June-June 2021 | Kentucky Monthly Magazine

J o s e p h i n e S c u l p t u r e pa r k

J U N E / J U LY 2 0 2 1

with Kentucky Explorer

O u t do o r Mu s e u m Offers Access i b l e A rt

Aviation Museum of Kentucky Madisonville’s Mahr Park Arboretum Nicky Hayden’s Legacy

Display until 08/10/2021

Donate Life Kentucky

www.kentuckymonthly.com

Clear your calendar and your mind.

OUR NEWLY RENOVATED, HISTORIC BED & BREAKFAST IN THE HEART OF KENTUCKY’S BOURBON COUNTRY IS NOW OPEN. BOOK YOUR STAY TODAY.

Gethsemane, Kentucky • DA N TCROSSING.COM

O N T H E C OV E R Josephine Sculpture Park. Photo by Rebecca Redding.

in this issue

12

J U N E + J U LY D E PA R T M E N T S 2 Kentucky Kwiz 3 Readers Write 4 Mag on the Move 6 Across Kentucky 7 Music 8 Cooking 43 Kentucky Explorer 54 Off the Shelf 56 Past Tense/ Present Tense 58 Field Notes 60 Gardening 62 Calendar 64 Vested Interest

12 Free-Range Art Josephine Sculpture Park enables artists and visitors to participate in the artistic process 24 Flying High The Aviation Museum of Kentucky teaches kids the finer points of flight with camps, simulators and hands-on experience

8

36 The Kentucky Kid Four years after Nicky Hayden’s untimely death, his family lends a hand to Owensboro’s less fortunate in his memory 40 Heartfelt Thanks Donate Life helps transform the lives of Kentuckians like Charlie Sang

32 A Lasting Legacy A gift to the Madisonville community, Mahr Park Arboretum offers recreational space and a peaceful outdoor oasis

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 1

kentucky kwiz Test your knowledge of our beloved Commonwealth. To find out how you fared, see the bottom of Vested Interest.

K E N T U C K Y AV I AT I O N This issue’s Kentucky Kwiz courtesy of Karen M. Leet, author of Sarah’s Courage, a historical novel, and co-author of Civil War Lexington, Kentucky, historical nonfiction both from The History Press.

1. Kentucky’s answer to the Wright Brothers was Matthew Sellers, who piloted the first powered flight in Kentucky in which county?

A. Carter

6. What were early barnstormers in Kentucky called?

A. Flying gypsies B. Wild boys C. Wing boys 7. John Paul Riddle of Pikeville helped found what famous aviation institution?

A. Kentucky Flying Center B. Riddle Aviation Inc. C. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

B. Jessamine C. Grayson

8. Lexington is home to what Kentucky institution devoted to flight?

2. Famed aviator Charles Lindbergh almost clipped treetops on a Kentucky visit to which city?

A. Kentucky Aviation Inc. B. Aviation Museum of Kentucky C. Flight in Kentucky Inc.

A. Louisville B. Bowling Green C. Lexington

9. Several Kentuckians served in the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, who were nicknamed what?

A. Red-Tail Angels

A. Blue Grass Airport

C. Flying Aces

B. Birdmen

B. Bowman Field

4. Who was nicknamed “The Father of Louisville Aviation?”

A. Abram H. Bowman B. Robert H. Gast C. W. Sidney Park 5. In what year did Covington’s Latonia Racetrack host a three-day aviation stunt event?

A. 1907 B. 1909 C. 1902

2 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2 0 2 1

© 2021, Vested Interest Publications Volume Twenty-Four, Issue 5, June/July 2021 Stephen M. Vest Publisher + Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Patricia Ranft Associate Editor Rebecca Redding Creative Director Deborah Kohl Kremer Assistant Editor Ted Sloan Contributing Editor Cait A. Smith Copy Editor

Senior Kentributors Jackie Hollenkamp Bentley, Bill Ellis, Steve Flairty, Gary Garth, Janine Washle, Jesse Hendrix-Inman, Kristy Robinson Horine, Kim Kobersmith, Abby Laub, Walt Reichert, Joel Sams, Ken Snyder, Tracey Teo, Gary P. West

Business and Circulation Barbara Kay Vest Business Manager

3. Name Kentucky’s oldest continuously operating public airfield.

C. Silo Field

Celebrating the best of our Commonwealth

10. Ruth Law became the first woman to pilot a plane where?

A. In the United States B. In Europe C. In Kentucky 11. Willa Beatrice Brown, who helped train black pilots, came from which Kentucky town?

A. Bowling Green B. Glasgow C. Paris

Jocelyn Roper Circulation Specialist

Advertising Lindsey Collins Account Executive and Coordinator For advertising information, call 888.329.0053 or 502.227.0053 KENTUCKY MONTHLY (ISSN 1542-0507) is published 10 times per year (monthly with combined December/ January and June/July issues) for $20 per year by Vested Interest Publications, Inc., 100 Consumer Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601. Periodicals Postage Paid at Frankfort, KY and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to KENTUCKY MONTHLY, P.O. Box 559, Frankfort, KY 40602-0559.

Vested Interest Publications: Stephen M. Vest, president; Patricia Ranft, vice president; Barbara Kay Vest, secretary/treasurer. Board of directors: James W. Adams Jr., Dr. Gene Burch, Gregory N. Carnes, Barbara and Pete Chiericozzi, Kellee Dicks, Maj. Jack E. Dixon, Bruce and Peggy Dungan, Mary and Michael Embry, Thomas L. Hall, Judy M. Harris, Greg and Carrie Hawkins, Jan and John Higginbotham, Frank Martin, Bill Noel, Walter B. Norris, Kasia Pater, Dr. Mary Jo Ratliff, Barry A. Royalty, Randy and Rebecca Sandell, Marie Shake, Kendall Carr Shelton and Ted M. Sloan.

Kentucky Monthly invites queries but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material; submissions will not be returned.

kentuckymonthly.com

More to Explore...

Counties mentioned in this issue...

Readers Write Enjoyable Reads Mr. John Lackey is amazing (March issue cover story). Really enjoyed the article and the new insert (Kentucky Explorer).

Bill Sorrell, Louisville

About Accents I read Bill Ellis’ article about dialects and accents (March issue, page 60). By coincidence, I had woken up that morning thinking about the same subject.

In particular, I was thinking about my grandma and the interesting way she used to pronounce certain words.

She was born in Perry County, Indiana, just accross the Ohio River from Breckenridge County, Kentucky. She married a man from Breckenridge County (my grandfather), and she spent most of her life in Louisville (we say LOO-a-vull), where my grandad worked.

Grandma would say the last syllable of a word ending in long O—or -ow—as an er or ur.

For example, “window” she pronounced “WINdur,” “tomato” was “t’MAY-dur” and “potato” was “p’TAY-dur.”

In Louisville, where I’ve lived all my life, we say “uh” on the end of those same words: “WIN-duh” for “window,” “t’MAYduh” for tomato (“not toMAYtoh or toMAHtoh”), and “p’TAY-duh” (“not poTAYtoh or poTAHtoh”).

Then, Ellis’ story about “cussing” made me think of this story related to me by a friend, who is Catholic: A nun, who taught young kids in a Catholic school, got a phone call from an irrate parent about the language she was teaching his son.

Puzzled, the teacher asked the father what his son had said. The father answered, “Two plus two, the son-ofa-bitch is four.” What she

actually had said was: “… the sum of which is four!”

Mark Cannon, Louisville • • •

Loved Bill Ellis’ column about accents, but especially his comment about understanding his Cockney friend only if he could see her lips moving.

This past year, I did not realize how much looking at somebody’s lips helps you hear. With most people wearing masks, I find it difficult sometimes to understand them because I can’t see their lips moving—especially a younger person who talks much faster than my comprehension, anyway, I invariably have to ask, “I’m sorry; what did you say?”

I guess that’s part of being an older fogey, but it’s also another part of our COVID-19 society that we’ve had to handle. But we’re handling it.

Keep up the good work.

Jim Miller, Louisville

We Love to Hear from You! Kentucky Monthly welcomes letters from all readers. Email us your comments at editor@kentuckymonthly.com, send a letter through our website at kentuckymonthly.com, or message us on Facebook. Letters may be edited for clarification and brevity.

The Kentucky Gift Guide Kentucky Monthly is thrilled to partner with Kentucky Proud, bringing to your attention some of the finest handcrafted gifts and treats our Commonwealth has to offer.

Drink Local This handy guide to sipping in the Bluegrass State spotlights local breweries, wineries and, of course, distilleries. Discover unique ways to drink in Kentucky, creative cocktail recipes and more.

v Find more at kentuckymonthly.com.

Use your phone to scan this QR code and visit our website.

C O N N E C T.

UNITING KENTUCKIANS EVERYWHERE. k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 3

travel

MAG ON THE MOVE

These photos pre-date the COVID-19 outbreak, social distancing and mask mandates. Kentucky Monthly supports all safe travel measures.

Take a copy of the magazine with you and get snapping! Send your high-resolution photos (usually 1 MB or higher) to editor@kentuckymonthly.com or visit kentuckymonthly.com to submit your photo.

Debbie Peck GRAND TURK (above) While on a Caribbean cruise, Paducah resident Debbie had a port of call at Grand Turk Island, the capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Emerald Isle Travelers NORTHERN IRELAND (left) Pictured at the famed Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim are, from left, Mark and Cheryl Gibbons of Shelbyville, Phil and Brenda Nally of Nicholasville, and Bill and Vickie Heierman of Lexington.

4 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2 0 2 1

Mary S. and Al Templeton RUSSIA Mary and Al—formerly of Madisonville and Princeton, respectively—traveled to Russia and Finland. The couple, who now reside in Washington, D.C., are pictured in in Moscow’s Red Square.

S P E C I A L A DV E R T I S I N G S P E C I A L

plan a summer staycation You don’t have to go far to get a break. Explore Kentucky's finest bed and breakfasts.

Grand Victorian Inn

plan your visit: 270.590.1935 G RANDV I C TO R I A N I N N K Y. C O M

The Grand Victorian Inn offers lodging near Mammoth Caves NP and plays host to 11 beautiful and unique Victorian guest rooms and Mammoth Railway Cafe . The Historic Train Station Inn is now the Bike and Hike Trail-head to Mammoth Cave National Park. The wraparound-porch with outdoor seating, in a country setting, causes you to relax and enjoy the occasional train passing by.

our kentucky bed & breakfast recommendations PADUCAH

Belle Louise Historic Guest House 270.210.2553 bellelouisepaducah.com

NEW HAVEN

The Homestead at Dant Crossing 502.917.0221

BRANDENBURG

Southern Grace B&B 270.422.7974 southerngracebb.com

dantcrossing.com SONORA

RICHMOND

The Blue Heron B&B and Retreat Center 859.527.0186

Vicki Johnson FRANCE Vicki, who lives in Harrodsburg, is pictured in France in a lovely lavender field she visited while traveling in Lioux in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of France.

blueheronretreat.com PARKERS LAKE

Farm House Inn B&B 606-376-7383 farmhouseinnbb.com

WARSAW

Riverside Inn 859.567.1329

Thurman Landing 270.949.1897 thurmanlanding.com

riversideinnbb.com MORGANTOWN LIVERMORE

River Trails inn 270.278.2954

Woodbury Lodge 270.999.1683 woodburylodgebb.com

airbnb.com IRVINE

Snug Hollow Farm 606.723.4786 snughollow.com

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 5

across kentucky

JUNE BIRTHDAYS 5 Joe Bennett (1982), Elizabethtown co-host of Facebook’s popular Eric & Joe Show 6 Darrell Griffith (1958), aka Dr. Dunkenstein, who led UofL to the 1980 NCAA Championship 8 Sturgill Simpson (1978), Jacksonborn Grammy Award-winning country music singer/songwriter

WATERFRONT GARDENS’ NEW PLANS In November 2014, a 10-year, three-phase master plan for Louisville’s Waterfront Botanical Gardens was finalized. About 23 acres of land that was once a city dump would be converted into gardens, classrooms and gathering places designed to educate the public on the importance of plants and flowers to a community’s environmental health.

Today, visitors enjoy several acres of cultivated gardens, classrooms and water features. “It’s growing fast,” said Kasey Maier, president of the gardens.

Maier said garden officials have had to tweak the master plan to fast track a project initially slated for several years down the road. “The Japanese garden was originally in Phase 3, and a donor came and said, ‘We’ll give you a halfmillion-dollar match grant if you move it up,’ ” she said.

So they did. Designed by Japanese artists, the garden is scheduled to be completed in the next two years. A hillside amphitheater, small arboretum, and outdoor event lawn also were added to the master plan.

The gardens remain on track for completion of all three phases in the next 10 years. “That’s feasible, but that’s also totally dependent on money, the fundraising,” Maier said. So far, more than $18 million has been raised.

For more information on the gardens’ growth, visit waterfrontgardens.org.

Master Minnie Elliott County woodcarver Minnie Adkins has added a Folk and Traditional Arts Master Artist Fellowship to her long list of honors.

Presented by Atlanta-based South Arts, the fellowship includes a $12,000 grant to help her continue her work.

Mama Pig, an example of Adkins’ art “When I came up in Elliott County, we did everything for ourselves—grew our food, raised our animals, made our clothes,” Adkins said. “All of the men carried pocket knives, and if a child wanted something to play with, they—or somebody else—made it. My older brother, Edgar, made pop guns from elderberry stalks, bows and arrows, slingshots … I wanted a knife to make toys, but Mam and Pap wouldn’t let me have one for fear I’d cut myself. When I was 10, my Uncle Bill Watson loaned me his knife, and I started making the kind of toys Edgar had been making.”

Adkins has known many of Appalachia’s great woodcarvers and folk artists.

“I took inspiration from them,” she said, “but I never tried to imitate their work. Folk art is from the heart, and I let my hands carve what my heart tells me; that way, the person who gets whatever it is also [gets] a part of me.”

The grant will buy art supplies and help Adkins travel to schools and museums to present programs to children. Said Adkins, “I will also use some of it to bring badly needed resources to Elliott County” and the Minnie Adkins Day Festival held each July.

For more information, visit southarts.org/grant-fellowship-recipients/ minnie-adkins-2021.

6 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2 0 2 1

8 Jess Weixler (1981), Louisville-born actress best known for The Good Wife 9 Johnny Depp (1963), Owensboroborn actor best known for offbeat characters such as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean films 9 Jacqueline Coleman (1982), 58th lieutenant governor of Kentucky 13 DeVore Ledridge (2001), actress best known for Disney’s Bizaardvark 23 Haley Strode (1978), Owensboroborn comedic actress best known for The Astronaut Wives Club 27 Brereton C. Jones (1939), 58th governor of Kentucky (1991-95) 28 Sena Jeter Naslund (1942), Kentucky’s poet laureate for 2005-06 from Louisville 30 Desi Lydic (1981), Louisville-born comedian, correspondent on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

JULY BIRTHDAYS 5 James Morris (1952), retired pro wrestler known as “Hillbilly Jim” 6 Ned Beatty (1937), actor with credits in more than 100 films 8 Jim Gifford (1944), author/ publisher, director of the Jesse Stuart Foundation 8 Joan Osborne (1962), singer/ songwriter best known for her 1995 hit “One of Us” 8 Mark Stoops (1967), head football coach at the University of Kentucky 9 Linda Bruckheimer (1945), author and editor from Bloomfield 12 Shannon Lee Lawson (1973), country singer/songwriter from Taylorsville 22 Gurney Norman (1937), Kentucky’s poet laureate for 2009-10 24 Crystal Wilkinson (1962), Kentucky’s poet laureate for 2021-22 28 Sara Stewart Holland (1981), Paducah councilwoman who co-hosts the podcast Pantsuits Politics 31 Brien Lewis (1967), president of Transylvania University

Berea_KyMonthly_5_1_21_2.875x11.125.pdf

music

by Laura Younkin

Remembering Bob Mitchell

C

OVID-19 has taken a toll with many people losing loved ones. Kentucky lost one of its most enthusiastic and sincere supporters of bluegrass music when Bob Mitchell died on Jan. 26.

Mitchell was officially a social worker. He was extremely good at his job and was a lifelong musician and music fan. His music loves were broad and deep. Traditional country, big band, jazz and—most of all— bluegrass were the genres he listened to and played. He was a guitarist who wrote and sang his own songs.

Mitchell combined his two skills in the 1990s when he worked at Seven County Services (formerly River Region) in Louisville. He conducted workshops on record keeping for audits as well as self-care sessions, adding music and humor to make them more interesting. He released a CD of songs about the stress, joy and humor of mental health care work called Some Days This Place Is a Zoo in 1996. He created a presentation with music and advice for how mental health care workers should take care of their own mental health. He traveled the country, singing and teaching, presenting in every state except Wyoming.

