Zachary Taylor (interred in Kentucky) defeated Kentuckian Henry Clay for the Whig nomination. In the general election, Taylor/Filmore defeatedthe Democratic ticket of Cass/Butler.

Significantly, Butler represented Kentucky in the oft-forgotten 1861 peace conference which took place in Washington, D.C. as an attempt to stave off civil war. Another Kentuckian, Senator John J. Crittenden, emphasized his crazy proposals for six Constitutional amendments to prevent war. Of course, Crittenden would have permanently recognized slavery in the U.S.

Kentucky Historical Marker #634, the only state historic marker on the Carroll County courthouse lawn, reads:

Gen. William O. Butler, born Kentucky 1791, died here, 1880. War of 1812: River Raisin, Pensacola, and New Orleans. Gen. Andrew Jackson’s staff 1816-17. Cited for heroism in Mexican War 1846-48. Practiced law here. Congressman 1839-43. Defeated as candidate for Governor 1844, Vice President 1848 and US Senate 1851. A Kentucky Commissioner to Peace Conference in Feb. 1861.

Named after General Butler is a state park just southeast of Carrollton, as well as counties in both Iowa and Missouri.

No Destination: Carrollton

Carrollton, as viewed from the Observation Deck at General Butler State Park

Port William, Kentucky became the county seat of Gallatin County when the county was formed in 1799. In 1938, the county was divided to create Carroll County. At that time, Port William was renamed Carrollton with the new county and its seat being named after Charles Carroll (a signer of the Declaration of Independence from Maryland). Upon the death of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams (both died on July 4, 1826), Carroll was the last remaining signer. He died in 1832. [cite and cite]

Carrollton is a nice river town with a beautiful courthouse. The walk approaching the courthouse is tree-lined and quite stately. Much of Carrollton/Port William’s early history centered on Water Street. This street, located between Main Street and the Ohio River, is largely washed away due to changes in the path of the river.

In fact, much of downtown Carrollton was submerged during the flood of 1884: “[t]he swelling continued, and by Thursday evening the north half of the Court house yard was deep enough to row a boat in.” [cite] For those who haven’t been to Carrollton, let me give some perspective. The remains of Water Street are perhaps 18 inches above the river; Main Street runs parallel to Water Street but is probably twelve feet higher in elevation. The ground rises across Main Street, on the south side of which rests the courthouse. And the lawn is large. This was a big ol’ flood.

No Destination: Bedford’s Jail

Old Trimble County Jail

Nate says that, “Trimble County is an interesting place.” It is pretty, and I hear that Milton is a neat river community. I hope to come back to visit it. Trimble County’s terrain is neat – the water levels were high on our mid-March visit. At times, it almost felt as if you were on a bridge in Louisiana’s low country.

Trimble County’s seat of government, Bedford, isn’t too interesting. (Yes, I know. I said negative things about Somerset, too – which started a storm of controversy. Well, on this blog a sprinkle turns out to be a storm.) As was the case with Somerset, I’m sure that there is a “finer side” to Bedford. I hope so – and I hope to see it.

The one really cool thing was the old jail. The jail pictured above was built in 1850, the same year that Bedford was incorporated. The second floor was added in 1899. As you can see from the picture, the jail (even with a second story) was incredibly small. But apparently, larger facilities were not needed.  From John Strother’s History of Trimble County, as read before the Filson Club on February 2, 1920:

This condition results in a steady, intelligent, law-abiding citizenship, unexcelled anywhere in Kentucky.  It is no unusual thing for the doors of the County Jail to stand wide open for a year or eighteen months at a time without a single prisoner.

Certainly, though prisoners would have become more frequent through the 1920s, the 1920s, the 1940s, the 1950s, the 1960s and the 1970s. In fact, this small jail – gothic, imposing and frankly quite frightening – served Trimble County until 1983.

No Destination: Westport

The Old Courthouse in Westport is now Westport Methodist Church.

Along the Ohio River in Oldham County lies Westport. Westport’s layout and design are very unique as it is designed around a large commons – a grassy area reminiscent of colonial New England. In fact, I imagine that walking through Williamsburg, Virginia pre-Rockefeller’s restoration was similar to walking through Westport. I am not the only person who has experienced this kind of feeling after experiencing Westport.

The streets, the buildings, and even the trees themselves seem to cling proudly to the importance that was theirs in the time of flourishing river traffic. For it was the river that gave birth and life itself to the town.

–from “Westport” by Helen Fairleigh Giltner, 1947 [Source: Courier-Journal]

Today, the historic structures are in various states of repair/disrepair, but the Friends of Westport are working tirelessly to restore this little hamlet. Their current project is the Westport Schoolhouse.

Westport Schoolhouse

The Westport Schoolhouse, pictured at left, was erected in 1882 and is the only remaining one-room schoolhouse in the state that sits on a town square. The renovation, which is at risk due to state budgetary issues, would result in a community center for arts and education. [Source: WAVE3]

Baptist minister Elijah Craig, now of bourbon fame, received from Virginia a 300 acre land grant in 1780. His grant included Westport. When Oldham County was carved from Shelby County in 1823, this rivertown was named the county seat and served in that capacity until 1838 when the county seat was permanently moved to La Grange (with the exception of about a month in 1827 when La Grange was selected by voters as the county seat, but state officials soon thereafter returned Westport to the position of prominence under political pressure). When county governance left Westport for good in 1838, the courthouse (pictured at top of post) was deeded to the Baptist, Christian, Methodist and Presbyterian churches. The courthouse still stands today and is utilized by the town’s Methodist congregation.

