NOVEMBER 2017
Miniature Marvels The Stewart Toy Soldier Gallery Plus: A Family of Marines Notes From a Soldier Jim Bowie, Part II Hemp in Kentucky
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In This Issue 37
16 Departments 2 Kentucky Kwiz 4 Mag on the Move 7 Across Kentucky 8 Curiosities Petroglyphs 9 Music Jamie Dailey 10 Cooking A Traditional Thanksgiving 42 Off the Shelf 44 Field Notes 45 Kentucky Travel Industry Association’s Signature Winter/Holiday Events 46 Calendar
Featured Fare 16 Tiny Wonders
Louisville museum boasts one of the world’s largest collections of historic miniatures
22 A Century of Marines
For the Campbells of Dayton, serving as “The Few, The Proud” is part of their heritage
26 “Am Liking This Life Fine”
A soldier’s World War I letters from Camp Taylor
32 James Bowie: Knife-Wielding Son of Kentucky
Part II: Texas and the Apotheosis
37 The Comeback Crop?
Voices 3 Readers Write 41 Past Tense/ Present Tense
Once prominent in Kentucky’s agricultural industry, hemp is being cultivated again in the Commonwealth by farmers for research projects
56 Vested Interest
10
ON THE COVER
Photo of miniature soldiers from The Stewart Toy Soldier Gallery at the Frazier History Museum by Wales Hunter
KENTUCKY
Kwiz
Test your knowledge of our beloved Commonwealth. To find out how you fared, see the bottom of Vested Interest or take the Kwiz online at kentuckymonthly.com. 1. French-born orphan Martin Fugate is the patriarch of a Troublesome Creek family that carried a genetic trait known as recessive methemoglobinemia (MetHb), which led them to be known as what?
7. According to Col. William Martin, the son of explorer Dr. Thomas Walker, the Cumberland River and Cumberland Gap were named when his father raised a toast to the health of the Duke of Cumberland during a pass through the area. What were the travelers drinking? A. Bourbon B. Scotch C. Rum 8. There is a KFC franchise in all 120 of Kentucky’s counties.
A. Green People of Kentucky
A. True
B. Purple People of Kentucky
B. False
C. Blue People of Kentucky
9. On Friday, July 13, 1928, Kentucky’s electric chair at the State Penitentiary in Eddyville, known as “Old Sparky,” set a single record for back-to-back executions with how many?
2. Country Music star Chris Stapleton first left Paintsville for Nashville to do what? A. Work in the Skee-Ball booth at the old Opryland Amusement Park B. Study engineering at Vanderbilt University C. Work as a disc jockey at WSM-AM
B. 10 C. 16
3. Kentucky tuna, which is native to Vietnam, is more appropriately known as? A. Asian carp
A. 1951
B. Shuckman squid
B. 1978
C. Bluegrass bass
C. 2012
4. Newscaster Pamela Brown, the daughter of Gov. John Y. Brown Jr. and former sportscaster Phyllis George, has an older brother named for which United States president? A. Taylor B. Lincoln C. Kennedy 5. Of Kentucky’s 120 counties, how many are dry (no alcohol sales allowed)?
Editorial PATRICIA RANFT, Associate Editor DEBORAH KOHL KREMER, Assistant Editor MADELYNN COLDIRON and TED SLOAN, Contributing Editors JESSICA PATTON, Art Director CAIT A. SMITH, Editorial Intern Senior Kentributors JACKIE HOLLENKAMP BENTLEY, ANNETTE CABLE, BILL ELLIS, STEVE FLAIRTY, GARY GARTH, CYNTHIA GRISOLIA, RACHAEL GUADAGNI, JESSE HENDRIX-INMAN, ABBY LAUB, LINDSEY McCLAVE, WALT REICHERT, GARY P. WEST
Business and Circulation BARBARA KAY VEST, Business Manager JOCELYN ROPER, Circulation Specialist
Advertising JULIE MOORE, Senior Account Executive MISTEE BROWNING, Account Manager DAVID McMILLEN, Account Executive JENNIFER McMILLEN, Account Executive 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, Kim Butterweck, Gregory N. Carnes, Barbara and Pete Chiericozzi, Kellee Dicks, Maj. Jack E. Dixon, Bruce and Peggy Dungan, Mary and Michael Embry, Wayne Gaunce, Frank Martin, Lori Hahn, Thomas L. Hall, Judy M. Harris, Greg and Carrie Hawkins, Jan and John Higginbotham, Dr. A. Bennett Jenson, Walter B. Norris, Kasia Pater, Dr. Mary Jo Ratliff, Barry A. Royalty, Randy and Rebecca Sandell, Kelli Schreiber, Christopher E. and Marie Shake, Kendall Carr Shelton, Ted M. Sloan and Marjorie D. Vest.
Kentucky Monthly is printed and distributed by Publishers Press, Shepherdsville, Ky.
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B. 48 C. 58 6. Nancy, the mother of Abraham Lincoln, died of what cause? A. Attack by American Indians B. Pneumonia
K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7
STEPHEN M. VEST, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Kentucky Monthly invites queries but accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material; submissions will not be returned.
A. 38
2
© 2017, Vested Interest Publications Volume Twenty, Issue 9, November 2017
A. 8
10. In the University of Kentucky’s eight NCAA basketball championship runs, they’ve beaten two in-state rivals only once to reach the finals. In which year did the feat occur?
C. Milk sickness
Celebrating the best of our Commonwealth
Cumberland River
VOICES VESTED COMMENTS Read “Two Halves Make a Whole” (Vested Interest, June/July issue, page 72) and couldn’t stop the chuckles. Perfect Kentucky story, and I’m confident ’tis true. My travels across the state reassure me that we will never know strangers as long as we smile and introduce ourselves. Thanks for sharing! Bobbie Bryant, Louisville
Steve Vest’s monthly column Vested Interest referenced the removal of a Confederate monument near the UofL campus “because many claimed the symbolism represented by its presence is no longer relevant—a reminder to some of a shameful past” (August issue, page 56). From what I understand, the NAACP is moving to have the Confederate monument at Stone Mountain removed for similar reasons. I submit these actions cannot be allowed to go unprotested. It’s an oversimplification to restate “those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” No matter how offensive and shameful our history may be, it is our history and must not/ should not/cannot be erased. We do so at our peril! The phenomenon of “Political Correctness” is simply censorship! Failure to speak out against such actions because some sensibilities may be offended is tantamount to tacit approval and acceptance. While you will do with this as you please and see fit, I feel this is an important issue and should not—must not go unchallenged. Thank you. Bill Burton, via email I also had a test of my saliva. I turned out to have mostly Northern European heritage but also 2 percent Neanderthal (Vested Interest, September, page 56). A colleague at Eastern Kentucky
Readers Write
University had 4 percent. A few years ago, after reading a great article in National Geographic about Neanderthals who had red hair, I wrote a factitous letter to the magazine claiming that we Neanderthals were biding our time and would one day take over the world, as we should have thousands of years ago but for the supposedly smarter Cro-Magnons. I pointed out that they had made a huge mess of things. I guess an editor did not find it funny. Bill Ellis, Lexington P.S. Three fellow passengers on a cruise recently told me I looked like Eisenhower. This has happened several times before. This one guy kept saluting me and calling me “Mr. President.” Others would look at both of us like we were crazy. As the trip continued, our joke evolved so that I would ask him not to salute me because I was still in the process of resurrection and going to run for president again, and if he was quiet I would ask him to join me as VP. My last VP didn’t turn out so well. Also, Steve Vest bears a striking resemblance to the guy on Svengoolie. LOVE FOR CHAPMAN I loved the story of Kentucky singer Steven Curtis Chapman (September issue, page 34), and have always loved his music! Smiles and blessings, Linda Hawkins, Morgantown
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.