A quick wit and big heart defined Mitchell. As a social worker, he won many awards, including 1988 Social Worker of the Year from the Kentucky Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 from the NASW. Mitchell started as a musician playing in Louisville country, jazz and bluegrass bands in the 1950s. He played throughout his life, but his real joy was hosting bluegrass radio shows. He had his own syndicated show called Best of Bluegrass (BOB) that ran on the streaming service for Owensboro’s Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum from 2008 to 2013, according to his daughter, Debbie.

“The streaming service ended, but Dad offered the show free of charge to other radio stations,” she said. “A

streaming version of the show was heard all over the world. Dad made bluegrass friends in many countries.”

Mitchell also was a host on Louisville public radio station WFPK’s Best of Bluegrass. He was a four-time nominee for Bluegrass DJ of the Year (2017, ’18, ’19 and ’20) by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America. He was awarded a lifetime membership in the International Bluegrass Music Museum in appreciation of five years as a volunteer DJ on Radio Bluegrass International, said WFPK Program Director Stacy Owen.

“Bob was incredibly kind,” Owen said. “WFPK staff could always count on him for a smile, hug and an encouraging word. He was also the most passionate advocate of bluegrass music I’d ever met and brought so much knowledge to his radio show.”

Mitchell obtained autographs and photos with celebrities any chance he got. He would proudly show his collection of pictures to friends. One photo showed him as a college student at what then was Bellarmine College, shaking hands with thenSen. John F. Kennedy. Johnny Cash, Sam Bush, Rhonda Vincent, Bill Monroe—Mitchell was pictured with all of them.

When Elvis Presley played in Louisville at the Armory in 1956, Mitchell was in the audience. He went backstage to meet his hero and have his photo taken with him. But it wasn’t Elvis he’d come to see. It was Elvis’ guitarist, Scotty Moore. When Moore offered to introduce Mitchell to Elvis, Mitchell declined. He’d already talked to and had his picture taken with the musician he wanted to meet.

Daughter Debbie said she dreamed about her father the night before he died. They were at a bluegrass music festival listening to the music. She said her father told her, “I’m with the music.”

Debbie said it’s an image and message she holds close to her heart.

“That’s always been true. I’m sure it still is.”

FOLK ARTS & CRAFTS CAPITAL OF KENTUCKY

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

#experienceBerea

SHOP. DINE. STAY. EXPLORE. 800.598.5263 | visitberea.com

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 7

1

4/30/21

cooking

Check out Chris Sussman’s barbecue blog at thebbqbuddha.com.

8 KE NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2 0 2 1

Summertime Smokin’ Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings I love chicken wings any way they come. This glaze is well balanced between sweet and sour and goes so well with chicken wings. When the wings are glazed, the presentation is beautiful and will feed you with your eyes first.

SERVES 4-6 AS AN APPETIZER Suggested wood: Apple, hickory or pecan chips Approximate total cook time: 40 minutes Grill setup: Indirect Glaze Preparing good barbecue is a

¼ cup pineapple juice

culinary skill that comes with

1 tablespoon cornstarch

practice—sometimes years

¼ cup rice vinegar

of practice. But Louisville pit

¼ cup brown sugar

master Chris Sussman, also

¼ cup ketchup

known as The BBQ Buddha,

1 tablespoon soy sauce

gives those minding the home grill a leg up with his book, The Four Fundamentals of Smoking: Pit Master Secrets to

1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon sriracha

Making Incredible BBQ. With

Chicken

photos, tutorials, reference

2 pounds chicken wings

charts and pro tips, The Four

2 teaspoon your favorite savory poultry rub (I use Dizzy Pig Peking seasoning) Sliced scallions, for garnish 1. In a small bowl, mix together the pineapple juice and cornstarch until a smooth slurry is formed. This is important to help thicken the sauce for the wings.

2. Whisk together the rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, honey, sriracha and the slurry in a saucepan.

Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring often until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Set aside while you cook the chicken wings.

3. Preheat cooker to 350 degrees. Rub the chicken wings evenly with the rub.

Cook the wings for 20 minutes. Flip and cook for another 20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.

4. Remove the wings and place them in a large bowl. Pour the glaze over the top of the chicken wings and toss until evenly coated. Garnish with scallions, serve and enjoy.

Fundamentals provides step-bystep instructions for preparing succulent smoked meats to savor this summer.

Recipes reprinted with permission from Chris Sussman’s book, The Four Fundamentals of Smoking: Pit Master Secrets to Making Incredible BBQ. Photos by Chris Sussman.

Bourbon-Glazed Smoked Baby Back Ribs (recipe on next page) k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 9

cooking

Bourbon-Glazed Smoked Baby Back Ribs This recipe combines my love for bourbon with my passion for barbecue. The smokiness of the ribs pairs nicely with the vanilla and spice flavors from the bourbon.

You may want to make extra glaze for a dipping sauce to serve with the finished ribs.

Spritz

inside the smoker, bone side down.

½ cup apple juice

3. Let the ribs smoke undisturbed for the first hour, maintaining the temperature at 250. After one hour, open and check the ribs. Does the pellicle (the skin of the ribs) look and feel slightly wet and tacky?

If not, spritz or mop where you see dry spots. Do this every 45 minutes until you apply the glaze.

½ cup apple cider vinegar Ribs 2 racks baby back ribs, about 1½-2 pounds per rack 1 tablespoon yellow mustard Glaze 1 cup brown sugar

SERVES 4-6

½ cup pineapple juice

Suggested wood: Hickory, apple or cherry chunks

½ cup maple syrup

Approximate total cook time: 4½-5 hours

1 cup bourbon ¼ cup Dijon mustard

Grill setup: Indirect dry Rub 2 tablespoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons black pepper

1. Combine salt, black pepper and paprika for the rub in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the ingredients for the spritz in a spray bottle or in a bowl if you plan to mop the ribs. Set aside.

1 tablespoon paprika

2. Preheat cooker to 250 degrees. Trim the ribs and slather them with mustard, then season with the rub. Place the ribs

Smoked Chuck Roast Braised with Red Wine and Cipollini Onions

Braise

This recipe fuses two of my favorite things into one dish: smoked meat and comfort food.

I took my go-to pot roast recipe and jazzed it up with cipollini onions, which literally translates to “little onions” in Italian.

1 tablespoon olive oil ½ yellow onion, chopped 1 carrot, diced 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2½ tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups hearty red wine 1½ cups beef stock or broth 1 tablespoon tomato paste ½ tablespoon minced fresh rosemary 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 pound cipollini or pearl onions, peeled

SERVES 10-12 Suggested wood: Oak or hickory chunks Approximate total cook time: 7–8 hours Grill setup: Indirect Chuck Roast 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 3-pound chuck roast 10 K E NT U C K Y M O NTHLY JUNE/ JULY 2 0 2 1

1. Mix together the salt, pepper and garlic powder in a small bowl.

2. Preheat cooker to 225 degrees. Place roast in the cooker and smoke it until the internal temperature is 160 degrees, from three to four hours. (For this dish, you are looking to get the smoke flavor into the chuck roast prior to adding it to the braising liquid.) Take the roast out and let it rest while you make the braise.

3. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over mediumhigh heat. Add the onion and carrot and

5. Combine glaze ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir well and bring to a low boil. Once glaze starts to boil, lower the heat to medium and reduce the glaze until it is thick and easily coats the back of a spoon, about 30 minutes. Set the glaze aside and wait until the ribs are close to being done.

6. At the four-hour mark, check the ribs for doneness by using the bend test (the racks should bends easily when picked up with tongs, and a crack should appear in the meat).

7. When the ribs are ready, evenly spread the glaze on the racks and let cook for the final 30 minutes to set the glaze. Pull off the grill, let rest for 10 minutes, slice, serve and enjoy!

cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Mix in the flour and stir thoroughly.

Whisk in the wine a little at a time, then pour in the beef stock and whisk to incorporate. Stir in the tomato paste, rosemary, bay leaf and salt.

5. Add the roast to the Dutch oven. The roast should be barely covered with liquid. Add hot water as needed. Bring the liquid to a boil, then remove Dutch oven from the heat, cover it, and place the pot with the roast in the cooker.

6. Cook for two hours, checking on the roast every 30 minutes and basting any exposed meat or turning slightly to ensure all sides are being braised. After two hours, add the onions and cook another 30 minutes or so until the chuck roast measures an internal temperature of 205 degrees and is very tender.

7. Remove the roast from the liquid, transferring it to a deep serving platter (don’t worry if the meat falls apart) and tent it with aluminum foil to keep it warm. Let the cooking liquid stand for five minutes, then discard the bay leaf.

Pour the braising liquid and vegetables around the roast and serve.

Smoked Chuck Roast Braised with Red Wine and Cipollini Onions

Kentucky Hot Brown Stuffed Pork Loin

Kentucky Hot Brown Stuffed Pork Loin

¼ teaspoon chili powder

I live in Louisville, the home of the famous Hot Brown sandwich. This is a must-try when visiting Louisville and is one of the best sandwiches you will ever eat. Featuring tomatoes, bacon and a cheese sauce, this sandwich is hard to beat. Taking those elements and placing them in a pork loin was the inspiration here and is one of my favorite things to serve when guests are

8 slices Swiss cheese, cut in half

visiting from out of town.

SERVES 10-12 Suggested wood: Apple, pecan or hickory chips Approximate total cook time: 1½ hours Grill setup: Indirect Dry Rub 2½ teaspoons Lawry’s seasoned salt ¾ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon onion powder or cumin Pork Loin 1 4-pound pork loin Kosher salt 1 vine-ripened tomato, diced 10 slices bacon Minced parsley, for garnish

1. Mix together the dry rub ingredients and set aside.

2. Remove the fat cap from the pork loin.

Butterfly the pork loin by pressing onto the meat with one hand and evenly cutting straight down the middle of the loin. Do not cut all the way through the pork—use a light touch with your knife to slice about 2 inches into the meat.

Open the pork loin like a book and make gentle cuts along the length of the center of one side of the loin, until about 1 inch away from the outside.

Follow the same procedure on the other side (even if it is noticeably thicker), making gentle cuts until about 1 inch away from the outside. The loin then should have the same thickness.

2. Spread out the loin and cover it with plastic wrap. Using a meat tenderizer, pound the meat with enough force to thin it out but not hard enough to break the plastic. You want it to be 1-inch thick.

Remove the plastic wrap and season the inside of the pork with kosher salt.

3. Place cheese slices down the middle, about one-third of the way in from the long side of the pork loin. Layer the tomatoes on top of the cheese. Grab the long end of the pork loin with the stuffing closest to it and roll up the meat with filling, tucking the ingredients inside.

4. Wrap the outside of the loin taking strips of bacon one at a time and wrapping around the circumference.

Continue until the loin is fully wrapped in bacon. Cover the bacon with the dry rub. Using butcher’s twine, secure the stuffed pork loin in four or five spots to ensure it stays sealed during cooking.

5. Preheat cooker to 250 degrees. After one hour, bump up the temperature to 350 degrees. Cook the pork loin for another 30 minutes, until it measures 145 degrees internally, and the bacon is browned. Carefully remove the pork loin from the cooker, let it rest for 10 minutes before removing the twine, and then garnish with the parsley, slice and serve.

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 11

Photos by Rebecca Redding 12 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

FREE-RANGE

Josephine Sculpture Pa r k e n a b l e s a r t i s t s a n d v i s i to r s to pa r t i c i pa t e i n t h e a rt i st i c p roc ess

N

ot many public art exhibitions make this invitation on their website: “Bring your own spray paint, paint pens, or permanent markers and make your mark on Graphologyhenge!

This sculpture was created by JSP 2018 Artist in Residence, Peyton Scott Russell, as a site specific earthwork and sculptural installation that serves as a sanctuary for graffiti writers and welcomes anyone to express themselves on the walls.”

But then, Josephine Sculpture Park near Frankfort is not like most public art exhibitions.

The only sculpture park in Kentucky, JSP is constructed around the notion that art is for everyone. In a word, the park is accessible. The sculptures emerge as part of the

Art

landscape, and the rural Kentucky farmland provides a level of comfort even for those unfamiliar with art.

Free and open every day of the year, the park introduces guests to worldclass art and artists in an unpretentious environment.

Kids are allowed—even encouraged—to run, laugh and be physical. “We want them to have free rein to explore and not snuff that out,” said founding director Melanie VanHouten. “We want them to learn how different people express themselves and have a direct experience of the natural world.”

Josephine Sculpture Park is 30 acres of softly rolling hills, with mown trails guiding guests to each of the 75-plus sculptures placed throughout the landscape. Some works are signed: “OK to touch with respect.” Even better for the young and young at heart, a couple of the works are for climbing, operating and exploring. In contrast to a museum, where the main goal is to conserve the art, the sculptures at JSP are

B y K i m Ko b e r s m i t h

designed for interaction.

Andrew Marsh has served as chair of the board of directors of JSP since 2012. A Louisville sculptor, Marsh has exhibited his earthwork Scar Garden and climbable sculpture Function of Toole at the park since its opening in 2009.

“We all need a place to be lost, to wonder, and to be OK,” Marsh said.

“All the art, workshops and events— even the park itself—emphasizes the importance of individual discovery and shared worth. It’s an honor to reflect that vibrancy in Kentucky.”

The Vision JSP is the creative expression of VanHouten, a Frankfort native. She sees the park, which she and husband B.J. Duvall founded in 2009, as both a way to honor her family history and as the next evolution in her own sculptural creative practice.

The land was VanHouten’s grandparents’ farm, and she recalled having free rein to play there as a k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 13

IF YOU GO: Josephine Sculpture Park 3355 Lawrenceburg Road, Frankfort 502.352.7082 josephinesculpturepark.org

Open daily from dawn until dusk

14 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

child. Her love for it runs deep.

“All the work I ever made was about this place,” she said. “There is a family tradition of bringing people together here.”

VanHouten also had strong ties to her grandmother, Josephine, for whom the park is named. She was VanHouten’s encourager and dreamer.

Her loss, when VanHouten was a child, triggered a long spell of grief for the artist.

After VanHouten moved to the Twin Cities area in Minnesota for sculpture graduate school, she visited Franconia Sculpture Park in the rural countryside nearby. Her first experience of a sculpture park had a profound effect.

Back in Frankfort, the family farm was for sale and being eyed by developers. Personally, VanHouten was emerging from the grief over the loss of her grandmother and trying to live an engaged life that honored her legacy. Creatively, her work was expanding to room-sized installations and outgrowing indoor exhibit spaces.

It was an epiphany. “I could save the farm,” she realized. “I could support artists and build community

between people. I could start a sculpture park!”

It wasn’t an instantaneous change, but the impulses became more and more interwoven to the point that Josephine Sculpture Park became her inevitable next move. She quit her sculpture job in academia, and she and her husband resettled in Frankfort, working at Wilson Nurseries while they developed her passion project.

“Creating this place is an evolution of my creative practice,” VanHouten said. “I see the park as a huge sculptural experience, a whole composition. This is the sculpture.

The art is the place.”

AN INNOVATIVE REFORESTATION INITIATIVE AT KENTUCKY'S ONLY SCULPTURE PARK

Transformative Opportunities for Artists Only a couple of the sculptures on exhibit at JSP are permanent, allowing for a constant opportunity to support new artists making work.

Through the artists-in-residence program, JSP has created a livinglearning lab for artists, many of whom have never before worked on JOSEPHINESCULPTUREPARK.ORG

For more information on Josephine Sculpture Park and the Grow With Us reforestation initiative, visit josephinesculpturepark.org.

this scale or in the outdoor environment.

“One of the things that makes JSP really unique is that it is driven by artists,” VanHouten said. “We understand what artists need and want.”

Kiah Celeste of Louisville was an artist-in-residence for four weeks in the summer of 2020. She created two sculptures at JSP made exclusively from repurposed, discarded materials that are held in place only by their interdependent relationships. It was a transformational experience in her artistic practice.

“I knew I was meant for it,” Celeste wrote. “A chance to create works with no limit to scale, and resources to help me realize visions I had but no ability to fulfill due to my financial and spatial restrictions, and a place for solace, thought and beautiful open land away from a city.”

Thanks to what Celeste termed the “fierce support” of the JSP staff, she 16 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

realized her visions and gained attention among the Kentucky arts community, especially from Al Shands of The Great Meadows Foundation.

Celeste and Shands are discussing a commission for a permanent sculpture on his property.

VanHouten and the JSP board are committed to respecting and reflecting diverse voices like Celeste’s. That is not the norm in the art world. A 2019 Smithsonian magazine article noted that, in the previous decade, artwork by women represented just 14 percent of exhibitions at 26 major museums in the United States. Women and artists of color represent 55 percent of the artwork on exhibit at JSP. Of the 22 previous artists-in-residence, 14 have been women, and 10 have been artists of color.

