NoDestination – Page 8 – The Kaintuckeean

NoD: Offices of Judge Allie Young

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.

NoD: Russell Theater

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.

NoD: Camp Nelson (Oliver Perry House)

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.

NoD: Simon Kenton Bridge

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.

NoD: Old Bath County Jail

Old Bath County Jail, Owingsville, Ky.

OK. So this place doesn’t look like a jail, but I was told by the local historian on my visit to Owingsville that this was in fact the old Bath County Jail. And Google marks the location as the current “Bath County Jail.”

After a little internet searching, I can’t seem to find much on the building. A challenge to you all!? Help me find out more about this building, which looks like it was designed with (or to mirror) the Bath County Courthouse.

NoD: Justice Stanley Reed

Stanley Reed Ct., Maysville, Ky.

On New Years Eve in 1884, Justice Stanley Forman Reed was born in Minerva, Kentucky. Minerva, situated in Mason County, is a small hamlet – but the county seat of Maysville has not forgotten its native son. A plaque honors Reed at the old courthouse and the road adjacent to it bears his name.

Reed was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1938 after having served as Roosevelt’s Solicitor General. When he stepped down from the bench in 1957, he was the last Justice who had not obtained a law degree. Reed had previously obtained two bachelors degrees (Kentucky Wesleyan in 1902; Yale University in 1906) and had studied law, but not graduating, at both University of Virginia and Columbia University.

On the bench, Reed was the fifth “swing justice.” He was considered a progressive on economic and some social issues, but was decidedly more conservative on matters of free speech and national security. He is interred at the Maysville Cemetery and his papers are at the University of Kentucky.

“The United States is a constitutional democracy. Its organic law grants to all citizens a right to participate in the choice of elected officials without restriction by any state because of race.” – Smith v. Allwright, 321 U.S. 649 (1944).

NoD: Raceland’s Track

Raceland Race Track Historic Marker, Raceland, Ky.

The town of Chinnville changed its name in 1924 when its greatest tenant arrived: a horse track. renamed Raceland after the new track. Raceland, the track, hosted its first race, the “Ashland Stakes,” on July 10, 1924 before a crowd of 10,000. A few days later, a crowd of 27,000 witnessed the inaugural Raceland Derby, which featured five Kentucky Derby contenders including its victor Black Gold.

The one-mile oval track, nicknamed the “Million Dollar Oval” was apparently quite splendid. The track was surrounded by a white picket fence covered in “rambling red roses. The bridle paths and front lawn were paved in red tapestry brick, matching the clubhouse, steward’s stand and judges stand. The infield contained a alke and several sunken gardens.” [*]

Of course, it should come as no surprise to Lexingtonians that Raceland’s course was a beautiful racing venue. It was founded by Jack Keene who would go on to found his namesake racecourse, Keeneland, eleven years later.

Raceland, however, did not fare so well. Due to a lack of funds, the course closed in 1928 after only four seasons. Today, very little remains but a historic marker marks the spot. And so does a golf driving range.

NoD: Camp Swigert

Camp Swigert historic marker, Wurtland, Ky.

It has come to my attention that some of you are disappointed when they see a pictured historic marker. Sure, a marker isn’t as attention-grabbing as something that still exists – but it does mark an important piece of history for a reason. Regarding Camp Swigert, Kentucky historic marker #2247 reads:

Union Civil War training camp was organized Dec. 12, 1861. Made up of 20-25 acres. It became center of volunteer enlistees under command of Col. D. W. Lindsey. Recruits from surrounding counties, Frankfort & Louisville were assigned to form the 22nd Regt of Ky Volunteer Inf. Both black and white infantrymen stationed at Camp Swigert.
Engaged in skirmishes in eastern Ky & West Va., followed by Middle Creek, Ky and Cumberland Gap,Tn. They moved through Tennessee and Mississippi. The 22 Ky Volunteer Inf. Regt. consolidated at Baton Rouge, La in March 1864 into the 7 Ky Veteran Inf. Non-veterans were mustered out in Louisville on January 20, 1865.

After the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, the colors of the KY 22nd Regt was said to be both “torn” and “covered with blood.” [*]

NoD: Bridges of Camp Nelson

Camp Nelson Bridge, Jessamine/Garrard county line, Ky.

Pictured above are the three bridges, or at least what remains of them, which crossed the Kentucky River from Jessamine into Garrard County. In the upper-left you can see the current Camp Nelson Bridge which carries US-27 high above the river. In the middle remains the southern stone approach from the double-barreled covered bridge that spanned the site for nearly 100 years (1838-1933). The steel-truss structure from which this picture was taken remains, but is closed to traffic; it was open from 1933 until 1971.

More on each of these three bridges to come…

NoD: Hayswood Hospital

Atop the hill overlooking Maysville and the Ohio River rests the old HayswoodHospital. A massive and imposing structure that by all accounts is quite haunted, the old hospital has been an empty shell since 1983. As a result of almost thirty years of abandonment, it looks like something right out of the History Channel’s Life After People.

Built in 1915 (expanded in 1925 and 1971) atop the demolished remains of the even older Wilson Infirmary (which dated to the 1800s), the hospital closed with a patient capacity of 87 beds. Since its 1983 closure, a number of different ideas have been levied of what to do with the property – but currently only time and invasive species have bothered to invest.

The ghost stories are many and are well-documented (from AbandonedOnline.net):

According to several accounts, a woman carrying a baby was seen walking through the nursery area of the hospital. The woman, having died in labor, was soon followed by the newborn (4). Others have reported seeing doctors in the hallways and hearing the cries of its former patients, along with spotting lights in the windows. And the few have reported seeing strange markings in the basement that bestow a threatening hostility on whoever walks or drives by.

I would have ventured deeper into old Hayswood, but I was alone and had concerns about the buildings structural soundness. The pictures are so cool, I’ve embedded a slideshow and have included lots of links (most of which have even more awesome pictures).