Counties featured in this issue n
This month’s map also includes the artisans featured in the 2017-2018 Kentucky Gift Guide. N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
3
MAG
ON THE
MOVE
Even when you’re far away, you can take the spirit of your Kentucky home with you. And when you do, we want to see it! 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.
Gail Reynolds and Brian Reynolds
Utah Beach, Normandy, France Lexington resident Brian Reynolds accompanied his mother, Gail, to Utah Beach to pay tribute to his grandfather, who landed on the beach in 1944 during World War II.
Ed and Delinda McDermott Key West, Florida
James Darrell Day, CSM, U.S. Army (Ret.) San Antonio, Texas
The McDermotts of Kevil took a break from fishing in Key West Florida to visit Day is pictured at his home in San Antonio. His grandfather, Fort Jefferson National Park in the Dry Hunley F. Dishon, was a native of Tortugas. Lincoln County.
4
K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7
Holly Stone Blair Yorktown, Virginia The Massachusetts State Regent of the National DAR, Blair is shown at the opening of the American Revolution Museum. A native of Madisonville, she now lives in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Christmas Tavern AT THE
EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS!
Franklin-Simpson High School Group Salzburg, Austria Teacher Ali Raymer of Bowling Green led 29 students, parents and adults on a World War II tour of Europe. This was their last stop—at the Eagle’s Nest in Salzburg, Austria, after visiting England, France, Belgium and Germany.
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David and Julie Wier Omaha Beach, Normandy, France
Kat and Bob Sholly Luzerne County, Pennslyvannia
The Wilmore couple had, as Julie put it, “the humbling opportunity to visit the Normandy American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach,” honoring American troops, who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Dressed in Revolutionary War period clothing, the Shollys of Cadiz attended the Battle of Wyoming Commemoration near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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MAG
ON THE
MOVE
CONTINUED
Craig & LeeAnn Brown and David & Sonya Rambo Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
6
Charlotte Whittaker and Tammy Goff Israel
The couples, who live in Cunningham in Carlisle County, cruised Alaska’s Inside Passage aboard the Star Princess, before departing the ship in Whittier. This photo was snapped in front of Margerie Glacier.
Travel pals Charlotte and Tammy of Hartford enjoyed their tour of Israel. They are pictured at a overlook of the city of Old Jerusalem.
Ron and Dianna Walke Antwerp, Belgium
Sue and Mike Wood Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Tom Benninger Rocky Mountains
The Walkes, formerly of Morehead and now living in Elizabethtown, celebrated their 50th anniversary on a European river cruise.
As part of an African Safari, the Frankfort couple were able to interact with the elephants at Wild Horizons Wildlife Sanctuary.
Tom, who lives in Louisville, paused to read Kentucky Monthly while elk hunting in the Rocky Mountains of northern New Mexico.
K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7
BRIEFS
B I R T H DAYS 3 Phil Simms (1954), television sports commentator and former NFL quarterback, born in Lebanon and raised in Louisville 4 Jordan Smith (1993), Harlan-raised winner of The Voice (2015) 6 Kelly Rutherford (1968), Elizabethtown-born actress best known for her roles on Melrose Place and Kelly Rutherford Gossip Girl 8 Calvin Borel (1966), three-time Kentucky Derbywinning jockey 9 Frank Selvy (1932), basketball player known as the “Corbin Comet,” who once scored 100 points in a college game for Furman University 12 Timothy C. Caboni (1970), 10th president of Western Kentucky University 12 Ernie Fletcher (1952), 60th governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, 20032007 15 Fred Cowgill (1957), sportscaster Ernie Fletcher at WLKY-32 in Louisville 16 Troy Seals (1938), Madison County-born singer/songwriter best known for “Lost in the Fifties Tonight” (1986) 20 Sean Young (1959), Louisville-born actress best known for Stripes 21 Steven Curtis Chapman (1962), Paducah-born Grammy Awardwinning Christian musician with 58 Dove Awards 22 Greg Downs (1971), Hyden- and Elizabethtown-raised fiction writer 23 Chris Hardwick (1971), Louisvilleborn comedian best known as the host of The Talking Dead 28 Ben Sollee (1983), Lexington cellist, singer-songwriter and composer 30 Joe B. Hall (1928), basketball coach Chris Hardwick who led the University of Kentucky to the 1978 national championship 30 Robert Kirkman (1978), comic book writer and creator of the AMC series The Walking Dead
Across Kentucky
TOURING BOURBON RUINS
A
year after accidentally unearthing Frankfort’s own “Bourbon Pompeii” while renovating a storage building along the Kentucky River, Buffalo Trace Distillery has partnered with Louisville’s Mint Julep Tours to introduce its new attraction. The Bourbon Rocks & Ruins tour is certain to excite archaeologists, historians and bourbon enthusiasts alike, as it features an intimate, behind-the-scenes exploration of the distillery ruins on the grounds of one of Kentucky’s most prominent national historic Archaeologist Nick Laracuente bourbon landmarks. Before it was Buffalo Trace, it was the O.F.C. Distillery, founded by Col. E.H. Taylor during the late 1800s, and revered during its era for its copper fermentation vats and the invention of the steam-powered heating system still used in Buffalo Trace’s aging warehouses today. The Bourbon Rocks & Ruins tour, at $175 per person, takes place on Nov. 2, departing from Louisville’s Galt House Hotel at 3:45 p.m. and returning at 9:30 p.m. During the tour, guests will be guided through the O.F.C. excavation site by Nick Laracuente, whose research into bourbon and archaeology has led him to uncovering lost and forgotten distilleries throughout the Commonwealth. Tour guests will enjoy tastings of Buffalo Trace bourbons in the Old Taylor House, the oldest structure on the distillery as well as the oldest residential building in Franklin County. Attendees also will enjoy craft cocktails paired with appetizers in the George T. Stagg Gallery, a former warehouse that now serves as the distillery’s visitor center, gallery and gift shop. For each ticket sold, Bourbon Rocks & Ruins will donate $20 to the Woodford County Heritage Committee, to support the preservation of abandoned historical sites, like O.F.C. For more information, visit buffalotracedistillery.com or mintjuleptours.com/ exclusive-experiences. — Cait A. Smith
MAMMOTH RENOVATIONS
T
he Lodge at Mammoth Cave’s new management, Ortega National Parks, has updated the property and its environmental policies since January 2017. Situated in Mammoth Cave National Park in south-central Kentucky, The Lodge now boasts a remodeled restaurant, café and three gift shops. Visitors can indulge in the breakfast buffet served daily at the locally sourced Green River Grill, in addition to the newly embraced “traditional American diner” aesthetic of the Spelunkers Café & Ice Cream Parlor, where guests can enjoy coffee as well as ice cream made with milk from Kentucky dairy cows. New policies have been implemented at the park, with the goal of it becoming more environmentally friendly. LED lighting has been installed to minimize electricity consumption, and certain park lights are turned off at specified times to reduce light pollution. This, as part of the park’s Night Sky Program, also is aimed at providing visitors a better view of the night sky. Plans for other park conservation projects include water preservation, energy reduction, sustainable purchase of onsite products and protection of park resources. Further renovations to the guestrooms and cottages are still underway. Mammoth Cave has been a national park since 1941. Built between the 1930s and the ’90s, many of the park’s lodgings are considered culturally and historically significant. Ortega’s renovations seek to preserve this significance, while continuing to equip more rooms with modern amenities. Renovated cottages at Mammoth Cave National Park