In 2021, the park will host seven artists-in-residence. Along with creating a sculptural work, each will offer for members of the community

to engage with them through workshops or by participating in building the piece itself. One avenue for interaction is the Appetite for Art events, where guests bring a picnic dinner, chat with the artist, and view the artwork. “It is in-depth and relational for both the participants and the artists,” VanHouten said.

The pandemic gave JSP the opportunity to support another artist, one of its former interns.

Jonathan Forrence, a graduating master of fine arts student at the University of Kentucky, has an exhibit at the park. The school’s gallery was converted to classroom space for social distancing measures, so JSP hosted his thesis exhibition.

The six metal and cedar sculptures in “Tied to the Land” balance the value of the handmade with the industrial. The stylized metal trees reflect both Forrence’s rural childhood on an apple farm and his current urban lifestyle. He wrote,

11 Consecutive Appearances on Jay

6 Straight Years Advancing to the National

Mathews’ List of Top Performing Schools with Elite Students

Science Bowl Competition in Washington, D.C. 174 National Merit Finalists

We come from all across Kentucky to The Gatton Academy on the campus of Western Kentucky University. As juniors and seniors in high school, we enroll in WKU courses, conduct research with WKU professors, and study abroad. While we are challenged academically, we thrive in a supportive environment designed just for us and make lifelong friends. Best yet, our tuition, meals, housing, and fees are all paid for by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. You, too, can have a future filled with infinite possibilities.

WEBSITE: wku.edu/academy / EMAIL: academy@wku.edu / PHONE: 270-745-6565

facebook.com/gattonacademy

@gattonacademy

@gattonacademy

CLASS OF 2024 ADMISSIONS DEADLINE February 1, 2022

“Working through my own guilt for leaving the family farm and abandoning that heritage, I want to share my incredible pride in growing up on a farm.”

JOIN US JULY 3 RD FOR OUR FOURTH OF JULY EVENT

Programs and Community Art

WANTS TO

BUY YOUR GEAR WE BUY, SELL AND TRADE USED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT OF ALL BRANDS

MUSIC GO ROUND ALSO OFFERS AFFORDABLE REPAIRS, SETUPS, RESTRINGS AND MAINENANCE. 3640 S. Hurstborne Pkwy.

Louisville KY 40299 g 502-495-2199

musicgoroundlouisvilleky.com

SUMMER 2021 Safe Outdoor Seating Dinner & Show!

OUTDOOR THEATR

E & CA MPGROUND

Clue: On Stage JUNE 11 – JULY 3

Southern Fried Funeral JULY 6 – JULY 24

Jeeves in Bloom

JULY 27 – AUGUST 7

Stand-Up Comedy Weekend Starring Joe Deuce AUGUST 13 – 14

Elvis Under the Stars

Starring Tribute Artist Barry Lockard AUGUST 21

7:00PM: Home-cooked BBQ Dinner 8:30PM: Live Theatre Under the Stars!

Make your reservations now!

1-866-KYPlays (1-866-597-5297) pioneerplayhouse.com danvillekentucky.com

18 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

Along with self-directed experiences and those led by their artists-in-residence, JSP hosts a range of intentional community programs that fulfill their mission to inspire creativity and a connection to the natural world.

All-ages monthly events include a sculpture tour, a nature tour, and a night sky tour after dark. Year-round art and nature camps on Saturday afternoons have seasonal registration, with the fall session opening in June.

In partnership with the city of Frankfort, JSP coordinates Art in Public Places, encompassing murals and sculptures throughout the capital. The Frankfort Public Art Tour shares them with visitors.

As the leaders of Josephine Sculpture Park look to the future, they are asking Kentuckians to partner with them. The Grow With Us initiative will place 150 new native trees and shrubs throughout the park in an interactive and restorative landscape design that combines science and art.

Community members can donate toward the project and dedicate a tree or shrub in the name of a loved one.

The plantings will be focused around the additional 10 acres and historic tobacco barn that the park purchased in 2018. Thanks to the donation of the landscape plants and plans by Inside Out Landscape Design, all funds raised will complete the purchase of the park expansion and renovations to the barn to increase classroom, event and exhibition space.

“In 2020, Josephine Sculpture Park was a safe haven for so many people,” VanHouten said. “People were out here every day, sometimes with umbrellas and raincoats. Providing that space in my home community is really meaningful.

“I just try to make stuff happen, even if it seems kind of crazy. This is exactly where I am supposed to be, activating this place.” Q

Photo courtesy of Ben Kleppinger

VISIT PARK CITY KENTUCKY

P H OTO S B Y R E B E C CA S A M S

F ly i n g H i g h

I F YO U G O : Av i a t i o n M u s e u m o f Ke n t u c k y B l u e G ra s s A i r p o r t , 4 0 2 9 A i r p o r t R o a d , L e x i n g t o n 859.231.1219 24 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

BY JOEL SAMS

T h e Av i at i o n M u s e u m o f K e nt u c k y t e a c h e s k i d s t h e f i n e r p o i nt s o f f l i g h t w i t h c a m p s , s i m u l ato r s a n d h a n d s - o n e x p e r i e n c e

I

f kids remember one thing about their first visit to the Aviation Museum of Kentucky in Lexington, it’s usually the blue-and-white Cessna 150. A perennial favorite, the plane is completely hands-on. Kids can climb into the cockpit, grab the yoke, and “slip the surly bonds of earth”—in their imaginations, at least.

After they turn 10, though, kids don’t have to be content with just imagining the sensation of flight.

Through the museum’s annual Aviation Camps, participants 10 and older can learn aeronautical navigation, study the science of flight, experience flight simulators, and log flight time—in the cockpit—with a licensed flight instructor.

From fascinating exhibits to partnerships with local schools to beloved summer camp experiences, the Aviation Museum of Kentucky takes a comprehensive approach to education and sharing the love of the sky.

“To our knowledge, we’re the only summer youth aviation camp in the country that offers a flying experience,” said Bob Jones, camp coordinator at the museum.

The flight experience may be the highlight of camp, but everything that comes before is just as essential— maybe more so. Before they even sit in the cockpit, campers use flight simulators to virtually practice the same route they will later fly. They study navigation, the use of aeronautical charts and basic

aerodynamics. They also learn about careers in aviation. Becoming a pilot is what people think of first, Jones said, but there are many other options in the aerospace industry, from aircraft maintenance to airport management.

“We try to expose them to a lot of those options and let them see what aviation is all about,” Jones said.

“We’ve had a number of students in the past who, because of their experience at Aviation Camp, have chosen a career in aerospace or aviation. And even if not, they understand a little more about aviation by having been at our camp.” ggg

Sixteen-year-old Mason Rowe is one student whose experience at Aviation Camp pushed him toward getting his pilot’s license and a future career in the aviation industry. His first flying experience took place on his ninth birthday, and two years later, he attended Aviation Camp, where he learned more about how aircraft worked.

By the time he attended camp again the following year, Rowe knew he wanted to make a career of aviation. He completed his first solo in a glider (an unpowered aircraft) at 14, and he completed his first powered solo on his 16th birthday on March 24. He’s not sure if he wants to join the United States Air Force or pursue an aviation career in the private sector, but Rowe is certain that flying is in his future, and he’s

grateful for his early experiences at Aviation Camp. “The camp did push me to go do more flying, and it helped get me to my solo two years later,” he said. “It bettered me as a pilot.”

Even if kids don’t go on to pursue a pilot’s license or a career in the aerospace industry, Jones said the camp teaches valuable, lasting lessons about cooperative learning.

“They’re divided into squadrons, and they work as team,” Jones said.

“At the end of camp, there are prizes given out to students who excel in certain areas, challenging them to think and learn.”

Camp isn’t just for kids. One camp each year welcomes all ages. Jones said that parents and grandparents have come to camp with their kids and grandkids, and other adults have attended on their own to enjoy an accessible experience of flight. ggg

In addition to camps, the museum welcomes school children throughout the year, with special programming focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The museum offers a grantfunded Saturday program all year for middle-school children focusing on STEM concepts in aerospace.

Ed Murphy, who chairs the education committee and launched the first Aviation Camp in 1996, is a retired educator. He served as a teacher and district administrator with Fayette County Public Schools

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 25

Learn more about the Aviation Museum of Kentucky and its summer camp programs at aviationky.org.

for most of his career, so it’s not surprising that he gets excited about the museum’s educational mission.

“We teach the aircraft instruments; we teach the whole concept of lift and the science associated with flight,” Murphy said. “There’s just so much technology, and there’s so much science associated.”

Students can experience the museum’s flight simulator lab, which includes 13 flight simulation stations.

Under the instruction of teachers, students learn how to use aircraft instruments, the fundamentals of takeoff and landing, and aeronautical navigation.

“We have modern computers, large 26 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

Mason Rowe completed his first powered solo on March 24, his 16th birthday.

screens for each simulator, and it’s one of the favorite activities for students to be able to do that,” Murphy said.

Ashlee VanHoose, a teacher at Edythe J. Hayes Middle School in Lexington, said the museum has provided unique learning experiences for her students.

“This is a hidden gem in our city that my students have typically never visited prior to our field trip,” VanHoose said. “The aircraft and memorabilia are extraordinary, and the kids can get up close and personal with it. Students truly love the hands-on experience with flight simulation, navigation and

aerodynamic principles, including Bernoulli’s Effect.

“I typically take students in sixth grade, and they remember this experience as a highlight of their middle school years.”

The hands-on nature of the museum’s exhibits and flight simulator lab make it memorable for students, VanHoose said, creating an experience that wouldn’t be possible in a traditional school setting.

“This is a unique opportunity for students to get hands-on experience with flight simulation, while flying with the same instruments that pilots use in training,” she said.

“Students can sit in cockpits of real

airplanes and explore the history and evolution of flight. The hands-on science, technology, engineering and math activities take our school core content to a higher and more engaging level that is beyond the restraints of a classroom.”

For Murphy, the joy of the museum is being able to mingle with volunteers and guests and enjoy a shared love of flight.

“It’s a great resource for entertainment and for education, and we are always looking for ways to expand our footprint and also to attract more and more students and adults to come to the museum,” Murphy said. Q k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 27

From Author Tom Byron:

The Poetry of the A ir We can p and pu rint bli your bo sh ok, too!

A History of Showing Horses on the Central Kentucky Circuit 1947-1970 – a collector’s edition for fans of the “toughest show on earth!”

or 859.520.3757 Order today! or www.reformationpublishers.com

Beloved by astronauts, aviators and all who take to the skies, this sonnet by John Gillespie Magee Jr. has been set to music, quoted by celebrities and politicians, inscribed on tombstones, and memorized by cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy. After the explosion of the Challenger space shuttle on Jan. 28, 1986, President Ronald Reagan quoted part of it in his address to the nation.

Born to an American father and a British mother, the poet served in the Royal Canadian Air Force. According to the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Magee composed the sonnet and sent a copy to his parents just months before he was killed in an accidental collision over England in 1941.

Pilot Officer Magee was just 19 when he died. ggg

High Flight

By John Gillespie Magee Jr. (1922-1941)

HorticultureOh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth Meets HumorAnd danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

shopkentuckymonthly.com 888-329-0053

WW_fullpg.indd 51

Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds—and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there, I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or even eagle flew— And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Get ready for gardening season with this down-home collection of practical advice and personal anecdotes from Kentucky Monthly’s gardening columnist, Walt Reichert. Organized by the seasons, each chapter offers color photography and straightforward tips for everything from combating critters to pairing plants.

The Bluegrass State’s green thumbs have proliferated, thanks to Walt’s encouraging and down-to-earth morsels of gardening wisdom.

Horticulture meets humor in gardening columnist Walt Reichert’s collection. o o o o o

To order: kentuckymonthly.com 1-888-329-0053

28 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

1/9/15 10:40 AM

Experience the unexpected.

Stanford, Kentucky

wildernessroad.com

Double

KEES

money @CU

Find out more at campbellsville.edu/kees k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 29

B I RD S O F PL AY From replicas of early aircraft to gliders to military jets and helicopters, the Aviation Museum of Kentucky is packed with exhibits to delight all ages. Here are just a few of Ed Murphy’s favorites.

JUNE 25-26, 2021 Two days and 150 miles of shopping, food and beautiful scenery along Highway 41 and parts of 41A in Western Kentucky! www.highway41yardsale.com www.facebook.com/Highway41YardSale

Cessna 150. A favorite of the kids, this exhibit is completely hands on. Climb in and let your imagination soar!

The T-38 Talon. The Talon is a twoseat, supersonic trainer used by the U.S. Air Force.

The F-14 Tomcat. This aircraft was flown to the museum by two naval aviators from the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

WACO Biplane. This classic design was popularized during the 1930s.

The aircraft currently in the museum belongs to the family of the late Dr. George Gumbert, one of the museum’s founders. Murphy said Lexingtonians used to see Gumbert flying it over the city on summer afternoons.

30 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

KENTUCKY GATEWAY MUSEUM CENTER 215 Sutton Street Maysville, Kentucky 41056 606-564-5865 www.kygmc.org Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10am-3:30pm The Old Pogue Experience located in the limestone building on the corner of sutton & west 2nd Streets kygmc campus

The Bourbon History Galleries at The Old Pogue Experience outlines Maysville's development of bourbon from the late 1700s to mid1800s; the heyday of three prominent distilleries (Pogue, Limestone, Poyntz); the dark days of Prohibition; the post-prohibition era; and the renaissance of Old Pogue today.

Disclaimer: Must be 21 years of age with a valid ID to participate in bourbon tastings.

experience the rich history of our area through local portraits, maps, and other artifacts from KYGMC's own Collections!

Dual exhibits on display spring 2021 wormald gallery adults: $10 per person students: $2 per person complimentary admission for kygmc members

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 31

B Y J O D I CA M P

a Lasting Legacy A gift to the Madisonville community, Mahr Park Arboretum offers recreational space and a peaceful outdoor oasis

B

uilt on the foundation of education and recreation, Mahr Park Arboretum continues to expand its services one area at a time. Park Director Ashton Robinson said that, whether visitors are interested in recreation, education, wildlife or a quiet spot to retreat and regain inspiration, they will find a place of escape. “We strive to enhance the quality of life in our community by providing green space for all to enjoy,” she said.

The park sits on 265 acres of land donated to the city of Madisonville by Dr. Merle and Glema Mahr in 2009 after Glema’s passing, intending for it to be developed and maintained as a park and recreational space. “The Mahrs loved the land and valued nature and education, so we take this into consideration as the park is further developed,” Robinson said.

The Mahrs moved to Madisonville in 1953 when Trover Clinic was launched, said Dr. Jack Hamman, a close friend of Dr. Merle Mahr’s. “He was very community minded, and he thought that, since the clinic had been so successful, that everybody in the clinic should give back to 32 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

the community in any way they could,” Hamman said.

The Mahr Charitable Trust was established in 2009 to develop and maintain Mahr Park through money bequeathed by the Mahrs, according to Robinson. A master plan committee was formed in May 2012 to create a draft plan after gathering community input. “From this plan, a set of guiding principles was established, including: honor the land and the Mahr legacy; incorporate sustainable practices; create opportunities to improve flora and fauna; provide responsible recreation opportunities; provide opportunities for education for all age groups; promote partnerships and foster stewardship; incorporate the arts throughout the design, development and programming of the park; respect, celebrate and conserve water, as well as enjoy it; and provide places for gathering and community development,” Robinson said.

The Mahrs’ vision for the park came to fruition on Oct. 29, 2016, when Mahr Park at Hidden Hills Farm opened. In 2018, the name changed to Mahr Park Arboretum when it reached Level 1 Arboretum status.

For more information

mahrparkarboretum.com @mahrpark on Facebook + Instagram

Photos courtesy of Mahr Park Arboretum

The park offers 2½ miles of paved walking trails, 40 acres of soft trails for hiking, an eight-hole championship disc golf course, and a nine-hole recreational disc golf course.

The property has seven ponds for fishing and scenic observation, and it shares a shoreline with the 420-acre Lake Pee Wee, which is its main water supply. A wetland area provides a natural filtration system and habitat for wildlife. Guided hikes and seminars are offered through the park, and kayaks can be rented to use on the lake.

Garden enthusiasts can enjoy the monarch butterfly waystation beside the Mahr Historic Home, the native plant gardens by the playground and picnic pavilions, a 7-acre pollinator garden, and a 1-acre community garden.

The Mahr Historic Home provides space for the park’s welcome center and offers park information, event space, educational classrooms, a Ray Harm gallery, bike rentals, and tours of the home and the historic Mahr library.

A nature play area that is under construction will provide children a place to learn through play by

stimulating the senses and becoming one with nature.

The play area is being created from all-natural Douglas Fir wood.

“I am hopeful phase I will open by summer 2021, and Phase II is to be in the planning phases soon,” Robinson said. She said the play area will feature sensory options for the kids to explore, touch, smell and interact with. “It is something I have never seen personally, so to be able to have this in Madisonville is just amazing.”