No Destination: Kentucky’s Tallest Structure

WAVE-3 Tower

In Lexington, we have the Lexington Financial Center (410 ft). In Louisville, there is the AEGON Center (549 ft). These are the tallest buildings in Kentucky’s largest cities.

But in Oldham County stands the state’s tallest structure. The WAVE-3 broadcast tower, constructed in 1991, is the state’s tallest structure standing at 1,739 feet. For some perspective, the World Trade Center was 1,727 feet. Chicago’s Sears Tower (nka Willis Tower) is only 1,451 feet.

That’s right. There stands a structure in Oldham County, Kentucky that is taller than even the World Trade Center.

But it gets taller. The tallest broadcast tower is in Blanchard, South Dakota (KLVY tower, 2,063 ft). The tallest building/manmade structure is the Burj Dubai at 2,717 ft. Still, if you wanna see something crazy tall – come to Oldham County.

No Destination: State Reformatory

Administration Building of the Kentucky State Reformatory

Frankfort was once the home of Kentucky’s penitentiary, but it was moved to Eddyville in 1912. Left behind was what became the “state reformatory.” Overcrowding and a 1936 flood prompted Gov. Happy Chandler to seek the construction of a new Reformatory. Receiving $1 million from the state legislature and matching funds from the Public Works Administration, construction began on the La Grange facility in 1937. It opened in 1939.

The medium security facility houses about 2,000 inmates. The 12-story administration building is a great example of Depression Era, gothic-style architecture. According to the Oldham County Historical Society [PDF cite], the first ten stories housed offices and living quarters for staff, the eleventh floor housed elevator mechanics and the twelfth floor contained a now-unused 150,000 gallon water tank. (There is something quite illogical, however, of housing a water storage tank on top of mechanical/electrical systems.)

No Destination: Railroad in La Grange

Thirty trains travel each day down La Grange’s Main Street

For those of you who read Monday’s post, you were probably wondering why I didn’t mention the crazy railroad that goes down Main Street in La Grange. If you looked closely at the picture, you noticed what I am talking about.

With parking on both sides of Main Street, there is no “wiggle room” when the CSX train comes barreling down at a maximum 10 mph. Nate tells the tale of a woman who frantically called her husband to tell him she had been in a car accident. Asked what happened, she told her spouse that she had run into a train. Only in La Grange.

Embedded below is a YouTube video (not mine) of a train coming down Main Street La Grange:

I can assure you that it is a very strange feeling to walk right up to a moving train.

No Destination: Rob Morris House

Dr. Robert Morris House in La Grange, Kentucky

Almost every American community contains a site that involves the Freemasons. This is especially true in La Grange, Kentucky. La Grange was once home to a Masonic College (from 1844 to 1873) and was the home to Dr. Rob Morris from 1860 until his death in 1888.

Morris founded the Order of the Eastern Star (a sister organization to Freemasonry, believing that some of the benefits of the Freemasons should be available to the female relatives of Masons) and was named the Poet Laureate of Freemasonry in 1884.

His most famous poem, The Level and the Square, was written in 1854. Excerpts follow [full text here]:

We meet upon the level and we part upon the square;

There’s a world where all are equal we’re coming to it fast
We shall meet upon the level there when the days on earth are past
We shall stand before the altar and our Master will be there
To try the blocks we offer with his own unerring square
We shall meet upon the level there but never thence depart
There’s a Mansion—‘tis all ready for each trusting, faithful heart
There’s a Mansion and a welcome and a multitude is there
Who have met upon the level and been tried upon the square.

The home pictured above was Morris’ second home in La Grange. Morris’ first home was burned in 1861 due to the pro-Union stance taken by Dr. Morris; he moved to the pictured home in 1862. The residence was erected in 1840. Since 1918, the property has been owned by the Order of the Eastern Star as a shrine and museum.

No Destination: LaGrange

Main Street in historic La Grange, Kentucky

As Nate alluded to last week, we visited Oldham County’s seat a few weeks ago. Founded in 1827, this community community was not incorporated until 1840. Named for the home of General Lafayette (the Château de la Grange-Bléneau), some suggest that LaGrange is severely haunted and may be part of the so-called “Fayette Factor.” (An anomaly that I’ve discovered and intend on researching at length.).

DeHaven Baptist Church

I think what stands out about La Grange is that it remains a thriving community. Despite a population of less than 5,700 (2000 Census), La Grange’s downtown is filled with active and successful businesses. Remarkable for a town of its size, particularly in our current economic downturn. Pictured above is Main Street with several of the businesses visible: Karen’s Book Barn, the Red Pepper Deli and Cafe, the 1887 Corner Store. A great toy store. Unfortunately, we visited on a Sunday and many of the shops were closed.

Several of Kentucky’s towns emphasize history and La Grange certainly counts itself among this class. The Historical Society has preserved churches and other historical structures (its HQ consists of an entire city block!) One of the most architecturally impressive structures is the DeHaven Baptist Church (pictured at right).