— Cait A. Smith N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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CULTURE
Curiosities
T
he Commonwealth of Kentucky may not have entered the Union until 1792, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have our share of ancient history. Those looking for a small window into the Old World can start by visiting Rawlings/Stinson Park in Clay County for a look at the etched sandstone boulder known as the Red Bird Petroglyph. The what, you ask? Petroglyphs are images made by carving or pecking directly onto a rock surface using something sharp, like a chisel or another stone. In fact, the word “petroglyph” is derived from the Greek words petros, meaning “stone,” and glyphein, meaning “to carve.” They are a form of rock art, a means of artistic expression among preliterate people and a precursor to art as we know it. When the patina, or surface, of the rock is chipped off, the lighter rock underneath is exposed, creating the petroglyph. Petroglyphs are found worldwide, though the highest concentrations are in parts of Africa, Scandinavia, Siberia, southwestern North America and Australia. They are sometimes associated with prehistoric people, and some date back 10,000 years or more. There is an air of mystery surrounding petroglyphs, and many theories have been formulated to explain the purpose of the ancient images and carvings on these stones. Some appear to depict real events, while others seem to be abstract. Were they a way of sharing information? Or were they some integral part of religious rituals or ceremonies? Others seem to be maps or astronomical indicators. No one really knows for sure. While the Red Bird Petroglyph may look like a rock with hatch marks, the now-famous boulder may be more than enough evidence that ancient cultures existed in the Americas—and in Kentucky. They also could indicate that the people who created the petroglyph were able to travel throughout the world—in this case via water—as the Red Bird River is part of an extensive waterway system. The Red Bird Petroglyph features a series of carvings that have been interpreted as inscriptions in at least eight Old World alphabets, languages known to have been extinct when Columbus discovered the New World in 1492. Historians have identified letters from 1st century Greek and Hebrew, Old Libyan, Old Arabic and Iberian-Punic dating from the 9th century B.C. According to the authors 8
K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7
of Rock Art of Kentucky, however, the linear carvings are described as “different from any of the previously reported Kentucky petroglyphs.” Indeed, other examples of rock art and petroglyphs can be found in Kentucky, and they all have shrouded origins. In 2014, Kentucky Educational Television aired a report on the nearby Red Bird River Shelter Petroglyphs, a separate set of carvings on the opposite bank of the river. Some have attributed these carvings to the Native American populations that inhabited Kentucky for thousands of years. According to the KET report: “The site has long been connected to Native Americans and with the Cherokee Chief Red Bird, who gave his name to the nearby river. Kenneth B. Tankersley, an archaeologist at the University of Cincinnati and himself a member of the Cherokee nation, found 15 characters from the Cherokee language carved into the sandstone along with a date of 1808 or 1818—making them the earliest known example of the Cherokee script.” Tankersley believes the carvings could have been done by Cherokee silversmith George Gist— better known as Sequoyah—who is hailed as a folk hero for inventing the first Native American system of writing in North America. Still, no one is absolutely certain of the Red Bird Petroglyph’s beginnings, but how the 50-ton stone ended up at Rawlings/Stinson Park is a pretty popular tale. On Dec. 7, 1994, the stone fell from its sandstone cliff and rolled right into the middle of Kentucky Route 66. Two days later, it was transported to its new location and given a roof-and-fence shelter from the elements. The Red Bird Petroglyph is among the only such rocks to be given such official protection by the city and county. “It’s been placed at Rawlings/Stinson Park, which is easily accessed, and it’s just a wonderful display and really fascinating,” says Amy Dunzweiler, Manchester tourism commissioner. She adds that discussions are underway to find new ways to continue protecting the boulder and highlighting its historical significance: “We’re looking into new road construction and additional covering to better showcase the petroglyph.” — Cynthia Grisolia
Illustrations by Annette Cable
CULTURE
Music
Singing What He Believes
J
amie Dailey, half of the bluegrass and Americana music duo Vincent and Dailey, is another proud addition to the list of musicians who hail from Kentucky—but just barely. Dailey said his father was on a business trip and his pregnant wife tagged along. “I was born in Corbin. I lived in Kentucky for two days,” Dailey said. Although he grew up in Tennessee, Kentucky definitely had its influence on Dailey. He cites fellow Kentuckians the Osborne Brothers and Ricky Skaggs as big influences on his musical development as well as Kentucky’s homegrown music, bluegrass. Dailey now plays in one of the most famous bluegrass bands, and Vincent and Dailey have three Grammys to their credit, along with 35 International Bluegrass Music Association Awards. The biggest influence on Dailey, though, was his father. “He played music. He still does,” Dailey said. The elder Dailey’s band was called the 4Js, and bluegrass was a staple for them. “I traveled with them when I was little. That’s how I got started.” As Dailey grew up, he branched out beyond his father’s band. “In 1999, I played in different local bands and regional bands,” he said. It turns out that 1999 was a pivotal year for the musician because that’s also the year he started playing for the legendary bluegrass band Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. “I played with [Lawson] for nine years,” Dailey said. It turns out that Kentucky again came to play an important role in Dailey’s life. He attended the IBMA conference in Louisville in 2001. “That’s where I met Darrin Vincent for the first time,” Dailey said. The two hit it off right away and sang background together for Dolly Parton on a Christmas CD that Vincent was producing. They sang “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem” with her, and they clicked so well, they were offered a record deal. Vincent and Dailey took off and have never looked back. They did a well-respected cover album of Statler Brothers songs, a work that Dailey holds dear. He and Vincent were able to meet the band and develop a Jamie Dailey, left, and Darrin Vincent friendship. “We get to hang out with the Statler Brothers. They sit and tell stories and eat cake,” he said. That’s a dream that his music career brought to reality. Another dream was realized when Vincent and Dailey played the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville for the first time in December 2009. “We never thought we’d be inducted as members,” he said, although that did happen in March 2017. It’s a memory Dailey cherishes. The duo spends much of the year on the road, but Dailey has lived in Nashville for the past 15 years. He and Vincent have their own TV show, now in its second year, that airs on RFD-TV. Filmed in Franklin, Tennessee, the show, according to Dailey, is “a lot of work, but it’s a lot of fun … It’s on every Saturday night. We have guests, and we do a bunch of singing. We’ve had Vince Gill and about everyone on you can think of.” Even though he’s gained a level of fame few bluegrass musicians can ever reach, Dailey keeps a level head. “I still call my parents every night in Gainesboro,” he said. He writes songs about small towns because that’s what he knows. Vincent and Dailey also are known for their gospel albums, which help reinforce his faith. “We’re not perfect by any means,” Dailey said. “People think because you sing a gospel song, you’re a minister. I’m actually not a minister; I’m singing what I believe in. I’m like a beggar telling other beggars where the food is.” Even though success came quickly for the duo, Dailey does not take it for granted. “We’ve been blessed to make a good living doing this,” he said.