At the opening of the play area stands a statue of five children holding hands in a circle with an empty space.

Hamman and his wife, Beverly, donated the statue, titled “Circle of Peace,” to Mahr Park Arboretum in honor of the Mahrs. “There is an empty space to complete the circle, and so we hope that every child will want to have their picture made to remind them of a special time and a special day at the park,” Hamman said.

The Hammans first saw the statue in New Mexico about 30 years ago and thought it would be wonderful to have in a playground. “I thought anything that k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 33

@piper_the_bc

Above right, Beverly and Jack Hamman with two of their greatgrandchildren at the unveiling of the “Circle of Peace” statue; right, Mahr Park Arboretum welcomes canine visitors.

embellished what they had done would be a good thing to do for the community,” Hamman said.

Robinson said the park offers a volunteer program with a wide array of opportunities for the community to be involved. “Volunteers assist in educational programming, birding programs that support a Purple Martin colony and an Eastern Bluebird trail, guided hikes, nature test, gardening, special events, and various necessary tasks,” she said.

Beverly Hamman was the park’s first volunteer, having decided to offer her time there when she retired. “Just being out there, cleaning things up and working with the people who work there, it just really felt good,” she said.

“It gave a feeling of peace when I was up there.”

Robinson said that, if not for the Hammans’ generosity and kindness, the park would not be where it is today. “I am very thankful for supporters such as Jack and Bev,” she said.

The people of Madisonville are blessed to have been given a gift of such value, Robinson said. “Dr. Merle and Glema Mahr continue to give to our community daily and impact generations to come,” she said. “I am honored to be a part of their mission and to see many people create lasting and unforgettable moments here.” Q 34 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

I F YO U G O : Mahr Park Arboretum 465 Mahr Park Drive, Madisonville 270.584.9017 mahrparkarboretum.com

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 35

B Y D A N N Y M AY

The Kentucky Kid Four years after Nicky Hayden’s untimely death, his family lends a hand to Owensboro’s less fortunate in his memory

T

he front lawn of the Owensboro Convention Center was crammed shoulder to shoulder with people waiting to catch a glimpse. A few children sat on parents’ shoulders to see over the line of news cameras and videographers. The fans in the back, perched on the steps along the front doors of the convention center, actually had the best sightline.

This was not a concert during Friday After Five.

It was not an event at the city’s annual International Barbecue Festival. It was a statue unveiling.

Friday, June 8, 2018, was the day the family of 2006 MotoGP (motorcycle racing) World Champion Nicky Hayden chose to dedicate “The Kentucky Kid” statue in downtown Owensboro to honor his legacy in bronze. At the ceremony, Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson announced that June 9 would forever be known as Nicky Hayden Day in Owensboro. The ninth day of the sixth month, reflecting Hayden’s now-retired racing number, No. 69.

Roughly a year after Hayden’s untimely death from a bicycling accident while training in Italy in 2017, the statue unveiling served as a way to preserve his memory, honor his love for Owensboro, and inspire generations to come by reminding everyone what a kid from Owensboro with big dreams can achieve.

For the Hayden family, the statue unveiling marked another special moment, as family members presented three grants to community organizations from the Nicky Hayden Memorial Foundation, which was created as a 36 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

way for Nicky’s extended family, friends and fans around the world to pay their respects in the form of a donation.

Standing on the checkered flag pattern at the base of the statue, Nicky’s older brother, Tommy Hayden, explained, “Our goal is to grow this [foundation] and keep giving back to continue touching people’s lives just as Nicky would have done if he was still here.”

The family then awarded the first two grants from the Nicky Hayden Memorial Foundation: a $15,000 grant to the Cliff Hagan Boys & Girls Club, which was used to

purchase a van to transport kids; and a $5,000 grant to Daviess County Public Schools, which was split between the Family Resource Centers at two elementary schools.

Three years later, the foundation is still going strong as fans, family members, friends and other supporters in the racing community continue to hold fundraisers to benefit it.

Since its inception, the foundation also has made contributions to Puzzle Pieces, Fresh Start women’s shelter, Habitat for Humanity, and St. Benedict’s Homeless Shelter.

According to Mayor Watson, Nicky’s legacy is still

“riding on” through the foundation’s grant disbursements and the Hayden family’s other contributions to the community.

“Having the opportunity to work with the Hayden family has been one of the most enjoyable things I have been able to do as mayor,” Watson said. “They are one of the most giving and caring families in our community.

They are making a difference in so many lives that will endure for many years to come.”

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 37

Nicky Hayden Apartments

Dave Spencer photo, courtesy of WBKR

THE KENTUCKY KID STATUE The inscription on the Owensboro tribute to Hayden reads: Nicky Hayden was born on July 30, 1981. He was the son of Earl and Rose Hayden, the middle child of five, with two brothers and two sisters. Motorcycle racing was everything for the Hayden family.

But that was especially true of Nicky. As soon as he could walk he was riding minibikes at the family’s home in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Already declaring that he would become a world champion.

For an example of how far hard work and strong values can take a person, one need look no further than Nicky’s career, which evolved from amateur track and road racing to the AMA National Championship Series and eventually the FIM MotoGP and World Superbike Series. In 2006, he achieved his childhood dream of becoming a world champion.

Along the way, Nicky’s talent, charisma, dedication and kindness garnered legions of fans around the world. But even as an international superstar, his family was his anchor and the reason that he always returned to his beloved OWB. On May 22, 2017, Nicholas Patrick Hayden’s life was cut short following a training accident on his bicycle in Italy.

This statue was created to help keep his famous smile alive for many years to come.

38 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

Those who knew Hayden best say he had a soft spot for children, and he loved giving back. In one of many examples that flew under the radar, Hayden donated Strider bikes to children at the Daniel Pitino Shelter for the homeless in Owensboro. At the height of his racing career, he delivered the bikes himself and spent time with the children.

Today, directly across the street from the Pitino Shelter and in view of the backyard play area where Nicky visited those young residents, the newly named Nicky Hayden Apartments stand on a tract of land that was purchased by the Hayden family and donated for the project.

The apartments serve as transitional housing for families from the Pitino Shelter until they can sustain permanent housing on their own. The 12 apartments contain 640 square feet of space, including a full bathroom and kitchen with a refrigerator, dishwasher, and washer and dryer hookups. It took several years, some major donations, and multiple community partnerships—including funds from the Kentucky Housing Corporation— but the apartments were completed in the midst of the pandemic, and their opening was celebrated at a ribbon cutting in July 2020.

St. Joseph’s Peace Mission Hayden Home for Girls

A few blocks away from the Pitino Shelter, the Hayden Home for Girls was unveiled to the public with an open house held in September 2019, bringing to fruition a long-awaited project for St. Joseph’s Peace Mission for Children, an emergency shelter for children from birth to age 18. According to the home’s website, the Hayden Home for Girls can house up to eight girls, ages 12-18.

Like the Nicky Hayden Apartment project, an available lot was purchased and cleared by the Hayden family and then donated to St. Joseph’s Peace Mission so construction could begin on what became known as the Hayden Home.

With the addition of the Hayden Home, the campus expanded to four buildings, and Director Paula Yevincy identified a need for play space for the children and a commons area for visitors. So, the Hayden family stepped in again to provide the Nicky Hayden Commons Area in a central space on campus.

The Nicky Hayden Commons Area includes a landscaped green space plus a full basketball court, racquetball nets and gazebo. Gated for safety, the commons area provides a safe, therapeutic place for the children to run and play or just relax and enjoy the outdoors, according to Yevincy.

“It’s really special for Owensboro any time we can do something for kids and families and keep Nicky’s legacy alive,” Yevincy said on a drive through the new space in 2020. “I think that just warms everybody’s heart, especially during hard times.”

6/9/21

This year, Nicky Hayden Day again will be celebrated in a unique way on June 9.

Lure Seafood and Grille owner Ben Skiadis is coordinating a fundraiser for the memorial foundation by selecting a private barrel of Four Roses Distillery bourbon and selling 200-plus bottles with tribute labels featuring a commissioned portrait of Nicky Hayden. The bottles will be numbered, and proceeds will go to the foundation.

“As a bourbon lover, this is my way of helping contribute to the cause,” Skiadis said. “We got the family’s blessing on the idea, and, thankfully, Four Roses loved the idea and helped us pick a barrel. The fact that Master Distiller Brent Elliott is from Owensboro may have helped.”

Lure is planning an entire event around the bourbon fundraiser to be held on Nicky Hayden Day. Details were still being worked out as of press time, but there are plans for a motorcycle ride from The Kentucky Kid statue through downtown and ending at Lure for live music.

NICKY HAYDEN’S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Prior to leaving MotoGP, Nicky Hayden was named a “Legend”—MotoGP’s version of a Hall of Fame—in 2015 and was still actively racing World Superbike at the time of his accident in 2017.

Hayden emerged on the racing scene in 1997, winning the inaugural American Motorcyclist Association Horizon Award in recognition of his flattrack prowess. In 1999, he was named AMA Athlete of the Year after capturing the AMA Supersport title and his first Grand National win. Three years later, he became the youngest winner of the AMA Superbike Championship, including the 2002 Daytona 200.

Hayden raced 13 years in MotoGP, capturing 28 podiums, three wins and five pole positions. He was 2003 MotoGP Rookie of the Year and won the World Championship in 2006, breaking Valentino Rossi’s five-year winning streak. He also won a race in World Superbike and was 5th in points in 2016.

“What started from a small conversation with good people has turned into a much larger project and a cool event with local impact to honor one of our community’s heroes,” Skiadis said. “Because of our relationship with the Hayden family, their impact in the community, the work the foundation has done, and what a beloved person Nicky was, we’re thrilled to hopefully make $30,000 on this project to help the foundation continue their efforts.”

The bottles will be numbered “Lap 1 of 200,” “Lap 2 of 200,” etc. Skiadis said that Mile Wide Brewery plans to use the selected barrel after the sale to age a batch of beer for a project culminating in another event on Nicky Hayden Day in June 2022.

For more information about the bourbon project, or to RSVP for the event, contact Lure at LureOwensboro.com or 270.240.4556.

What’s Next?

The Haydens’ goal is to build upon Nicky’s platform and honor him the best way they can—by continuing to give back to Owensboro in his name. For the family, it’s not about notoriety; it’s about helping other people. Happy to stay out of the headlines, the Haydens are simply taking care of business and moving on to the next thing—the same way Nicky and his brothers, retired motorcycle racers Roger and Tommy, always did on the track.

With awards and accolades stacking up for Hayden (see accompanying sidebar), the racing community around the world continues to contribute to the foundation, and other fans keep dreaming up more ways to commemorate The Kentucky Kid. Q

POSTHUMOUS HONORS FOR HAYDEN In February 2021, Nicky Hayden was named to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (MSHFA) as a member of its 33rd class. The MSHFA induction is the latest in a long line of honors Hayden has received posthumously.

Hayden was inducted into the Kentucky Motorsports Hall of Fame class of 2018, the American Motorcyclist Association class of 2018, and the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame class of 2018.

MotoGP held a special commemoration to retire Hayden’s racing number, 69, during the MotoGP race in Austin, Texas, in 2019.

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 39

B Y JAC K I E H O L L E N K A M P B E N T L E Y

Heartfelt Thanks Donate Life helps transform the lives of Kentuckians like Charlie Sang

F

or several years, Charlie Sang of Louisville didn’t have a heartbeat. He relied on a ventricle assist device (VAD) that gave him limited mobility and had to be plugged in every night. Sang was eligible for a heart transplant and had come close to receiving one three times, but compatibility issues and a COVID-19 diagnosis—although he never showed symptoms— dashed those hopes.

Then, he got a call from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the first days of 2021, and with that call came the possibility that the fourth time may be the charm.

“I didn’t even want to tell anyone about the fourth one because I hate to cry wolf each time and not get it,” Sang said from his Louisville home with his daughter, Taylor, by his side. “You [figuratively] drive 90 miles an hour to Nashville, but you come back home 65 miles an hour—all slow and bummed out.

“I wasn’t going to believe it until I recovered, until the next day, until when I woke up. It’s hard to believe you got it until you actually do have it.”

Taylor Sang best summed up her feelings in a February post to the Donate Life Facebook page. “His successful surgery is an ABSOLUTE MIRACLE, and that fact will never be lost on me. My dad called me the day after his transplant and said, ‘Baby girl, I get to walk you down the aisle.’ Think of how many thousands more daughters want that call.”

Taylor Sang recently had been crowned United States of America (USOA) Ms. Kentucky 2021 and made organ donation her pageant platform, even becoming a Donate Life Ambassador. Donate Life is a partnership between Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) and Kentucky Circuit Clerks’ Trust For Life to promote awareness of

40 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

organ and tissue donation. “They’re saving people like my dad. It’s so scary having a parent on the transplant list because there’s so much uncertainty,” Taylor said.

“It’s organizations like KODA [and Trust For Life] who are promoting awareness, promoting donations, that make people’s lives change on a dime.” ggg

More than 39,000 organ transplants from 18,300 donors occurred nationally in 2020. In Kentucky, 535 people received new organs from 178 donors. That’s a 30 percent increase from 2019.

Crysta McGee, Donate Life Kentucky’s communications and marketing manager, said the number of people who sign up for the Kentucky Organ Donor Registry has grown in recent years. They can register through Donate Life Kentucky’s website (donatelifeky.org) or at their circuit court clerk’s office when renewing or applying for a driver’s license.

To date, Kentucky has 2.1 million registered donors, which translates to about 60 percent of the Commonwealth’s population.

“It’s a great number, but that also means that 40 percent isn’t registered, and that’s where we’re trying to reach out,” McGee said.

McGee added that there are still 110,000 people across the United States waiting for an organ transplant. About 1,000 of them are from Kentucky.

She said the challenge is to dispel the myths surrounding organ and tissue donation. Chief among them is the belief that doctors won’t work to save the life of a person if it’s found that person is registered to be a donor.

“Doctors and nurses don’t know if you’re registered,” McGee said. “When a person is considered legally dead

For more information on organ and tissue donation, check out Donate Life Kentucky’s website at donatelifeky.org.

Transplant recipient Charlie Sang with his daughter, Taylor, above and right.

Photos courtesy of the Sang family.

… that’s when KODA gets called in.”

Another myth is that the wealthy and celebrities get priority on the registry, or that chronic diseases exclude potential donors from donating. “That does not matter,” McGee said. “The things that they do look at are a person’s size, blood type, tissue type and the distance from a potential transplant recipient.” One exception is if a donor tested positive for COVID-19, due to the uncertainty of the virus’ long-term effects.

“So, we encourage everyone—no matter age, race, sex, health status or anything like that—to register as a donor if you want to save lives in the future,” she said.

“One organ donor can save eight lives through solid organ transplants, which is your heart, your lungs, your kidneys, your liver, your pancreas and small bowel. You can help 75-plus people through tissue donation. Some things that can be donated are corneas, skin, tendons, ligaments … and bone.” ggg

Many times, recipients and donor families will reach out to each other, which can be a rich source of healing for both parties. Donate Life will help facilitate those connections if both parties agree to it.

Charlie Sang said he intends to try to contact his donor’s family. At this time, all he is allowed to know is that the

heart belonged to a 20-year-old. He said he will be forever grateful yet saddened by the donor family’s loss.

“It seems so daggone unfair,” Sang said. “I think about this every day, all day long. I think about how it’s unfair because I’m probably older than maybe the parents are. I’m thankful, but it seems unfair that I’m alive at 61, and somebody who is 20 has passed away.”

Sang will not allow the donor’s gift to have been given in vain. By April, he was back at work, managing his company, Sang Tree Service, and being grateful for a new lease on life.

In the meantime, Taylor will continue to spread the word about saving lives through organ and tissue donation, and growing the Kentucky Donor Registry.

“The more people who are registered, the more dads who can be saved,” she said. Q k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 41

TOGETHER

Fighting Cancer in Eastern Kentucky Leonard Lawson Cancer Center

Learn about our advanced capabilities.

Visit pikevillehospital.org or call (606) 430-2212.

42 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

A section for Kentuckians everywhere … inside Kentucky Monthly.

The 1901 Kentucky Derby was the 27th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on April 29, 1901.

K ENTUCKY XPLORER E All About Kentucky

Volume 36, Number 5 – June/July 2021

Undated photo of Shelby Avenue, looking west in downtown Falmouth in Pendleton County. Established in 1793, Falmouth lies at the confluence of the South and Main forks of the Licking River. Photo courtesy of NKyViews.com .

Your Letters -- page 44 Group Photos at Mammoth Cave -- page 48 Louisville Schools in 1895 -- page 50

“I Remember” By Our Readers

and More!

Featuring Things Old & New About Kentucky

44

THE KENTUCKY EXPLORER

Kentucky Explorer a magazine published for Kentuckians everywhere Charles Hayes Jr. g Founder Stephen M. Vest g Publisher Deborah Kohl Kremer g Editor Rebecca Redding g Typographist One-Year Subscription to Kentucky Monthly: $20

FOUNDED 1986, ISSUE 335, VOLUME 36, NO. 5

Letters to Kentucky Explorer Letters may be edited for clarification and brevity.

Lots of Stories to Tell June and July bring thoughts of warm weather, no school, Father’s Day, graduations and, the granddaddy of them all, the Fourth of July. I have such happy memories of slow summer days growing up and then the fun of vacations and pool days with my own kids.

What are your summertime traditions? Do you have memories or photos of parades and picnics in your Kentucky town? Send them to us! Everyone loves to think about—as well as see—how comminities looked way back when.

We love to hear from our readers. You can reach me at deb@ kentuckymonthly.com or mail items to Kentucky Monthly, Attn: Deb Kremer, P.O. Box 559, Frankfort, KY 40602-0559.

— DEB ORAH KOHL KREMER

I’m thankful for getting your magazine and enjoy it very much. I subscribed to Kentucky Explorer for years since both my parents were from Breathitt County. They wrote many articles about my great-grandfather, “Captain Bill Strong,” a legendary figure in that county. Your editor spoke of several people I had known for many years.

I coached at Male High School from 1956-62, as assistant football coach and head basketball coach, and taught five biology classes. My summer job was delivering milk for Oscar Ewing Dairy, across the street from Male.

I lived on Everitt Avenue in the Highlands, only two blocks from Scott Detrick’s Grocery on the corner of Bardstown Road and Highland Avenue.

Interesting note: I made more money per week delivering milk than teaching and coaching. Times have changed. I’m a fourth-generation veteran, having served in Korea as an artillery officer in 1953-54. I also spent 47 years as an educator, and I have fond memories of my time at Male High School.

Good luck and God bless.

Guy Strong, Winchester

Getting “Facts” Straight

Special thank you to longtime reader Georgia Puckett of Walton for the gift of many back issues of Kentucky Explorer.

In memory of Donna Jean Hayes, 1948-2019 Kentucky Explorer appears inside each issue of Kentucky Monthly magazine. Subscriptions can be purchased online at shopkentuckymonthly.com or by calling 1.888.329.0053.

Hey now, in the April 2021 issue of Kentucky Explorer, in the story “Hollywood’s Version of Daniel Boone” (page 51), you claimed Mingo (played by Ed Ames) was “a Harvard graduate,” when everyone knows the half-British Native American attended Oxford. The alma maters of fictional characters are important to us folk.

Yours, Arthur Radley, Maycomb, Alabama

Looking for Back Issue I had an article published in the December/January 2013/2014 issue of Kentucky Explorer and I am trying to find a copy of this issue. Would any of your readers have one?

Please contact me.

Johnna Wright, 812.946.3392, Johnna.wright41@gmail.com

Looking for Help with a Family Tree I’ve been doing some genealogy of the Elkins family and have been stumped on my great-grandfather, “Old Moses”

I wonder what it would be like to live in a world where it was always June. L.M. Montgomery

June/July 2021 45

Elkin’s parents. His birth certificate doesn’t list either, and I have limited information, other than what my father’s mother told me when she was in her 80s and in a nursing home in Richmond.

My father’s name was Moses Elkins, born in 1904 and died in 1967 in Owsley County. I have a picture of Old Moses. Maybe someone can help me? So glad you are continuing the Kentucky Explorer. Thanks.

Genevieve Long, 914 Old Kentucky 11, Booneville

Regarding “Revolutionary War Soldier Moved to Final Resting Place with Military Honors, February 2021, page 55 I am one of the 30,000 who enjoyed Kentucky Explorer for many years. Thanks for the new section.

The Mount Pleasant name was changed to the city of Harlan. The Wix Howard Cemetery is in the town of Loyall, my old hometown. I am also part of the Thomas Howard clan via my grandmother, Flora Bell Howard.

Ronald Saylor, Berea

Regarding “Of Lincoln Guns ...,” May 2021, page 52 As a life-long student of the American Civil War, I particularly enjoyed Dr. Marshall Myers’ article “Of Lincoln Guns, the Knights of the Golden Circle, and Secession.” Two of my great-great-grandfathers were Union veterans—Henry Clay Smith of the 20th Ky. Vol. Inf. U.S. and Simeon Roberts of the 35th Ky. Vol. Inf. U.S. I read this article with particular interest. However, I have always been taught that Confederate Gen. Leonidas Polk made the Confederate invasion into Kentucky. This is the first time I have read that Confederate Gen. Gideon Pillow made this move. Would you please comment on this question.

Spencer Brewer, slbrewer1044@yahoo.com

On numerous occasions, I have asked if anyone knows how the name came about. As of now, no one has been able to venture a guess. Hopefully, time will bring forth an answer.

Former students who attended the school have many fond memories of it and their classmates. Parents were proud to be able to say their child attended the school.

Like many other one-room schools, it was the beacon of the community. Many community activities and events took place in this cherished building.

For some unknown reason, one-room school memories are much stronger than schools with many rooms, grades and students.

We all have wonderful memories of our years in the public-school setting.

Ronald D. Doyle, Park City

Movie Recommendation The movie Mountain Minor will steal your heart as it captures the times of days gone by.

The movie is directed and co-produced by Dale Farmer. He grew up absorbing the stories and mountain music traditions of his grandparents, all of whom were depression-era Appalachian musicians and ballad singers from eastern Kentucky. He embraces his Appalachian heritage, playing in both old-time and bluegrass bands.

Dale retired in 2018 and works full time as a film maker with Alt452 Productions, a company dedicated to bringing Appalachian stories to life.

I grew up in the mountains of eastern Kentucky that I still call home, Roxana, in Letcher County. The movie does not poke fun or look down on the way of life in Appalachia. You can access it on Amazon Prime themountainminormovie.com.

Rose Ballard, Harrison, Ohio

Editor’s Note: Author Dr. Marshall Myers explains that Polk was the comanding officer, and Pillow was leader of the troop and took orders from Polk. “Those in Kentucky who supported the Union saw this as a gross violation of Kentucky’s neutrality,” Myers said of the invasion into Kentucky. “This should not have happened.”

Regarding “The Community Known as Ary,” April 2021, page 50 The more I read of Michael Dale Colman’s article, I developed a strong interest. I remember in the Red Cross community of Barren County, there was once a one-room school named Mount Ayr, the Y and the R had been changed in each name.

Mount Ayr School was located close to Charity and Mabel Wright’s homeplace. Students from this school eventually arrived at Park City School in seventh grade.

At Park City School, I developed strong friendships with these students. Today those strong ties continue.

How much wider my knowledge and horizons are because of these relationships.

Kentucky officially became a state on June 1, 1792, as the 15th state to join the Union. This United States postage stamp celebrates the Commonwealth’s 150th year. The art is based on a mural by T. Gilbert White that is in the Kentucky State Capitol Building. The mural shows Daniel Boone, along with his traveling companions, high above the Kentucky River looking toward Frankfort.

Kentucky is the 26th most populous state, trailing Louisiana by 200,000.

4 THE 46 THEKENTUCKY KENTUCKYEXPLORER EXPLORER Send memories to Deborah Kohl Kremer at deb@kentuckymonthly.com or mail to Kentucky Monthly, Attn: Deb Kremer, P.O. Box 559, Frankfort, KY 40602.

“I Remember”

Send your memory in today!

By Our Readers

The Coal-Mining Town of Fleming I grew up in Letcher County, Kentucky. Fleming was a coal-mining town like many others. My father, Aaron Collier, was an employee and worked in Mine Number 301 for the Elkhorn Coal Corporation. I feel the company provided for the miners quite well.

The houses were well built, and rent was cheap. We had a nice little hospital, and I believe we had a good elementary and high school. Most of the teachers were good. We had what we needed. We could shop elsewhere if we wished. There was always the Sears catalog. And we had a nice post office.

I lived in Fleming for 20 years, until I married and moved to Detroit, Michigan. I love the mountains and still do, but my husband did not wish to work in the coal mines.

There were three rows of houses in Fleming. The front row of houses faced the main road and the creek, the railroad and the mountains on the south side of Fleming. In back of the third row of houses, there were a few hollows with a few homes.

The coal company cut a road around one of the mountains for a few miles to mine the coal. We could not see the mines from where we lived. The coal company built a railroad around the mountain, on the opposite side that their road was on, and they had to make a tunnel between the two mountains for this to happen. The train came every day to carry the coal away.

brothers, Hurcle. He was about 4 years old and was playing in the backyard with a little friend of color who lived across the alley on Front Street. They climbed up into a young tree in our yard and were sitting on a limb.

My mom was watching. Hurcle was scooting closer to the little boy, and the little boy was moving farther out on the limb.

My mother went out and told them to come down. She asked Hurcle why he kept moving.

Hurcle said, “I just wanted to feel his hair.” My brother had no curl in his hair.

As I look back, I didn’t think about it at that time, but all of the black families lived on Front Street. The rest were white. Our fathers worked together, and I never heard of any problems.

•••

I wasn’t aware of skin color when I was 8 years old. A memory that comes to mind is of one of my

The Letcher County coal-mining town of Fleming, circa 1914.

•••

The lady who lived in front of us was Ms. Alice. She had a candy store in her front room. I loved to go and buy penny candy and talk with Ms. Alice. She was so kind.

One day, I was talking to her and telling her about the oldfashioned apple cake that my mom made, sometimes with dried apples. Ms. Alice responded, “Honey, Ms. Alice just made one of those cakes a few days ago. I’m not busy, so would you like to come with me, and I’ll give you a piece? If someone comes in, I will hear the door open.”

She had a white curtain instead of a door between her store and the rest of her house.

When we went behind the curtain, we were in her dining room. I saw a round table with a white linen tablecloth on it. She

The Bardstown mansion known as My Old Kentucky Home was built for U.S. Sen. John Rowan in 1795.

June/July 2021 47

cut me a piece of cake. It looked the way my mommy’s did. She placed a napkin by my plate and placed a fork on it. I felt like a little princess. I loved Ms. Alice.

•••

The Hinton family also comes to mind. Mr. Hinton was a Christian man and had several children. They were a very nice family. My brothers played with the boys, and one of the boys was nicknamed Bobo. He was a young teenager. One day, Bobo tried to hitch a ride on a coal car and slipped and went under a wheel and lost his leg. It was almost like a death in our little town, and we were so thankful he lived. But his life was changed forever. It was so sad.

I once asked my mom where the black children went to school. She said they go to school in a house on the corner of Front Street. It was like the house we lived in. I then asked why they didn’t go to my school.

She said, “I don’t know, Edith. That is where they have always gone.”

I couldn’t understand why it was that way. They didn’t have to walk as far as I did. I only walked about a halfmile, but it felt like more.

I decided to walk down the Front Street past the school for the black children, instead of the middle street. It was a warm fall morning and the windows were up. I could hear the children singing “Give Me That Old Time Religion.” They were clapping their hands and stomping their feet. I was thinking to myself that I wished we could have fun like that in my school. I started passing the school every day. I’m sure I tried to stand as tall as I could

Going Peddling James and Berton Conway lived on Troublesome Creek, Kentucky, during the 1930s and ’40s and often took farm produce to sell over the mountain to the coal camp. Berton said that the camp was at Lost Creek, Kentucky. (Not sure the name of the mine or company.) Their mom would load the burlap bags with different items that could be spared such as extra eggs and garden produce. They were tied on the mule, and the boys set out on their adventure.

Upon arriving in the camp, they had repeat customers that they visited first. They could be paid either in regular money that was good any place or by script. The script was issued to the workers by the mining company and could be spent only in the company store.

One day, James and Bert stopped at the shanty of a family that they had stopped at before. It was a family that for a short time lived and worked at the camp. When they showed what they had brought, the mama of the family paid them for the items she picked out.

Alice, the mother, extended an invitation to the boys to stay for dinner. Just to make sure that they knew she had something good cooking, she lifted the lid to show them.

James and Bert leaned over to look and saw a big possum

to see what they were doing. Out of curiosity, I wanted to find out what I was missing out on.

•••

One day when I was coming home from school, I saw a girl larger than me standing in front of the school for the black children. I continued up the street. I thought the girl would let me go by. When I was with my dad and we met a black man, the man would nod at my dad and step aside so we could pass. I didn’t know why but this girl didn’t move. I stepped off the sidewalk and went around her.

This went on day after day.

I wonder now, after so many years, what would have happened if I had not been so afraid. I wish I could have been brave that first day we met, smiled at her, and I could have said, “I love the way you all sing” or “I wish we could all go to the same school. Don’t you?”

Back in 2005, I attended Pleasant Green Baptist Church in Portsmouth, Ohio, with my church, Wheelersburg Baptist Church. They have visited our church, and we have visited theirs, but it was my first time to visit the church.

As I sat and listened to the quartet sing, it reminded me of when I heard the children singing “Give Me That Old Time Religion,” and here I was sitting in their church, enjoying the warm fellowship of these very dear people.

People like us, except for color.

I would love to hear from anyone in my graduating class of 1948.

Edith Collier, 3816 Moorland Drive, Midland, MI 48640; (989) 832-3862

cooking in the pan with head and tail still attached. Inside the critters mouth was an apple.

Now in eastern Kentucky you had to be careful how you declined an invite to dinner. You might insult the family really easily. Most people had to struggle to feed their families, but they were always willing to share what they had. To this day, I am not sure how they got out of not eating, but James and Bert did not stay for dinner.

After selling all the items that their mom had sent with them, they separated the regular money from the script money. The last stop before leaving the camp was to go by the company store.

Regular money was put inside the pocket of their overhauls to bring back home. The script was taken to the store and used for items that they did not raise or grow on the farm. Usually on the list was stuff like coffee, Red Ox Tobacco for Granny, pinto beans, sugar, etc. After collecting as many of the items as they could buy, they set out for home.

The coal camps of eastern Kentucky provided many jobs for the local people. Sometimes men brought their families to live at the camp for a short time. James and Berton made more trips to the coal camp, but this is the trip that was most remembered.

Brenda Copeland, Myerstown, Pennsylvania

What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness? John Steinbeck

6 THE 48 THEKENTUCKY KENTUCKYEXPLORER EXPLORER

Group Photos at Mammoth Cave Visitors loved to ‘Get Their Picture Made’

By Bob Thompson, Mason, Ohio Having a picture made at the entrance to Mammoth Cave was a popular interest for tourists traveling to the cave from the 1890s to 1976.

For those who wanted a lasting remembrance of their visit, photographers were available at the cave entrance to take photos of tour groups before they went inside. Cave guides occasionally would pose in the pictures, making the take-home souvenir even more special. The business of taking pictures at Mammoth Cave commenced with the hiring of traveling photographers.

Before Mammoth Cave had a resident (on-site) photographer at the cave in 1905, professional photographers often were hired and traveled with groups to their destinations. Early entrance group pictures on cardboard mounts can be found with embossing seals from photographers from Louisville, Nashville and other major cities.

Harry M. Pinson from Terre Haute, Indiana, was Mammoth Cave’s first resident photographer in 1905 and was known as “The Picture Man.” Pinson had different duties at the cave, but his main profession was as a photographer.

He took photos of visitors in front of the cave entrance as well as a painted cave motif backdrop and a paper-moon backdrop.

A crude seating area made of wood was built by Pinson in front of the Historic Entrance in 1907 for tour groups to sit for photos. Bob Lively, Ed Bishop, John Nelson, Matt Bransford and Will Bransford were just a few of the cave guides who posed with visitors in front of the cave’s entrance.

Joseph McDaniel, from Mammoth Cave, was the second

resident photographer there and had the franchise to take pictures from 1919 until he died in 1950. McDaniel took pictures of groups in front of the entrance with a box camera and then developed the photos while the tourists were in the cave. Upon the visitors’ return, the 4- by 6-inch photos were ready for purchase at the photo gallery, which was located at the top of the hill by the guide house, not far from the cave entrance.

The first United States town to be named for the first president was Washington, Kentucky in 1780.

June/July 2021 49

In 1920, McDaniel started making and using “entrance” signs placed in the front of the Historic Entrance to the cave to generate more income for the cave estate. It was a clever marketing tool to help sell pictures to tourists to take home. Over the years, several different “entrance” signs were used in front of all the various cave entrances, including the Historic Entrance, the New Entrance, the Carmichael Entrance and the Frozen Niagara Entrance. Signs were replaced every year or so because of wear and tear. But as each new sign was displayed, it looked somewhat different from the previous sign.

During the 1940s, local photographer Wade Highbaugh helped McDaniel take pictures of tour groups as well as Leonard Lee and Joe McDaniel’s wife, Jasie. When McDaniel passed away in 1950, Joe’s son, Ross, took most of the pictures of tours at the cave entrance until photographer Ray Scott and National Park Concessions took over in the early 1950s. Scott took pictures of the cave while others under him took the group pictures at the entrance, including Lewis Cutliff, Cecil Cutliff and Frank Ashley. Lillian McDaniel Cutliff, Joe McDaniel’s daughter, processed the photos with the help of Charlie McDaniel’s wife, Ethel.