BURLEY TEMPLE INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 oz. Kentucky Bourbon 4 oz. Ale-8-One Grenadine Maraschino Cherry P R E PA R AT I O N
Fill rocks glass with ice. Pour bourbon into glass Followed by a splash of grenadine and Ale-8-One. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
DRINK
— Laura Younkin
C L I C K H E R E F O R D E TA I L S
FOOD
Cooking
A SEASON OF
TRADITIONS 10
Photos by Jesse Hendrix-Inman. Recipes provided by Janine Washle of CloverFields Farm and prepared at Sullivan University by Ann Currie. K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • M AY 2 0 1 6
W
Janine Washle
hat many Americans consider a traditional Thanksgiving meal features seasonal dishes made from ingredients indigenous to the New World. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkins and even the iconic centerpiece, the turkey, all are found in the Americas; however, most of what we consider must-haves did not appear at the first Thanksgiving feast in 1621. It was a matter of centuries of mealtime evolution before the typical Thanksgiving menu came to be. Foremost of these defining dishes is the noble American bird: turkey. Complemented by the trimmings of gravy and cranberry sauce, the roast turkey is the star of the dining table. In supporting roles are whipped potatoes, sweet potatoes or yams—with or without the toasted marshmallow topping—dressing or stuffing, corn pudding, spoonbread, yeast rolls and pumpkin pie. Families might serve only these dishes and be perfectly content to call it a traditional Thanksgiving. Of course, there are certain regional regulars on the Thanksgiving table. Two in the Commonwealth are corn pudding and Kentucky jam cake. My family came to the United States from Germany, and Mom had no idea what a Thanksgiving meal looked like. Back then—the early 1970s—Thanksgiving dinner was strictly for family and maybe a few close friends. We had no family and no close friends at that time who would have felt comfortable inviting foreigners into their home, but Mom was determined to assimilate us into American culture. She had grown up with European harvest celebrations and had read about the dishes that made up Thanksgiving meals. Being the great cook that she is, she devised her own menu—a perfectly simple Thanksgiving meal that echoed our past and attempted to create our present here in the U.S. Our Thanksgiving feast year after year consisted of a roast turkey and giblet gravy, but no stuffing because the idea of shoving a wet mass of bread into the turkey scared Mom with thoughts of food poisoning. She has since gotten over that and makes a mean dressing. Our family menu also featured mashed potatoes and yams with gooey marshmallows for her children, even though the mere sight of all that sugar made her shudder. One side dish we must have even now, exactly as Mom made it, is cranberry sauce (we grew up calling it “sauce,” but it’s really a relish). Mom ground up a bag of fresh cranberries, and then ground a navel orange, peel and all. She added sugar, just to slightly sweeten the mixture, and a box of black raspberry Jell-O. The dish made a tart accompaniment to the rest of the menu of French-cut green beans and buttery corn on the cob. Because Mom didn’t grow up with dinner rolls, or any type of dinner bread, we never had homemade bread. Sometimes, she would buy a package of ready-to-bake butterflake dinner rolls that, to this day, I can pick out just by the buttery, warm aroma. Dessert was Black Forest cherry cake and a pumpkin pie—not because Mom liked pumpkin but because it was American, and she wanted her children to get accustomed to this Thanksgiving staple. This simple menu to this day spells Thanksgiving for my family. We have added special touches to make it our own, but at the core, we are satisfied with these edible memories. The following recipes are traditional and simply perfect to start your own Thanksgiving memories or add to an existing menu. Happy Thanksgiving!
— Janine Washle N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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FOOD
Cooking
Traditional Roast Turkey 1 14-pound turkey, thawed, giblets removed Salt and pepper Butcher’s twine 2½ feet double-layer cheesecloth 2 cups warm water Basting mixture: 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup Riesling, chicken broth or water 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 1/16 teaspoon turmeric
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Position rack on lowest setting in oven. This prevents the cheesecloth from getting too close to the top element. 2. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter, Riesling, paprika and turmeric until the butter is melted and the mixture starts to simmer. Remove from heat, but keep warm so the butter doesn’t solidify. 3. Prepare the turkey by sprinkling salt and pepper inside the cavity and all over the outside of the bird to season it. Don’t be heavy handed. 4. Place the turkey on a roasting rack set in the roasting pan. Bend back the wings toward the back of the turkey. Using a piece of butcher’s twine, tie the legs together. Don’t try any fancy trussing—just a few times around each drumstick end in a figure eight, and make a couple of sturdy knots. Trim off excess twine. 5. Dip the cheesecloth into the basting mixture. Wring out a bit so the cloth is wet but not dripping. Arrange the double thickness of cheesecloth over the turkey breast like a bib, smoothing out any wrinkles. Extend 12
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the cheesecloth over the legs, and tuck any excess cloth around the sides of the turkey. Pour water into bottom of roasting pan. This helps provide a moist environment. 6. Roast in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Then pull out the rack and, using a bulb baster or small ladle, moisten the cheesecloth with the basting mixture. Push the rack back in and turn down the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Roast 15 minutes per pound, about 3½ hours to 3 hours and 45 minutes for a 14-pound turkey. The internal temperature should be 160 degrees when a meat thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. 7. Liberally baste the cheesecloth a couple times an hour while roasting. Once the basting mixture is gone, baste with the pan drippings. 8. When the turkey is done, remove from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 10-20 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to move back into the center of the turkey. 9. To remove the cheesecloth, moisten all over with the pan drippings if it has dried out. Carefully working from the top, pull down to remove the cheesecloth. If it sticks at any time, moisten it with drippings and wait a minute before pulling. Take care to prevent the skin from tearing. Discard the cheesecloth. Use the pan drippings for gravy. 10. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. Reheat slices in warm broth to retain juiciness. TIP: If the turkey has a pop-up thermometer, wiggle it out and discard it. Those thermometers are notoriously incorrect, and the primary reason most turkeys are overcooked.
Old-Fashioned Sage Dressing 4 large eggs ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon rubbed sage ½ teaspoon dried thyme 3-4 cups chicken broth, divided 2 cups sliced celery and celery leaves 1½ cups diced onions 1 cup cooked, chopped turkey giblets, or cooked and crumbled mild sausage, optional ½ cup shredded carrots 14 cups crustless, diced (1-inch), good quality, day-old white bread*, toasted
center is set. The center temperature must reach 165 degrees to ensure doneness, since eggs were used. 5. Serve warm. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. * Buy bakery bread or make homemade bread. Grocery sandwich bread is too soft. TIP: Do not use whole-wheat bread. A neutral white bread lets the flavors shine through. Also do not use stale bread. Day-old bread is more firm and makes cutting easier than fresh bread. Stale bread has converted all sugars to starch and tastes dull.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9-inch casserole dish. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs. Add salt, pepper, sage and thyme. Stir in 2 cups of broth, celery, onions, giblets, if using, and carrots. Mix in bread cubes in a couple of additions. 3. Add another cup of broth; stir mixture several times to combine; allow bread cubes to absorb the liquid. If the mixture seems dry, add the remaining broth. Dressing should be wet, but not soupy. 4. Spoon dressing into casserole dish and smooth the top. Bake for 1½ hours to 1 hour, 40 minutes or until the
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FOOD
Cooking
Shoepeg Corn Spoonbread 1 cup self-rising cornmeal mix 1¼ cups boiling water 1 cup frozen shoepeg corn (small white corn) 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk ½ teaspoon salt 3 large eggs 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a deep, 2-quart casserole dish or a 12-inch, deep-dish pie plate. 2. Place the cornmeal mix in a large bowl. Add boiling water, shoepeg corn and butter. Stir to moisten cornmeal mix and until butter is melted. Stir in buttermilk and salt. 3. Separate the eggs into two bowls. Beat the egg whites with a hand-held mixer to soft-peak stage (peaks will bend over). Using the same beaters, beat yolks until light in color. Stir the yolks into the cornmeal mixture, and then gently fold in the egg whites. It’s all right if a few small white clumps remain. 4. Bake 45-50 minutes or until the center is slightly puffed, with possibly a couple of cracks, and the top is a rich golden brown. 5. Remove from oven and set on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before serving. This allows the delicate custard layer to fully set.