There were five cave entrances used for tours by 1931—the Historic Entrance, New Entrance, Frozen Niagara Entrance, Violet City Entrance and Carmichael Entrance. Violet City was used only for tours coming out from the Historic Entrance. Before Mammoth Cave Concessions took over, most group pictures were made at the Historic Entrance (since the 1890s) and the New Entrance (since the mid1930s). After Mammoth Cave Concessions took over, pictures were made at the Historic (up to 1966), New (up to September 1967), the Frozen Niagara (up until 1967), and the Carmichael (up to Labor Day 1976).

The process of making pictures at Mammoth Cave was the same over the 25 years that National Park Concessions had the contract. Concessions changed the size of the picture from 4 by 6 inches to 5 x 7 inches and placed the pictures in white and blue picture holders.

Between late 1967 and 1976, pictures were taken only at the Carmichael Entrance for the Scenic Tour. A photographer would have the camera set up when tours arrived. He would take the picture and rush back on the tour bus with the film. The film would be developed and

about 50 prints made. The photos were placed in picture cover holders and rushed to the elevator down to the Snowball Dining Room to sell. All this was done in one hour. The negative was then filed for future reference in case visitors requested copies of the photo later.

Group photos also were taken briefly inside the entrance to Mammoth Cave in the area known as “Houchins Narrows” in the early 1900s; at the entrance to White Cave in the early 1900s; near the entrance to Colossal Cave in the early 1900s, inside Great Onyx Cave in the 1930s, near the Cathedral Domes Entrance; and for the Wild Cave Tour in the 1970s.

The era of taking pictures at Mammoth Cave came to an end after the summer of 1976, when it was decided it was no longer profitable.

The first (known) set of all male quintuplets was born in Paducah in 1896.

50

THE KENTUCKY EXPLORER

Souvenir Program Shines Spotlight on Schools in Louisville in 1895 Reprinted from the Louisville G.A.R. 29th Encampment (Grand Army of the Republic) Souvenir and Official Programme September 11-13, 1895.

By I.N. Bloom, A.B, M.D. When an approximate census of the city was taken, based on the number of children attending the public schools, it was found that a lower coefficient must be used than in most of the cities of the country. The public of Louisville appreciates the excellence of its common school system and sends its children to them in very large numbers, as the following figures, based on the fiscal year ending December 31, 1894, will show: The average daily attendance was 20,223 throughout the year, and the total expense in educating was in round numbers $499-460. The city maintains 44 public schools.

Included in this number are the district schools for white and colored children, two boys’ high schools, a female high school, a girls’ high school, colored high school for both sexes, a normal class for training teachers, and a business and a commercial class. In the two latter are taught, without expense to the student, bookkeeping, stenography, typewriting, etc. In addition, the free nightschools had an average attendance of 1,248. The number of pupils attending the colored schools of this city is very gratifying. There were enrolled in the district schools last year 4,820 and in the colored high school the average daily attendance was 147.

The system of education as practiced in Louisville has been highly complimented by those who have made the subject a study. The advanced methods are in use in the

DuPont Manual Training School at Brook and Oak Streets, Louisville

district schools, and less reliance is placed on the text-book than was formerly the case. Object lessons and the higher development of the kindergarten methods are practiced, and the individuality of the pupil, as far as the numbers will permit, is brought out by Louisville Female High School at First and the teacher.

Chestnut Streets in Louisville.

The high schools, with the exception of the Manual Training High School, which will be mentioned later, are designed to give such a course as will, on graduation, admit the boys and girls to the freshman classes of the leading colleges and universities.

The girls’ high school alone had an average attendance of 499, the boys’ high school 256, while the Manual Training, the newest and brightest gem of the public school system, enrolled nearly 200 pupils. A short history of this last named institution may not be out of place here, as it illustrates the munificence of one of its citizens lately deceased.

On May 2, 1892, Mr. A.V. duPont made a proposition to the Louisville School Board to build a building, suitable and sufficient to accommodate 300 pupils, and to equip it with furniture, tools and machinery, necessary for a manual training school of the first order. In October of that year the first school was opened with 122 enrolled students; on May 1, 1893, it was formally dedicated, the formal address being delivered by Calvin M. Woodward, of St. Louis. Mr. duPont then turned over a deed for the entire property, which had cost more than $150,000, to the president of the school board. The course of instruction at this school covers three years; it includes all subject of the boys’ high school except Latin and Greek, but in place of these it carries out a system of manual training throughout the course. The school hours are longer by one and a half hours per day, and each boy has two hours’ shop work each day. He is drilled in free hand, mechanical and architectural drawings. In the shop he is drilled in tool instruction including joinery, wood turning, wood carving, pattern making, molding and casting, forging, tool making and tempering, vise work and machine tool work in metals and mechanical instruction. The generous donor of the school left little to be desired in its

High Bridge in Jessamine County is the highest railroad bridge in the U.S., standing 275 feet above the Kentucky River.

50 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY NOV EMBER 2 0 2 0

June/July 2021 51

equipment and that little was supplied after his death by the voluntary gift of his sister.

The conduct of this school from its little beginning of a class of 24 in 1890, as an annex to the boys’ high school, up to the present time has been in the hands of Professor E.F. Kleinschmidt, to whom is due the present high efficiency of the school. His pupils find no difficulty in entering the technical schools with advanced standing. Professor Woodward, in his address before alluded to, said it was the best equipped manual training high school in the country.

Private Schools Louisville has 62 private educational institutions, nine professional schools and three theological seminaries.

The Louisville Female Seminary, for young ladies and children, founded in 1851 by the Late Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Nold. The present principal, Miss Annie F. Nold, has had charge of the school for the past 15 years. The original plan of work has been continued as far as possible, and the reputation of the school maintained. The school is divided into primary, intermediate and seminary departments. The course of study is comprehensive. The faculty is composed of specialists. The number of boarding pupils is limited.

The school is situated in the most desirable residence part of the city near Central Park.

The Kentucky Home School, for girls, presided over by Miss Belle Peers, is one of the oldest and most successful private schools in the city. Founded nearly 30 years ago, it has a charter from the legislature of Kentucky and the board of directors is at present composed as follows: Colonel Chas. F. Johnson, Judge H.W. Bruce, Mr. Richard A. Robinson, Mr. Thos. L. Barret, Mr. John D. Taggart, Mr. Stephen E. Jones, Mr. Chas. F. Pettet and Mr. Henry W. Gray. While the school is principally for girls, the primary department is also open to boys. A corps of twelve teachers gives instruction in English, Latin, modern and ancient history, mathematics, the sciences and the modern languages. Music lessons are arranged for if desired. Elocution is optional but calisthenics is a prescribed part of the course, the Swedish method being employed at present. The number of students varies from 100 to 125. The school has changed its location several times, but since 1879 has occupied its present site on Third Street, between Chestnut and Broadway.

Mr. Flexner’s School is a limited private school, admitting pupils from 10 to 18 years of age. The method of instruction employed is that of individual tutoring; no classes are formed, and no two pupils pursue the same courses of study or proceed at the same rate. The endeavor is made to accommodate training strictly to the needs of each individual. The school has been in operation for three years. It was begun as an experiment, but the results already obtained justify the belief that it has pass the experimental state.

The Louisville Training School, for boys, 112 W. Breckinridge Street, was organized in 1889, and has had a large patronage from its beginning. Full preparatory work is done in all branches necessary for university

preparation. Especial stress is laid upon the elementary training in English and mathematics.

Hampton College, for girls, was founded in 1878, incorporated in 1881. It has three courses—the Collegiate, Graduate and College Preparatory. It is presided over by Mrs. L. D. Hampton Cowling, and has a large and efficient faculty.

In addition to the above mentioned the city has a number of other schools of equal reputation and character.

The Catholic Schools of Louisville form an important part of its educational system. They are extensive and thorough in their teaching and keep fully abreast of the times. They are principally in charge of the Sisters, who receive a lengthy and careful training for this purpose.

Brothers have control of some of the higher institutions, notably St. Xavier’s College. The attendance at these schools is very large—reaching in the aggregate the surprising number of 6,237 pupils. Presentation Academy and St. Xavier’s College are among the finest, best equipped and most commodious institutions of learning in the South.

The following is a complete directory of the Catholic schools of this city: Presentation Academy, Fourth Avenue and Breckinridge Street; Academy of the Sacred Heart, Crescent Hill; Cedar Grove Academy of Loretto, ThirtyFifth Street and Rudd Avenue; St. Catherine’s Academy of the Sisters of Mercy, 535 Second Street; Mount St. Agnes, Preston Park, Jefferson County; St. Xavier’s College of the Xaverian Brothers, 112 West Broadway.

Parochial Schools: St. Anthony’s, for boys and girls; St. Augustine’s for colored children; St. Boniface’s for boys; St. Boniface’s for girls; St. Bridget’s for boys and girls; St. Cecilia’s for boys and girls; St. Charles’ for boys and girls; St. Claude’s for colored people; St. Columba’s for boys and girls; St. Frances of Rome; St. Francis Assisi’s for boys and girls; Holy Name School, Fourth Avenue and O Street; Holy Trinity, St. Matthews, Jefferson County; Immaculate Conception, Eighth Street, for boys; Immaculate Conception for girls; St. Charles’; St. John’s for boys; St. John’s for girls; St. Joseph’s for boys; St. Joseph’s for girls; St. Louis Bertrand’s; St. Martin’s for boys; St. Martin’s for girls and small boys; St. Mary’s; St. Michael’s for boys and girls; Our Lady’s for boys and girls; St. Paul’s School; St. Patrick’s for boys; St. Patrick’s for girls; St. Peter’s for boys and girls; Sacred Heart for boys and girls; St. Vincent de Paul’s for boys and girls.

Middlesboro is the only United States city built inside a meteor crater.

52

THE KENTUCKY EXPLORER

Medical Schools It may not be generally known that Louisville is the second largest center of medical instruction in the United States and that more than 1,000 young men study medicine in our six medical schools. The oldest of these, and indeed, with the exception of a school in New Orleans, the oldest in the South, is the Medical Department of the University of Louisville, founded in 1837, and prominent in the work of medical education ever since. Its faculty is Presentation Academy, Louisville composed of a corps of carefully selected teachers, who are widely and favorably known. The course at present requires three years’ attendance. After this year all students must study four years before receiving a degree. This wise course has been adopted by nearly all the other schools in the city, and has done and will do much for the advancement of medical education in the South and Southwest.

The Kentucky School of Medicine comes next in point of age and enjoys a reputation second to no other.

Since its foundation it has enjoyed uninterrupted success.

Its faculty is large, able and efficient. It occupies a large and commodious building and grounds. Upon the latter there has been erected quite recently a hospital, affording the students an opportunity for observing the after treatment of important operations and the bedside treatment of the sick.

The Hospital College of Medicine is the medical department of Central University of Kentucky. It is situated near the City Hospital. It has the 3-year graded course and is complete in its equipment and thorough in its course of study.

The Louisville Medical College has undoubtedly the

finest college building, from an architectural point of view, in Louisville. It was finished two years ago, and is of stone, and is an ornament to the city. The college was founded 27 years ago and is a member of the Association of American Medical Colleges. The course is a very complete one and its success has been quite marked in recent years. The number of its matriculates is probably as large as any medical school in the city. Its faculty is composed of men of known abilities.

The National Medical College was established for the purpose of educating colored men for the medical profession. Its course is a year shorter than that of the other medical institutions of the city but in time it will doubtless be lengthened. The college is located on Green Street, between First and Second.

The Southern Homoeopathic Medical College is the latest established in this city, and this year presents its third annual announcement to the public. The course of study is a graded one of four years. The faculty is composed of 18 professors, which includes one woman and one demonstrator of anatomy.

From National Guard eMuseum: One of the most significant events in the history of Louisville was its hosting of the 29th Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), Sept. 11-13, 1895. The city’s leaders planned two years for this event which was unrivalled at the time, making national political party conventions a distant second.

The theme of the encampment was to be reconciliation between the old warriors, since this was the first held below the Mason-Dixon Line. It was attended by dignitaries and Civil War leaders from both sides who came to be honored and to speak.

An estimated 150,000 veterans attended the convention. The high point of the encampment was the parade, with some 30,000 old veterans participating. The parade length and a temperature of 94 degrees held the number of marchers down, as many old veterans struggled to complete the journey. The Kentucky GAR had the honored position of marching last.

Throughout the encampment many other events took place. It was a constant cycle of campfires, reunions, speeches and concerts, many held simultaneously.

Excursions went to points of interest such as to cemeteries; Lincoln’s birthplace in Hodgenville and West Point, Ky., for the units that helped build and served at Fort Duffield.

I wanted to prove that I could, and by the grace of God, I did. Pat Day, Kentucky Derby-winning jockey (1992)

June/July 2021 53

Louisville Entrepreneur Henry Vogt Creates a Machine Company

By Bryan Bush

In 1861, Johannes (Johan) and his wife, Barbara Schlatter, emigrated from Freinsheim, Bavaria. They had eight children. Their son, Henry Vogt, was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky, in 1856 and became a machinist’s apprentice. In 1879, Henry married Matilda Daeuble. He had one daughter, Anna Vogt Heuser, and a son, Albert.

In 1880, he opened his own small shop for general purpose machine repair and manufacturing elevators. The Henry Vogt Machine Company became one of the largest in the South. The Vogt Machine Company made elevators, ice machines, boilers and sheet iron.

In 1899, Vogt decided to concentrate his business on ice machinery and boiler works. He sold his elevator business to the Otis Elevator Company. In 1902, Vogt made arrangements to build one of the largest boiler yards in the South. He bought 15 acres of land running from Seventh Street to Eleventh Street and between Ormsby and Magnolia Street in Louisville. He spent $200,000 to build the new plant. His new plant enabled him to invent the Vogt Refrigerating Machine. With the introduction of the ice machinery, the Vogt firm manufactured a general line of refinery equipment, such as gas-, oil- and coal-fired boilers for his own company’s use.

As his business grew, he became one of the leading builders of industrial-sized boilers.

In 1906, Charles Inman, Samuel Ouerbacker, Henry Vogt and A.B. Schwartz purchased the plants and holdings of the Merchants Refrigerating Company and incorporated the company into the Merchants Ice and Cold Storage Company, which had control of every ice plant in Louisville except the Duff Ice Company and the Parker Ice Company.

Inman was made president of the new company.

In 1911, the firm began to manufacture drop-forged valves and fittings for use in connection with high pressures and high temperatures in industrial operations.

Vogt’s forged valves and fittings controlled the flow of energy, and his boilers were designed to recover exhaust heat, which saved energy. Special heat exchangers and heat recovery equipment also saved energy. His tube ice machines had an exclusive process that conserved water and electricity. The tube ice machine froze water inside of vertical tubes, which momentarily thawed the ice and loosened the ice from the tubes. As the ice fell out of the

tubes, the machine cut the ice into cylindrical shapes with the hole in the center. Vogt’s company had a world-wide market. During World War I, the Henry Vogt Company had military contracts to build boilers for U.S. Navy ships and instituted a 9-hour work day.

On Dec. 28, 1936, Henry Vogt died at the age of 80 in his home on 2101 Eastern Parkway from a heart ailment. In 1996 and 1997, the Henry Vogt Machine Company sold its manufacturing divisions, and then in 2012 filed for bankruptcy after being named in asbestos-related lawsuits.

In 2013, Henry Vogt’s great-grandson, Henry Vogt Heuser Jr., closed the Henry Vogt Foundation, which was a philanthropic organization started by the Vogt and Heuser family. It was in existence for more than 60 years. Heuser decided to donate $2 million to the University of Louisville from the foundation and gave $1 million of his money to the UofL Speed School. Over the years, the foundation has given the University of Louisville $7 million.

Reach 120,000 readers with classified advertising available in Kentucky Explorer. Classified ads $50 per issue (up to 25 words).

Contact Deborah Kohl Kremer at deb@kentuckymonthly.com

CLASSIFIED ADS WANTED: Collector buying antique radios, working or not.

Also, tubes and radio-related parts. I will come to you with cash and pick up from attics, barns or whatever. Call 859.

396.6095.

WANTED: Want to buy Kentucky license plates, 1960 and older. Contact: Ray Mauer, 3193 High Ridge Drive, Taylor Mill, KY 41015; 859.363.8880 or rmlm@fuse.net.

WANTED TO BUY: All types of antiques and collectables. Top prices for gold, silver and costume jewelry. Scrap gold. Gold and silver coins. Wrist and pocket watches. Collections. Early post cards and fountain pens. Civil War swords and other military items. Vintage toys. Pocket knives. Lighters. Old eye glasses. Pottery and stoneware. All types of railroad items.