6. Serve warm. It’s best served the day it is made, as it is difficult to successfully reheat spoonbread. NOTE: Spoonbread is more savory than corn pudding, which is sweetened with anywhere from a little bit of sugar up to a ¼ cup of sugar! Plus, spoonbread has a light texture due to the beaten egg whites. It also separates into layers of moist cornbread at the bottom, buttermilk custard in the center, and the laciest crisp top to crown it, making it the most delicate cornbread ever.
Creamed Pearl Onions 2 pounds fresh white pearl onions (can use yellow pearl onions instead) ¼ cup unsalted butter ¼ cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup chicken broth or water 1 cup heavy cream Topping: 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves or fresh minced parsley ¼ cup melted unsalted butter
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside an ungreased 1-quart baking dish. 2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the pearl onions and blanch for 5 minutes. Quickly remove them from the hot water; shock them by dropping in cold water until the onions can be handled. Using a small paring knife, trim off the root end, trim the brown top tip and pull off the papery outer skin. It is easier if you peel off the first tender skin directly under the outer skin. Many times, this layer has started to dry out and can be somewhat tough to chew. 3. Once all of the pearl onions have been prepped, set them aside while making the sauce. 4. In a large sauté pan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour. Allow to cook for 3-5 minutes to remove the starchy taste from the flour. Stir in the salt. Gradually whisk in the broth, followed by heavy cream. Add the onions to the cream sauce and pour into the baking dish. 5. Prepare the topping by stirring together the breadcrumbs, thyme (or parsley) and melted butter until the crumbs are evenly coated with butter. Sprinkle topping over the onions. Cover the dish with foil. 6. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until cream sauce is bubbling around the edges and crumbs have browned. Serve hot. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container.
Pumpkin Butter Pie 2 cups pumpkin butter (found in the grocery with jams and jellies) 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Âź teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, optional (good if pumpkin butter is not spicy enough) Âź teaspoon salt 1 9-inch prepared piecrust, unbaked 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 2. Whisk together the pumpkin butter, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Pour the filling into the piecrust. Set the pie on a baking sheet. 3. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake an additional 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the edge of the crust comes out clean. The center may still be slightly jiggly. 4. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Transfer to the refrigerator after 15 minutes for faster chilling. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. NOTE: Pumpkin butter can be found at many grocery stores, farm stands and even travel stops along the interstates. Any fruit butter can be substituted for the pumpkin butter, such as apple butter, sweet potato butter or even peach butter.
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tiny WONDERS
Louisville museum boasts one of the world’s largest collections of historic miniatures
Photos By Wales Hunter Story By Deborah Kohl Kremer
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A
t the Frazier History Museum in Louisville, “miniature” refers only to the size of the soldier, certainly not the size of the collection. The museum is home to The Stewart Toy Soldier Gallery: 20,000 little men—and a few women—most of them soldiers, with a sprinkling of civilians. The exhibit represents toys made by 125 producers from 80 countries—highlighting a few of them in detail. These diminutive delights span the years 1770 to the 1950s. “This is undoubtedly the most important collection of its kind in North America,” said Penny Peavler, president and CEO of the Frazier History Museum. “It is a worldclass collection.” So how did the Frazier come to amass such a collection? From a collector, of course—Charles Stewart of Frankfort. Co-owner and administrator of the Stewart Home & School, Stewart began collecting as a child. The Stewart Home & School is a residential and educational community in Franklin County for people with intellectual disabilities. For five generations—about 125 years—the Stewart family has fulfilled their mission to meet the needs of these individuals. The 850-acre campus served as the Kentucky Military Institute in pre-Civil War years. Stewart credits growing up in a setting with such roots for his love of history and military items. He said he had a larger-than-average collection of G.I. Joes and other plastic figures as a kid, somewhere in the 300-500 range, but he did not consider himself a toy soldier collector until after graduating from Centre College in Danville. Stewart began collecting first-rate and rare items, and got hooked on the history and artistry of each piece, amassing tens of thousands of the figurines. “But as the collection grew, it took over the house, the garage, the attic,” Stewart said. “I thought about selling it at auction in 2009, but several people recommended that we talk to the Frazier Museum.” It was a perfect fit. The administrators of the museum say the Frazier is where the world meets Kentucky, and their goal is to bring history to life. Nothing depicts a battle scene or a vignette from the past quite like a display in miniatures.
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Collecting miniatures is certainly not new. Peavler said people have been collecting for millennia, with evidence that miniature military figures were toys in ancient Egypt. She said famous collectors include Winston Churchill, H.G. Wells and George R.R. Martin, whose series of novels A Song of Fire and Ice was adapted into the popular HBO series Game of Thrones. The collection is housed throughout the museum in backlit cases so visitors can see the details of the figures. Some are displayed lower, at a good height for young viewers. Not everything from the collection is in a case. The Frazier has created a playscape in the center of the gallery, where kids can get their hands on toy soldiers and set up forts and scenes with rivers and rocky landscapes. “The toy soldier collector of the future can establish that connection here at the Frazier today,” Peavler said. The Frazier bills the collection as rare, unique and important, which is how it was classified by Norman Joplin, author and historic miniatures expert. It includes soldiers made of lead, hollow cast, composition, paper, wood and plastic. They were produced by every major toy soldier manufacturer in the world.
“In some cases, the pieces we have are the only known example of that maker’s work that exists today,” Peavler said. One of the oldest pieces in the collection is by a German toymaker and dates back to the 1770s. It depicts a Boston regiment of the British Army. “These are soldiers who fought in the Boston Massacre, prior to the Revolutionary War, but it had not happened yet,” she said, referring to the time period in which the miniatures were made. “It is astounding to think about contemporary toys being made about events that were current.” Peavler’s favorite display is a diorama called Camp Kentucky, which depicts a Civil War regiment, complete with tents that open and close. She said the exhibit is interesting to many, whether they are collectors, history buffs, kids or people with just a passing interest. “Each piece is a miniature work of art,” Peavler said. Charles Stewart agreed. “It is a comprehensive encyclopedic history collection,” he said. “It has extraordinary diversity and many famous rarities.” Q N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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More Minis Love peeking into the miniature world? Kentucky is fortunate to have two other fascinating collections, housed in The Great American Dollhouse Museum in Danville and Maysville’s Kentucky Gateway Museum. At The Dollhouse Museum, visitors can view more than 200 intricately furnished dollhouses and miniature buildings. The museum is separated into three themed displays: American history; a town as it looked around 1910; and a playful fantasyland with elves and fairies. The Kathleen Savage Browning Miniatures Collection at the Kentucky Gateway Museum exhibits thousands of 1/12-scale miniatures in exquisite mansions, homes, room boxes and vignettes.