Advertising signs. Handmade quilts. Marbles. Jars. Much much more. Complete and partial estates. Call Clarence, buyer for more than 30 years, at 606.531.0467.

CAUDILL BOOK FOR SALE: The Caudills: An Etymological, Ethnological, and Genealogical Study, by award-winning historian Lochlainn Seabrook (a Kentucky Caudill descendant).Visit our webstore: www.SeaRavenPress.com SELF-PUBLISHING: On-Demand Book Printing, Softcover, Hardcover, and Spiral Binding, Side-Sewing for Children’s Books, Kindle Books, Typesetting, Editing, Graphic Design, Amazon Listing, Bible-Rebinding, etc. Contact Reformation Publishers, Inc., DBA 24-Hour Books, DBA Williams Printing Co., 14 S. Queen Street, Mt. Sterling, KY 40353, Email: rpublisher@aol.com, 1.800.765.2464, Telephone 859.520.3757, Fax 859.520.3357, Text 606.359.2064, www.reformationpublishers.com.

The future has a lot to do with the past. Dwight Yoakam, born in Pikeville (1956)

off the shelf

(P)-Paperback (C)-Clothbound (H)-Hardback

Social Media Precursors

Compassionate Remembrance

Roger L. Guffey is steeped in the traditions and customs of his childhood growing up in Wayne County, on the Tennessee border. A longtime Lexington math teacher, he enjoys writing, especially about the people who helped form who he is today. In recent years, Guffey has authored People Up the Holler and When I Was My Father’s Son, both in the Appalachian genre.

Regarding his latest book, Stories from the Porch, Guffey refers to porches as “the antecedents to today’s social media” and notes how impersonal cell phone screens “have supplanted rocking chairs and swings where people shared their stories.”

Guffey includes 22 narratives that, he says, “a visitor might hear while enjoying a slice of apple pie and a cold glass of lemonade or a cup of coffee from a stovetop percolator.”

German poet Karl Schiller likely figured the greatest enemy in his life would be a bad case of writer’s block.

That was before Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in 1914, and Schiller soon found himself in a German Army uniform fighting on the front lines.

In Violets for Sergeant Schiller, Frankfort author Chris Helvey craftily tells the story through Schiller’s eyes, and it is a compelling one of romance, destruction, survival and suffering interspersed with acts of friendship and an uneasy human connection within the pathos of war. Helvey unabashedly calls himself a writer of “dirty realism.” He’s right.

Helvey continues his mastery of portraying the frailty of human nature in a sympathetic way. His most recent books—Snapshot, Yard Man and Dancing on the Rim—are strong examples. He also is a writing coach and editor/ publisher of Trajectory Journal.

By Steve Flairty Stories from the Porch, By Roger L. Guffey, Palmetto Publishing Group, $14.99 (P)

By Steve Flairty Violets for Sergeant Schiller, By Chris Helvey, Wings ePress, $16.95 (P)

Get the facts about the COVID-19 vaccine. AARP has the latest information.

AARP is working to protect Americans 50+ by making sure you have the latest information you need about the COVID-19 vaccines and the distribution plans in Kentucky.

Find out who's eligible for the vaccine, when and where vaccines will be available and what you need to discuss with your doctor before you decide.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine availability and distribution at aarp.org/kyvaccine

54 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2 0 2 1

BOOKENDS Madisonville-based travel agent Mary Lou Boal has assembled her 50-year career, which began as a flight attendant, into an illustrated collection of wisdom that is useful to anyone longing to be a globetrotter. Published by Butler Books, it is titled Wonderful World, Beautiful People: What I Learned Being a Tour Guide Around the World.

In addition to raising her three children, Boal has visited more than 85 countries—most of them more than once.

She’s been everywhere from Iceland to Thailand and from Peru to Bangladesh. Boal led Kentucky Monthly’s 2018 trip to Ireland, which is featured on the book’s cover in a photo by Celeste Moore of Nicholasville.

Proceeds of the $20 book benefit the Habitat for Humanity in Hopkins County.

Submit nominations May 15- July 1 at kybookfestival.org Do you know an individual or institution that's made a significant impact on the literary culture & community of Kentucky? Nominate them now! The winner is celebrated during the Kentucky Book Festival in November & receives a cash prize.

• • •

Billed as “Louisville nostalgia one serving at a time,” Stephen Hacker’s offering, Classic Restaurants of Louisville is an entertaining guide around Kentucky’s largest city for those whose historical curiosity extends to restaurants they formerly knew.

Ever wonder how Casa Grisanti got started? What about the crazy popular Lynn’s Paradise Café, with all its swirl?

And where might one have found the hangouts of Harrods Creek? Find out about Parisian Pantry, along with dozens more formerly trendy eating places.

The book is 128 pages of “menus, memories and more of favorites across the Derby City through the decades,” with photography by Dan Dry and John Nation.

Hacker is an award-winning author and brand strategist with prolific restaurant experience.

Along with his spouse, Michelle Turner, he previously authored Lost Restaurants of Louisville.

Published by Arcadia Publishing/The History Press, Classic Restaurants of Louisville retails for $21.99

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 55

past tense/present tense

by Bill Ellis

Kentucky, Appalachia, Hillbilly Elegy, and Sense of Place A Kentuckian enters a convenience store in California and orders a candy bar. The clerk asks, “Where ya from?” “Kentucky,” he answers.

“I though so,” the clerk replies. “Where ya goin’?” “I’m goin’ to visit my brother in San Josie.” “Well, here in California, we pronounce it: ‘San ho zay.’ The J is pronounced like an H.” “Oh!” the Kentuckian says.

Emboldened, the clerk says, “Hey, hillbilly, how long you gonna visit your brother?” “Oh, the rest of Hune and most of Huly.”

A

re you offended by this Jerry Clower joke? Does it make fun of the Californian or the Spanish language spoken by many Americans? Is it demeaning to Kentuckians?

Is the word “hillbilly” harmless? Isn’t it all about context? I enjoy asking “Yankees” to pronounce “pecan.” If they don’t pronounce it as I do, with my accent, I tell them that the way they pronounce it sounds like “peecan,” which is what the hospital nurse handed me for “doing my business.”

I have lived all but a year of my life in Kentucky, including three years in Jackson, where I taught at Lees Junior College. I think I have a pretty good handle on what it means to be a Kentuckian, and a hillbilly.

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language says at hillbilly is “a person from a rural mountainous area, especially from the southeastern United States. Usually used disparagingly.” Apparently, it is of Scottish origin merging “hill-folk” with “Billy,” the pet name for William of Orange, a 17th-century Protestant prince with claims to the British crown. ggg Hillbilly is a derogative word when spoken, for example, derisively. When used in-group, however, it is a term of acceptance and belonging to a distinctive American subculture. Pikeville celebrates Hillbilly Days. Or, to get to the point, why did J.D. Vance title his highly successful 2016 book Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis?

I read Mr. Vance’s book, viewed the movie, and read and listened to interviews and presentations. He is handsome, well-educated, well-spoken, and engaging. Is he a classic example of The Self-Made Man or “pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps?” Is his rise from poverty in a dysfunctional family a fluke or meaningful in other ways?

The 2016 book and the 2020 movie have placed Vance at the forefront of describing and discussing an important American subculture. How does a young person overcome living in a dysfunctional family and environment to become well-educated and successful? Must you leave the region to find fulfillment? Is Vance the exception to the 56 K E NT U C K Y M O NTHLY JUNE/ JULY 2 0 2 1

rule of someone overcoming such a background?

Though Vance had connections with eastern Kentucky, particularly Breathitt County, he lived most of his life in Middletown, Ohio, a place where many Appalachians moved to get industry jobs. His mother, a nurse, went through several marriages and relationships and problems with substance abuse. Vance’s grandmother, Mamaw Blanton, was his anchor. He barely graduated from high school and soon entered the Marine Corps, which he claimed made him into an adult. “The day I graduated from boot camp was the proudest of my life,” he said.

With government aid, he entered The Ohio State University, graduating in three years; obtained a law degree at Yale University; and then got a dream job.

Vance pointed out in his book that many times in his life he could have made a wrong turn. He is thankful for the military and all those who helped him along the way.

The movie is rated R, owing to its profanity, which quickly drove my wife from our den as the film unfolded.

The acting was quite good, with the teenage J.D. (Owen Asztalos) particularly well-played as well as his mother, played by Amy Adams. Glenn Close as Mamaw was portrayed as an overwehelming figure.

The flashbacks are distracting for those who have not read the book. In the end, all turns out well, as J.D.’s mother has been six years drug free, and J.D., his wife, Usha, and two children are living happily. The movie is directed by Ron Howard. I wonder why the Kentucky scenes were filmed in Georgia. Why wasn’t the movie money spent in Breathitt County? ggg Much has been written about Appalachia. I emailed several friends who have lived in and/or studied the region for many years and received interesting responses.

Fred Landrum of Quicksand, who was an administrator at Lees Junior College and later at Hazard Community College before his retirement, replied he “enjoyed both the book and the movie. As an eastern Kentuckian, I see this family as a legitimate representation of some families in the area, but it would not be near the average. I admire Vance for his ability to overcome his environmental circumstances.”

Loyal Jones, the author of eight books about Appalachia and many other subjects, a folklorist, and a former director of the Appalachian Center that is now named in his honor at Berea College, declared, “The movie is better than the book. The book was supposed to be a memoir from this bright boy who had escaped from a troubled,

drug-infested family and who happened to be from Appalachia, celebrating himself while condemning people who did not have his ‘bootstrap’ mentality. He did not acknowledge that there are families like his own all over America who are victims of the drug epidemic.”

“I did not like the tone of the book,” State Historian James C. Klotter wrote. “I lived in Appalachia for the first 17 years of my life, and I had family there for another 50 years. Vance’s stress on the Scots-Irish legacy I find historically irrelevant, for that connection is elsewhere in America as well. Hillbilly Elegy is well written, and the stress on the opiate issue is needed. The emphasis on education is important, too, but hardly original.”

Appalachian scholar Rob Weise at Eastern Kentucky University wrote, “Hillbilly Elegy is a travesty in some ways, and it’s probably the most-hated book in Appalachian Studies since Yesterday’s People, published in 1965.”

Moreover, “Vance interprets the dysfunction of his family life not to the deindustrialization of Middletown but to the unchanging wackiness of Appalachian culture … The movie tones down the cultural interpretation of the mountains and presents that background as being more positive. On that score, the movie is less offensive. It also has less substance.”

Many have critiqued the book and movie as blaming Appalachians for not entering the mainstream of American success and challenging unending negative circumstances.

Linda Blackford in the Lexington Herald-Leader declared she gave up watching the movie after 10 minutes, instead, turning to a documentary, Hillbilly, directed by native Kentuckian Ashley York. Minister Paul Prather declared: “J.D. Vance’s tale is his alone and not all of Appalachia’s.”

Will Hurst, a Wolfe County High School teacher, in a Herald-Leader op-ed critiqued Vance’s life as not representative of the dire conditions most Appalachians face daily. “This elegy and its author are just one more unfortunate chapter in the real elegy of Appalachia …

When we allow someone who never even met us to control the narrative, we lose. It is time to take back your story—our story—and fight for Appalachia.” ggg There are many sources of information about Appalachia, including A New History of Kentucky by Lowell Harrison and Klotter. Others include two books by Ronald D. Eller—Uneven Ground: Appalachia Since 1945 and Miners, Millhands, and Mountaineers—and certain books by Harry Caudill, Elizabeth Madox Roberts, Jesse Stuart and Cradis Williams. In a wider context are such recent books as White Trash: The 400-Year Untold Story of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson, and Far Appalachia by Kentuckian Noah Adams.

Having taught at Lees and Eastern Kentucky University for 34 years, I came in daily contact with many students who were much like Vance. Most have gone on to successful careers. EKU has championed itself as “The School of Opportunity” for generations.

Dear Readers: Wherever you were born or reside, I invite emails, commenting on your perceptions of Hillbilly Elegy, both the book and the movie. k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 57

field notes

by Gary Garth

Fishing with Carp

D

through the last decade of his tenure and the first 10 isturbing rumors are circulating in some fishing years of the carp invasion, damaging effects were circles that the bass fishing at Kentucky Lake and negligible, he said.

Lake Barkley isn’t what it used to be. The reason: Changes to the fishery, however, were seismic.

Asian carp.

“One of the first indicators of carp impacting bass would It’s no secret that the invasive silver and big head carp be, have [bass] lengths and weights changed?” he asked. are a problem. (The silver carp are the jumpers.) They’re “Because if the bass can’t be where they want to feed, then in the lakes, and in all likelihood, they aren’t going away. they’re going to get skinnier. I didn’t see that up to my And although both state and federal fish and wildlife retirement in 2017. The bass weights versus the lengths officials are working hard to combat and control the carp were still historically high. The fish were feeding well. problem, options are limited.

“I would agree that the carp have changed the fishery.

But are they damaging Kentucky’s twin lakes’ multiNow you’ve got the carp entered in the picture, and they million-dollar bass fisheries? want plankton, which displaces the shad, which A few weeks ago, officials from the Tennessee Valley displaces the sportfish that Authority, which manages want to eat the shad. So, the Kentucky Lake/ they have disrupted that Tennessee River system, natural food chain.” and some folks from the Jessica Morris was there.

Kentucky Department of Morris also is a state Fish and Wildlife fisheries biologist and Resources (KDFWR) met coordinates much of the with some media types at KDFWR’s Asian carp the KDFWR’s Camp Currie, research in western near Benton, to discuss this Kentucky waters. She and other fishy issues. knows carp and is keeping Adam Martin was there. a close eye on them.

Martin is the western “They are still out district fisheries biologist there,” she said. “But we for the KDFWR whose haven’t seen any significant 14-county management area change in population includes Kentucky Lake and numbers or size.”

Lake Barkley. He always has She also knows that carp on his mind. silver carp travel in “large “I think it’s safe to say schools.” that Asian carp and How large? specifically silver carp are “The size of a house. And negative for the bass we’ve also seen them move fishery,” he said.

60 miles in three days.”

He would get few A TVA official hoists a silver carp taken from Kentucky Lake.

Even in watersheds the arguments from anglers.

The invasive species is forcing fishermen to change their size of Kentucky and But are the carp changing angling tactics.

Barkley lakes, that is a or damaging the bass disruptive force. For anglers fishery? wrestling with the carp problem, both Martin and Rister “Changing it? Yes. And I would argue that they are suggest bass fishermen tweak their tactics. damaging it,” Martin said. “However, I would also argue “There are a lot of theories on how silver carp are that carp are not the main driver of the fishery. If you actually affecting the bass fishing,” Martin said. “The look, historically, by far our best bass fishing years have main trend is that you’re seeing bass shallower for more of occurred after carp arrived, and the main reasons for that the year than you used to.” are environmental.”

Paul Rister was there. Rister was the KDFWR western ggg district fisheries biologist for more than two decades Traditionally, outside the spawn, Kentucky Lake in before retiring in 2017. He’s been wrestling with Asian particular has been an offshore, or ledge, bass fishery. carp since they began showing up in 2006. He’s still Swarms of invasive carp are changing that. Fishing tactics wrestling with them, although now from the sidelines. have to change, too.

Once a biologist, always a biologist.

“A bass is where it is for one of three reasons, or all of Based on bass size and growth data Rister collected 58 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2 0 2 1

these reasons: to find something to eat, to not get eaten, or to reproduce,” Martin explained. “In the case of the spawn, obviously, they’re going to be shallow. But all other times of the year, they’re trying to find something to eat and not get eaten. In most cases, if you have a healthy shad population, that shad population is going to be largely offshore because the plankton levels are higher out there.”

The shad follow the plankton, and the bass follow the shad. House-size schools of carp also cruising for plankton upset this scenario, forcing bass to look elsewhere for groceries.

“My opinion would be that those bass are now taking advantage—or taking more advantage—of those shallower resources, meaning the sunfish population, which are going to stay shallow year-round,” Martin concluded. “Anglers are seeing bass in shallow areas throughout the summertime, which is not something you’d traditionally see.”

Rister, speaking from the relaxed position of retirement, explained it a bit differently. “People say, ‘Well, I just don’t catch the bass that I used to catch.’ Well, that’s because they’ve been displaced. The carp have come in, and they’re grazing out in the field, so the bass have to go someplace else.

You’re fishing in the wrong place.”

Rister added that a story he heard from an experienced shellcracker (redear sunfish) angler is a nearperfect example of this.

“This guy said he could always go to this one spot and guarantee some really nice redear,” Rister recalled.

“Then, after a couple years of the carp, the redear were no longer here. There was carp there. But he moved 50 yards down the shoreline and found the redear. They had just moved. That’s a good example of what happens because the carp—when they get into their big groups—they’re bullies.