If You Go: Frazier History Museum 829 West Main Street, Louisville (502) 753-5663 fraziermuseum.org The Great American Dollhouse Museum 344 Swope Drive, Danville (859) 236-1883, thedollhousemuseum.com Kentucky Gateway Museum Center 215 Sutton Street, Maysville (606) 564-5865, kygmc.org
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Also at the Frazier … Kentucky native and photographer Linda Bruckheimer has a passion for capturing the authenticity of everyday life, along with the stunning scenery of her home state. Her exhibit, Family Gathering: Linda Bruckheimer’s Kentucky, will be on view at the Frazier History Musuem through Jan. 12. Bruckheimer, who grew up in Louisville, divides her time between Los Angeles and the Nelson County farm she owns with her husband, film and television producer, Jerry Bruckheimer. Linda is a novelist, photographer, film producer and preservationist, as well as a photographer who finds inspiration in the Bluegrass State. “There is no location as textured, or full of surprises, as ordinary life in Kentucky,” she says. Another Frazier exhibit, Hope and Healing: Celebrating 125 Years of Norton Children’s Hospital, explores the rich history of the Louisville hospital. Visitors will discover the key role Norton’s Children Hospital played in the Great Flood of 1937, the Carrollton bus crash of 1988, The Great Depression, World War II and the polio epidemic. In this interactive exhibit, guests can experience what it’s like to ride in an ambulance, explore a 3-D heart and more. It will be on display through Feb. 4.
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A CENTURY
OF MARINES For the Campbells of Dayton, serving as “The Few, The Proud” is part of their heritage By Jackie Hollenkamp Bentley 22
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“From the Halls of Montezuma To the shores of Tripoli; We fight our country’s battles In the air, on land, and sea.”
J
ust the first few notes of the Marines’ Hymn would bring Selma Campbell to her feet, no matter where she was. She likely had more reason than most other women in the United States to stand in honor of that military branch. Selma was married to a Marine and raised sons who eventually became Marines.
“First to fight for right and freedom And to keep our honor clean; We are proud to claim the title Of United States Marine.” The first of the Campbell men, Albert, enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 1917. He married Selma, then just 16, one month later. Two weeks after that, he shipped off for France to fight in World War I. In the decades that followed, Selma said similar goodbyes to six of her seven sons, and even several grandsons. The descendants of Albert Campbell Sr. had big shoes to fill. A 1939 letter from the U.S. Marine Corps stated that he was discharged with “character ‘Excellent’ ” in 1919. During his two-year span of service, Campbell fought in several battles and was decorated multiple times.
“Our flag’s unfurled to every breeze From dawn to setting sun; We have fought in ev’ry clime and place Where we could take a gun.” One of those medals was a Silver Star for “gallantry in action” while serving with the 80th Company, Sixth
Regiment at Chateau-Thierry in France. For that gallantry, France awarded Campbell and fellow soldiers the Croix de Guerre—Cross of War—its highest honor. He is also mentioned in Dick Camp’s book, The Devil Dogs at Belleau Wood: U.S. Marines in World War I. Albert and Selma’s grandson, Jeff Campbell, said those medals are a source of pride for the entire family. “One of my uncles had all of [his] medals put in a plaque and sent it around for people to hold on to for a couple of weeks,” Jeff said. “I looked at the medals and was like, ‘Oh, my God!’ He had gotten a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, the Purple Heart … He had all kinds of stuff that I never knew he had.” When Albert Campbell was discharged, he returned to his wife and to Dayton, where they raised 10 kids—seven boys and three girls.
“In the snow of far-off Northern lands And in sunny tropic scenes, You will find us always on the job The United States Marines.” Albert and Selma’s eldest son, Edward, was the first to follow in Albert’s footsteps. He enlisted in June 1943 to fight in World War II. Brother Chester followed suit four months later. Albert Campbell Jr. signed up two years after that in August 1945, followed by Richard Lee, known as Mike, who joined in January 1946. Ronald Campbell entered the Marine Corps in September 1952, serving three tours in Vietnam. Like his father, Ronald was awarded a Silver Star and two Purple Hearts. James, the youngest of the Campbell boys, signed up in April 1957.
Opposite: left, Lt. Col. Ronald Campbell shakes hands with Maj. Gen. Al Gray at Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia, circa 1978; right, Jeff Campbell, Ronald’s son, in dress blues in 1989. [Photos courtesy of Jeff Campbell] N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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Above, the OCS Class, summer 1979; left, Lt. Col. Ronald Campbell in dress whites, circa 1978.
A seventh son, Lucerne Howard Campbell, had signed up for the Marines soon after graduating high school in 1954. But fate had other plans. “He wanted to enlist right away, and Father said, ‘No, wait until September and enjoy your summer,’ ” James Campbell said. Albert Jr. said Lucerne had been accepted to the Marine Corps but not sworn in. “While he was waiting to go to boot camp, [Lucerne] had a swimming accident, which paralyzed him from the neck down, and he died six weeks later,” James said. “Otherwise, there would have been seven sons that served in the Corps. But as it was, there were six.” Even the Campbell sisters donned uniforms of service, but in a different capacity. “The three girls, at one time, were all Girl Scout leaders, and we all had uniforms,” said Evelyn Kiefer, the baby of the family. “I told them we should go and get a picture made of us because Mom had all these pictures of 24
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[Dad and my brothers] hanging on the wall. My middle sister was willing to do it. My oldest said, ‘I’m not doing it. That’s just showing off.’ ” Evelyn said they never had the photograph taken, but she knew that her parents had pride in all of their children. “[Mom] loved us, and my dad couldn’t have been more loving,” Evelyn said. “She was proud of her family, and they were good parents.” Albert Sr. passed away in 1961, and Selma died in 1988. She had written on the back of her will that she wanted her family to get together each year for a reunion. Four of her children are still alive—Evelyn, Edward, Albert Jr. and James—and they continue to fulfill their mother’s last wish every year. “We’re close still, and I think that’s a miracle,” Evelyn said. At these annual reunions, invariably, the military and family history are among the main topics of discussion. “We all tell Marine Corps stories, so I think in some way, shape or form, I was going to go in for a couple of
years,” said Jeff Campbell, the son of Ronald. The younger Campbell served in the Marines between 1980 and 1984 before devoting 10 years to the Reserves. Like his father and uncles, Jeff felt that enlisting in the Marines was just something he had to do and didn’t think twice about it. “All by choice, because there was a war going on,” Albert Jr. said. “With Ed, Chester and myself, World War II was going on. Then with me and Mike and Ron, the Korean War was going on.” James gives a different, albeit just as important, reason for signing up in 1957, while still a junior in high school. “Why did I join? I didn’t feel I had a choice, whether I wanted to or not,” he said. “I learned how to sing the Marine Corps hymn before I could sing ‘Happy Birthday.’ ”
that’s to just get it done. Find whatever it takes to get it done and just do it, and you’re way better off.” Albert Jr. said the Marine Corps also teaches soldiers how to deal with others. “You learn to be patient. You learn to be tolerant. You learn to get along well with other people,” he said. “You learn to take things in life for what they actually are. You can’t rule the rooster; the rooster rules you, but you just have to be tolerant. Treat everyone like your equal.”
“Here’s health to you and to our Corps Which we are proud to serve; In many a strife we’ve fought for life And never lost our nerve.”
While four of the six sons of Selma and Albert Campbell Sr. who served in the Marines returned to civilian life after their commitment expired, two brothers—Albert Jr. and Ronald—devoted their careers to the Marines, and both retired as lieutenant colonels. It has never been confirmed, but members of Selma Campbell’s family believe their matriarch may have the distinction of being the only mother with six sons having served in the Marine Corps. For James and his brothers, it’s a badge of honor. “Serving our country has been part of our family legacy,” he said. “And I’m very proud of it.” Q
James is the only son who never saw battle, but he learned just as much from Marine Corps life as did his brothers.“The main thing is there’s a right way, a wrong way and there’s a Marine Corps way,” he said. “If you want to get it done, do it the Marine Corps way, and
“If the Army and the Navy Ever look on Heaven’s scenes, They will find the streets are guarded By United States Marines.”
Higher Purpose Higher Education Serving those who Serve
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“
“ A soldier’s World War I letters from Camp Taylor By Sandra Olivetti Martin
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Hello: am liking this life fine—now write for it helps us soldiers in our new work. A.L.D. October 18, 1917 From Camp Zachary Taylor, Louisville A.L. Dixon to Miss Cora Smith Batchtown, Ill Cal. co
The War to End All Wars had raged for three years when the United States entered the conflict on April 6, 1917. Immediately, the war effort went into overdrive. Registration of fighting-age men began June 5 with the draft, eventually making soldiers of 2.8 million men. A.L. Dixon’s turn came on Oct. 4. By the summer of 1918, 10,000 Americans shipped out each day to fight in France. Dixon, also known as Dix, never got the anticipated call. He served his country in Camp Taylor, Kentucky, supporting the waves of new soldiers training for the trenches. The war that debuted aerial bombing and poison gas was, in other ways, an old-fashioned war, dependent on the hauling force of millions of horses and mules. At Camp Taylor, 29-year-old Dix was, as he put it, “boss” of 22 of those mules, plus “30 men & 25 wagons.” His was an easy war, except for the enemy of loneliness. December 13, 1917 Dear Friend: When you want to know how good home made candy tastes, why just join the army for the candy was sure good, a sergt here stoled some of it and when I bawled him for it he said that I should be satisfied to know a girl that could make good candy.
Calhoun County, Dix’s Illinois home, was a little country place marooned between big rivers, with the Illinois to the east running down to the Mississippi just before the Missouri caught up. Of the best count of 323 Calhoun men drafted, many—Dix among them—were sent to Camp Taylor, built to receive Illinois boys like them, plus Kentuckians and Indianans, according to Ken Maguire, founder and curator of the Camp Zachary Taylor Historical Society. For Kentucky, Camp Taylor was an economic engine suddenly revving in farmlands just outside of Louisville. It brought thousands of wartime dollars to a city of 235,000. A total of 150,000 trained there, many on their way to fight the Hun in France. Others stayed to keep the camp running, with the working help of more than 10,000 horses and mules. In the rising war city, Dix found himself in his element. I am making good here nowdays and I am acting Sergt’ seems with good luck I will have my stripe some day but don’t tell this for one is never sure of a thing here and I may get fooled, he wrote three months into his war on Dec. 13, 1917. I have had charge of the QMC wagon train for over three weeks … and you should see my head swell when I line these men up and yell ‘tention’ squadron right boys march, am such a bear on that & they can hear me all over the camp. Dix’s only complaint was the weather. When anyone trys to tell you that Ky is a warm state you tell em that its all wrong for we have about one foot of snow here and some cold. For all his jaunty tone, the young man knew he was caught in a life-stakes game. Me thinks we will soon see France and I hope so, just to get this over with. I have taken out $5000 insurance and Mother may find herself rich some day soon … For Dix, as for so many soldiers, letters from home were lifelines in a sea of homesickness and uncertainty. Between October 1917 and April 1919, Dix’s pen pal was Miss Cora Smith.
Pages of a letter and the corresponding envelope to Cora Smith from A.L. Dixon, aka Dix; opposite, portraits of Cora and Dix, respectively. N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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Dix and Cora “Friend Cora” was 37 when their World War I correspondence began; Dix was 28. They’d met a decade earlier when she was teaching and boarding in his hometown, Hardin, the Calhoun County seat. Perhaps she was his teacher. Perhaps she had seen his schoolwork at a shared kitchen table. I know you have a hard time making out my writing and you know how hard I worked in school, gee—but we never thot them days that all of this war would spring up and get some of us shot. Dix is playing the schoolboy to Miss Cora’s marm. His handwriting is clear, sometimes even lovely, and his grammar not half bad—though he has little use for punctuation and refuses the second o in too. His thoughts pour from his pen as he describes his experiences in regular letters that hop from teasing to reflecting on life and death. Dix’s 12 surviving letters from Camp Taylor amount to 6,000 words. Most of his letters fully fill four pages, often back and front. Many were written on YMCA stationery, advising wartime thrift at the bottom of every page: TO THE WRITER: – save by writing on both sides of this paper TO THE FOLKS AT HOME: – save food, buy liberty bonds and war savings stamps The never-married schoolteacher Miss Cora kept Dix’s letters, along with hundreds of other letters, postcards and greeting cards she received over 70 years. She was my
A postcard from Dix to Cora sent from Camp Taylor.
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grandmother’s first cousin. The letters are part of her legacy to me. • • •
Their relationship is … well, that’s a good question. Miss Cora clearly has top billing. But in his aspiring manhood, Dix is climbing up. Some how I have been afraid of you ever since you called me a 2 face and laughed at me when I took that hard fall at the barn gate remember how you laughed at me? he writes in his first letter. By January, he’s gaining confidence. Friend Cora– Darned if I am going to call you Miss any more for I am learning to save nowadays, I suppose you would make me stand on the floor for doing this but if you just have to be called Miss why say so for I am in the habit of doing just as I am told these days. As their relationship finds new footing, Dix tucks tales of escapades and girls into his long letters. I am going in town Sunday to meet a girl and I am most afraid to for I wont know how to act so pray for me ha ha Often he signs himself Mike, scratched in rough printing as if his left-handed alter ego had taken the pen. But beneath the bravado, Dix is a lonely boy, and Friend Cora is his confidant. Last Sunday, he wrote in a letter dated March 10, 1918, was my birthday (29 yrs), say but I’m getting old, there never will be a chance for me when I get out of this army but its best to get old for one learns lots and time flys here. I know you are sick of all this junk. But I have to bother some one and it may as well be you And please write again soon and tell me all the news; we’re going to
Panoramic shot of Camp Taylor in Louisville, circa 1918.
have a swell camp hotel here for visitors and you had better come and see us poor fish.
Life at Camp Taylor Camp Taylor was a fast-growing, testosterone-stoked town. The first draft recruited young men, 21 to 31. And there was gambling. A big crap game is going on and those boys should be at church or somewhere, Dix wrote on March 10, 1918. There was, as would be expected, rough talk and foul language, hard enough that it got under Dix’s skin. No we don’t go to the guard house for all our meanness, they just bawl us out till the guard house would look like a palace to us, for some of these birds here can think of some mean things to say, and about things that make one want to cuss why I can’t tell you. Many of Camp Taylor’s soldiers were country boys like Dix … but not all. In this barracks we have lawyers—Drs—artist—school supts— and most any kind of trade but all are soldiers now, he wrote on Dec. 13, 1917. In that same letter, he recognized their diversity and skill: We hear better singing here than at a show. Plays were regular fare and a lure he hoped would bring Friend Cora to visit. Come down and I will take you to a show at our new theater its some play house and will seat 4000 of us boys and we have the best of shows here. Theater brightened the days of young men snatched from their walks of life, possibly from life itself. They have been giving us some good shows and I try to see them all, he wrote. Movies also played at the camp and, in the case of D.W. Griffith’s propaganda movie, Hearts of the World, played on the soldiers’ emotions. I saw it last night and it was great of course I had to be a boob and bawl but one cant help it, if you ever get the chance be sure and see this play for its real war—it takes three hours to play it but don’t seem that long. Dix was so starstruck that in the summer of 1918 he took a part-time theater job. I worked at our camp theater about a week, I helpt on the curtains, they were playing a Bit of Broadway, those were good girls but to blame careless about their dress they (or one) almost caused me to fall off a ladder so I quit the job, it paid 50c a night to but to much risk. About girls, Dix was of two minds—at least when writing to Friend Cora. Actresses so frightened him that he had to flee. Kentucky girls were too fashionable for his budget.