Nobody likes to use the word ‘bully.’ but that’s what carp are. They get in such massive numbers, they root everything else out.

“Fishermen are going to have to adapt. The carp are probably not going away.”

The experts have spoken. Go catch some fish. k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 59

gardening

by Walt Reichert

Mountains Out of Mole Hills

J

udging by the size of the mole hills scattered across my lawn, the little devils either have found steroids or have access to heavy equipment in their underground tunnels. Their mounds are huge and have made mowing the lawn this summer a teeth-rattling, spinecrunching ordeal.

I know I’m not alone battling moles. When I worked in Extension, one of the most common questions I would get during the summer would be, “How do I rid my lawn of moles?”

Homeowners would describe encounters they had with mole hills the size of Vesuvius and beg for something—anything—that would give them relief. In their desperation, some unfortunately turned to the many “quack” remedies out there that, to put it simply, don’t work. More on that later. The short answer is that moles can be eliminated in the short term, but nothing is out there, short of concreting the entire lawn, that will dispel them permanently.

WHAT DOESN’T WORK To understand what’s going on out there—or under there—first a little mole biology. Moles excavate tunnels just below the surface as they troll for worms, grubs and other soil-borne insects. They also build tunnels for nesting and hibernating in the winter, but those tend to be deeper underground and are rarely as bothersome. It’s their active feeding tunnels that annoy us, especially where they push up the soil to create entrances to their tunnels.

While moles do not eat plants, they sometimes damage garden plants, as their tunneling can harm roots and displace bulbs. Good, loamy garden soil—full of working earthworms—is great for plants but also, unfortunately,

a wonderful place for moles to tunnel.

Where they tunnel, plants often succumb to dried-out roots.

If there is any good news about moles, it is that there are not as many of them out there as you may think.

Some homeowners believe they have hundreds of moles in their lawns, but it’s likely they only have a few. Moles are territorial and will not tolerate large concentrations of their species.

Now, let’s talk about what does NOT work to rid the lawn of moles: n Juicy Fruit gum. Seriously? n “Whirly gigs” and other “sonar” devices that claim to drive moles to distraction and out of your yard.

These often are marketed in otherwise reputable gardening magazines as serious mole repellants, and I’ve heard gardeners swear by them. They don’t work. Sorry. If you put one in the yard and moles stayed away, that was just an accident of timing. Moles do move on occasionally. n Murdering all earthworms and grubs. There used to be at least one garden “expert” on TV who told the audience, “No grubs, no moles.” In the first place, moles don’t eat just grubs; they eat earthworms and other insects. In the second place, earthworms are important to soil health, and killing them is counterproductive, even if you could find products that would do the job. n Mole-digging dogs. Yes, some dogs love to dig up moles. But I feel safe in saying their digging is doing far more harm to your lawn than even the most vigorous of moles. n “Mole plant” or castor bean. The tall, purplish tropical plant is the source of the deadly poison ricin, but planting it will not eliminate moles.

Moles might avoid the immediate area of the plant, but are you

Readers may contact Walt Reichert at editor@kentuckymonthly.com

60 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2 0 2 1

seriously going to plant the entire yard with castor bean just to eliminate moles?

WHAT DOES WORK Experts agree that effectively ridding your lawn of moles requires one of two strategies: trapping or poisoning.

Products designed to poison moles look like little gummy worms or gummy grubs—moles’ favorite foods.

The active ingredient is usually bromethalin. Tom Cat Mole Killer is one brand name. If used according to the label, with the “worm” placed in an active tunnel, the products are safe to use even if there are pets around, although it might not be a bad idea to keep an eye on the dog for a day or two after the worms are deployed.

Trapping moles is a far more common technique. Traps come in two types—scissors, which squeeze the mole to death, and plungers, which spear the mole as it roams through its tunnels. Trapping requires finding an active mole run. To do that, walk over a few runs and wait a day or so to see if the mole raises them up again. If so, that is an active tunnel. The trap has to be placed in the tunnel according to directions and checked frequently.

If you’re squeamish or just don’t have the time but still want to get rid of moles, you can hire a professional to dispatch them for you. Some charge a flat fee; some charge per deceased mole. (Remember that there aren’t hundreds of moles out there, so you won’t have to mortgage the house to pay a mole bounty hunter.)

Just be aware that ridding your lawn of moles, however you do it, is a temporary fix. Nothing keeps them from traveling from your neighbor’s place to yours. Or vice versa.

R

SAVE

UP TO

$31

PICK YOUR DATE TICKETS

USE PROMO CODE:

DISCOUNT854

Save Time & Buy Now

Offer is online only. Valid for up to 8 discounts. No double discounts.

Expires October 31, 2021.

k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 61

calendar Due to COVID-19, please visit the event’s website or call the contact number prior to attending to ensure that it is taking place.

JUNE

2021 SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Ongoing >>> Isabelle de Borchgrave: Fashioning Art from Paper,

WEDNESDAY

2

Speed Art Museum, Louisville, through Aug. 22, 502.634.2700

6

9

Beekeeping with Lazy Dog Honey,

THURSDAY

Frankfort Public Art Tour,

4

5

Richwood to Corbin, through June 5 859. 779.3005

various locations in Louisville, through June 13, 502.584.9254

Beaver Dam Amphitheater, Beaver Dam, 270.298.0036

11

12

10

15

downtown Frankfort, 502.352.7082

20 FATHER’S DAY

Great American Brass Band Festival,

21

Community Carnival and Demolition Derby, Lawrenceburg, through June 26, 502.598.3127

28

Barbasol Junior Championship Golf, Keene Trace

22

Styx – Live on the Lawn,

16

17

Audubon Mill Park, Henderson, through June 19, 270.826.3128

Lexington Opera House, Lexington, 859.233.4567

W.C. Handy Blues & BBQ Festival,

23

Waterfront Park, Louisville, 502.574.3768

29

Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers,

24

18

Food Truck Friday Zack Attack in Concert, Lawrenceburg Green, 502.598.3127

25

James Taylor in Concert, KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, 502.690.9000

30

Golf Club, Nicholasville, through July 1, 859.224.4653

a guide to Kentucky’s most interesting events 62 K E NT U C K Y M O NTHLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

Trace Adkins in Concert,

Francisco’s Farm Art Fair, Midway University, Midway, through June 13, 859.846.4413

19

Juneteenth Festival, downtown Somerset, 606.679.6366

J.D. Shelburne Album Release Party and Concert, downtown Taylorsville, 502.902.7039

>>>

27

Muhammad Ali Festival,

downtown Danville, through June 12, 859.319.8426

14

SATURDAY

3

U.S. 25 Yard Sale, from

Josephine Sculpture Park, Frankfort, 502.352.7082

13

FRIDAY

26

JULY 2021

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

4

5

Frankfort Public Art Tour,

Southern Fried Funeral,

6 7

Pioneer Playhouse, Danville, through July 24, 859.236.2747

FOURTH OF JULY

11

>>>

1

12

13

14

downtown Frankfort, 502.352.7082

Burlington Antique Show,

19

2

3

Jenny Wiley Amphitheater, Prestonsville, through July 3, 606.886.2623

Beaver Dam Amphitheater, 270.298.0036

Appalachian Strings + Things,

9

10

Beech Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, through July 10, 270.781.7634

Indian Fort Theatre, Berea, through July 11, 1.800.598.5263

downtown Beattyville, 606.464.5038

Berea Craft Festival,

16

17

Keene Trace Golf Club, Nicholasville, through July 18, 859.224.4653

Community and Technical College, through July 17, 606. 875.6732

Beaver Dam Amphitheater, 270.298.0036

Master The Beach Musicians Boys in Festival, Somerset Concert,

20

27

Jeeves in Bloom, Pioneer Playhouse, Danville, through Aug. 7, 859.236.2747

Bourbon and Moonshine Festival,

15

Barbasol Championship PGA Event,

Somernites Cruise Car Show and Cruise-In,

24 26

Andy Brasher Band and Insulated in Concert,

8

Camaro Fest,

Boone County Fairgrounds, Burlington, 513.922.6847

25

SATURDAY

>>>

18

FRIDAY

28

29

Jefferson Starship,

30

downtown Somerset, 606.872.2277

31

RiverPark Center, Owensboro, 270.687.2770

find more at kentuckymonthly.com k e n t u c k y m o n t h l y. c o m 63

vested interest

Skaggs’ Year

W

hile many people will remember 2020-21 for the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest, Ricky Skaggs’ memories include:

g Accepting the National Medal of Arts from President Donald Trump; g Receiving his long-awaited high school diploma from Lawrence County High School in Louisa; and g His induction into the Louisville-based National Society Sons of the American Revolution.

“Awards and achievements are nice, but joining the SAR is more than that,” said Skaggs, a resident of Hendersonville, Tennessee. “It means so much more now than it would have 20 years ago.” Why? “Because many of our ancestors fought and died for the freedoms we’re currently trying to keep.”

Skaggs, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, is a 15-time Grammy Award-winning STEPHEN M. VEST mandolin player, Publisher + Editor-in-Chief singer and songwriter who played with music legends for more than 50 years, beginning with Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt.

His first exposure to the SAR was through the Daughters of the American Revolution. “I’ve played at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., numerous times, so I always knew about them,” Skaggs said. “About two years ago, I met some

SAR members working on a time-travel movie that features a George Washington character. That sparked my interest, and I started looking into my ancestor, Zechariah Skaggs, who fought in Lord Dunmore’s War.” While that research continues, SAR Staff Genealogist Jesse Hagan found Skaggs another Patriot Ancestor, Phillip Williams, a private in the Virginia Militia, who died in Johnson County, Kentucky, after 1848. “I was inducted April 15 into the Col. Anthony Bledsoe Chapter, which is doubly appropriate,” Skaggs said. “First, April 15—tax day—is the anniversary of our peace with Great Britain, who we fought over taxes, and the Bledsoe brothers— Anthony and Ambrose—were hunting partners with the Skaggs brothers.”

Skaggs was born July 18, 1954, in Cordell, Kentucky, and got his first mandolin when he was 5. Two weeks after his father taught him the G, C and D chords, he could make chord changes and sing along. Within a year, he joined Monroe on stage after the crowd called for “Little Ricky Skaggs” to play. A year later, he made his television debut with Flatt and Scruggs.

By the time Skaggs was in high school, he was touring nationally. During his senior year—one English credit shy of graduation—he and fellow Kentuckian Keith Whitley joined Ralph Stanley’s band, The Clinch Mountain Boys. “It was the right decision because I went on to have a tremendous career, but I’m sure my momma—in heaven—is glad I’m a 2020 graduate of Lawrence County High School.

She’s also pleased that I’m doing my part to honor her ancestor, who fought to establish this country we all love.”

extra vested WHISTLE NOT STOPPING The announcement that Glendale’s Whistle Stop Restaurant was going to be auctioned caught the attention of Elizabethtown’s Mike F. Frantz, who owns several Subway restaurants and the local BoomBozz Craft Pizza & Taphouse franchise.

Founded in 1975 by Idell Sego, the Whistle Stop was sold to Frantz by Mike and Lynn Cummins, who had owned and operated the restaurant since 2005.

“It was time,” said Mike, who will stay on in a management role for the time being. “We didn’t sell because the restaurant wasn’t doing well—it is. It’s just that we need to move on to the next chapter in our lives.”

“We needed the Whistle Stop to remain local and in the hands of someone who knows how important an institution it is to Hardin County,” said Frantz, who plans to keep the menu and staff intact. “The entire [restaurant industry] has struggled during this pandemic, but we’ve survived and will go forward—and flourish.”

The Whistle Stop is best known for its made-fromscratch dishes.

Kwiz Answers: 1. A. Aviation pioneer Sellers flew his own four-winged, motorized glider in Kentucky; 2. C. “Lucky Lindy” felt Lexington’s airport wasn’t large enough for 1928 aviation needs; 3. B. The first airplane landed at Bowman Field in 1918; 4. A. Bowman was born in Bullitt County and had a lifelong love of flying; 5. B. Aviators performed stunts and gave rides to spectators; 6. A. Flyers delighted spectators with rides and “death-defying” acts; 7. C. Located in Daytona Beach, Florida, ERAU became world-recognized for aviation higher education; 8. B. AMK honors all Kentucky aviation and hosts a statewide Aviation Hall of Fame; 9. A. The Tuskegee Airmen, African-American pilots trained at Tuskegee Institute, flew aircraft that had red-painted tails; 10. C. Women aviators of Kentucky broke records, performed bold stunts, and served their country; 11. B. Willa Brown fought for equality for all in aviation.

64 K E NT U C K Y M O NT HLY JUNE/ JULY 2021

Kentucky’s state-wide network of public radio stations reaches the Commonwealth’s business and household influencers at a scale no other medium can match. More than 600,000 people every week trust their public station to Henderson/Owensboro be informed.

Shelby

Johnson

Morgan

Bartholomew

Brown

Monroe

Greene

Pike

Gibson

Vanderburgh

Posey

Gallatin

Union

Shouldn’t they be informed about you?

Johnson Alexander

Hardin

Pope

Pulaski

McLean Ohio

Mississippi

Hickman

Graves

Trigg

Warren

Allen

Monroe

Stewart Weakley

Montgomery

Henry Houston

Humphries

Macon

Sumner

Trousdale

Davidson

Johnson Wolfe

Clay Jackson

Clinton

Knott Perry

Hazard

Clay Leslie

Corbin

Whitley

Wilson

Harlan

Pineville

Pickett Fentress

Scott

Claiborne

Anderson

Carroll

Knox

Scott

Lee Hancock Hawkins

Campbell Union

Morgan

Dickenson

Letcher Wise

Bell McCreary

Pike

Owsley

Jackson

Mingo

Floyd

Knox Wayne

Overton

Martin

Magoffin

Lee

Smith Dickson

Benton

Robertson Cheatham

Morgan

Powell

Laurel

Somerset

Russell

Cumberland Simpson

Rockcastle

Casey

Green

Logan

Todd

Menifee

Lawrence

Breathitt

Adair

Calloway

Fulton Obion

Christian

Elliott

Estill

Madison

Lincoln

Metcalfe

Wayne

Bath Montgomery

Clark

Pulaski

Barren

Boyd

Rowan

Richmond

Garrard

Greenup Carter

Marion

Taylor

Edmonson

Bowling Green

Lyon

Murray

Jessamine Mercer

Lewis

Fleming

Bourbon

Wood- Lexington ford Fayette

Boyle

Scioto

Adams

Mason

Nicholas

Scott

Washington

Hart

Butler

Muhlenberg

Marshall

Carlisle

Anderson

Nelson

Larue

Grayson

Caldwell McCracken

Spencer

Bullitt

Elizabethtown

Hopkins

Livingston

Massac

Franklin

Shelby

Jefferson

Breckinridge

Daviess

Harrison

Henry

Oldham

Louisville

Meade

Hancock

Robertson

Owen

Floyd

Perry

Spencer

Brown

Pendleton Bracken

Grant

Carroll

Trimble

Harrison

Boone

Kenton Campbell

Gallatin

Clark

Crawford

Crittenden

Ballard

Lake

Dubois

Ohio

Scott

Washington Orange

Highland

Clermont

Covington

Switzerland

Jefferson

Hardin Webster

Clinton

Hamilton

Dearborn

Jackson

Martin

Warrick

Henderson

Warren

Ripley

Jennings Lawrence

Daviess

Butler

Franklin Decatur

Owen

Grainger Hamblen Jefferson

Trust + Impact = Results When you need to reach Kentucky, KPR is your most trusted media option, with a 20-year track record of successful campaigns for blue chip businesses and agencies like yours.

KPR LISTENERS

We’d love to talk about your challenges and opportunities for 2020. You can learn more and contact us at KentuckyPublicRadio.org.

78% have taken action as a result of hearing sponsorship messages on Public Radio 88% have a more positive opinion of Public Radio sponsors 80% prefer to buy products or services from Public Radio sponsors

Kentucky’s Most Influential Media Pipeline

KentuckyPublicRadio.org

Achieve the

Return of a Lifetime

with a Gift Annuity at Berea College You deserve a unique legacy, one that offers an unmatched opportunity to invest in lives of great promise.

A charitable gift annuity at Berea College returns your generosity with guaranteed payments for the rest of your life and supports the next generation of scholars, leaders and innovators. Learn how Berea College invests in students with its Tuition Promise Scholarship and how a charitable gift annuity can work for you while supporting our mission.

SAMPLE ONE LIFE RATES Rates set by the American Council on Gift Annuities.

Effective July 1, 2020.

AG E

R ATE

55

3.7%

65

4.2%

75

5.4%

80

6.5-8.4%

90+

8.6%

Invest in lives of great promise at berea.giftlegacy.com

Monica ’18 Major: Business with a concentration in Finance

Contact the Office of Planned Giving at giftplanning@berea.edu or call (800) 457-9846.