If those French girls dress any worse than these Ky girls do, why I sure want to marry one of them for it wont cost me much to buy their duds. Nurses were distracting and (was he sizing up their wifely potential?) not very good cooks. Two nurses sat near me and that is why the show seemed better some of these nurses are real dolls, but they dont go with no one except a com’ officer, but the privates sneak out with them quite often, I don’t fool with them for I am sore at them I bumed a lunch from them while making them a tennis court and I am sure that nurse knows how horrible drugs for that sandwitch she gave me almost caused my death. Kidding aside, girls’ home cooking was one of the wartime comforts for the boys. We are about to have a party here at the Y … the girls said they would bring ice-cream & cake so they will find me here waiting for the eats, he wrote on July 17, 1918. In a nation mobilized in support of the war effort, the YMCA was one of many charities helping the “boys,” as Dix styled the soldiers. At training centers like Camp Taylor, the Y was home away from home for the soldiers. As well as supplying letter paper, it became Party Central, drawing Kentucky girls to keep the soldiers company. From every source, sweets were well received. Thank you for the cake, he wrote Friend Cora. It was all in good shape when it landed here, and I never tasted angel-food cake that was a good as that. Not always so well received were the socks hand-knit for the soldiers. It’s good of your Mother to knit all those socks for us boys, would like to see them that you made but wont say that I would want to wear them for we have some of them here that wont’ fit any one or any thing. Gifts of all sorts brought comfort from home to men whose fate was out of their hands. The first Christmas of the War, Dix wrote, found the most of us broke here but we all got gifts of some kind from the Red Cross—my old Arkansas sweetheart sent me a dandy air-filled pillow made of rubber and silk and it sure came in nice—for the pillow I was making use of was made out of two suits of heavy under wear rolled up in the side of my shirt arm—and it was a good way to use this under wear for its wool and I would rather fall against a barb-wire fence than to put it on.
Three Time Lucky Camp Taylor’s distance from German firepower did not protect it from all the ills of war. By spring of 1918, the city had swelled to its capacity of 47,500, mixing men from distant places. Disease liked those conditions. First came spinal meningitis. N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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I have lots of time to write you now as the whole works is under a quarantine, Dix wrote on April 18. Now don’t be afraid of this letter for there are no danger or germs. Next came influenza, which would travel around the world, even above the Arctic Circle, and prove more deadly than the war. The flu was sure bad here and some few of our boys “kicked off” I had it two days & felt punk, was so darn sick could hardly stick in the saddle, he wrote on Nov. 4. Flu took about 1,000 lives at Camp Taylor, historian Ken Maguire estimates. Dix’s luck held. The flu failed to land me this time so you and others will still have to keep on sending letters to Camp Taylor and trust the Huns to get me when I go across, he wrote. About that seeming inevitability, Dix couldn’t manage a joke. There are lots of the over sea boys here in camp all wounded and all quartered at the base hospital, they most make me bawl every time I see them for some are in bad shape and one can see just what war means, he wrote on the eve of 1919.
walk that path thru the woods to the Metz home, them days I was young & tender me thinks Amy would see a great change in the old boy now. On a six-day furlough near the war’s end, Dix had the bestest time with his brothers, but no luck with the girl on his mind. I tried to talk her in the notion of returning to Louisville with me & be Mrs. Dixon, but, he wrote Friend Cora, she thot it best to stay with Dad where she was sure of her three squares a day. By April 4, 1919—just 18 months [since] my last night as a civie— Dix expected to be mustered out in two weeks. He evaluated his army time as well spent. I am not sore on the army life, and I am leaving it a better man that I was when I came here, he wrote. The qualities that made Dix a better man did not include wealth. There aint a chance in the world for Amy & I to marry, he confessed to Cora. I might ask her, but when I leave this army I am flat broke and I haven’t the nerve to use her money. About what came next, he had no idea. I dont know what I am going to do think I will hobo all summer. Thus Dix’s letters from Camp Taylor end.
Dix’s Nov. 4, 1918 letter to Friend Cora speculated, uncensored, that the war would soon be over. Don’t the war news look fine now days this can’t last much longer for the Germans are in their last stand, he wrote. The rumors were true; the Armistice was signed on Nov. 11, the day we now celebrate Veterans Day. Reflecting on his imminent freedom, Dix opened his heart to Friend Cora: I guess that is why I never cared to stay here or leave for there was no one cared what happened to me and I thot the same about my self, he wrote. Among no one who cared, he meant one in particular. In a melancholy mood, he wrote: One of the boys is playing The Long Trail, and it always makes me think of the dark nights I
Where in the world might Dix have gone, I wondered as I read his letters a century after he penned them. In all my cousin Cora’s hundreds of crisp and fading letters, no more showed his flowing hand. Then, 100 years after the correspondence began, I chanced on a Christmas card postmarked Kansas City, 1937. On the back of its parchment paper, I read these words:
Going Home
Dix often wrote to Cora on YMCA stationery.
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What Next?
Dear Miss Cora, Albert wishes me to tell you he’s using the Bible you gave him in 1907. Many years have been lost but on Oct. 19 he was gloriously saved and you never could imagine how changed he is. Paragraphs of family news followed, with the message signed “Albert & Amy.” Q
A Christmas letter and corresponding envelope sent to Cora, penned in an obviously different handwriting.
“CORREL L D I S PL AYS A TALENT F OR E VOKI NG ALL TH E L IT TL E D E TA IL S TH AT M A K E TH IS TOW N C O M E A L IV E …" K IR KU S R E V IE WS
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travel from kentucky farm country to the tuscan hills
“As with the prior two volumes of her May Hollow trilogy, Angela Correll has given us a smart & sweet & brightly imagined story of love, loss, family & forgiveness.” BRET LOTT, New York Times best-selling author
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Jim Bowie
Knife-Wielding Son of Kentucky Part II: Texas and the Apotheosis By Ron Soodalter Illustrations By Jessica Patton 32
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The James Bowie whom we met in Part I was a bold, physically imposing frontiersman. He also was a self-promoting opportunist, always seeking to improve his station in life. Throughout the early and mid-1820s, the entrepreneurial Louisianabased Bowie brothers, under the direction of James, pursued the acquisition of wealth by means fair and foul. They had successfully partnered with notorious pirate Jean Lafitte in the illegal importation of slaves, and then, through the forging of numerous deeds and land grants, had sold large tracts of land, most of which they did not own. Inevitably, their illicit dealings in the so-called “Bowie claims” became public.
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y 1828, word of the Bowies’ land-swindling schemes had spread throughout Louisiana and Arkansas, and Kentucky-born James Bowie determined to seek his fortune elsewhere. For the past few years, he had been attracted to the prospect of re-establishing himself in Texas. It was, after all, the new frontier—a seemingly endless expanse of land in the Federation of Mexico, offering immense opportunity to enterprising norteamericanos. For years, the Spanish monarchy had welcomed American colonists to “New Spain,” and when Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821, the new republican government had continued to open Texas—or Coahuila y Tejas, as the combined state officially was termed—to settlement by United States citizens. Two years later, to sweeten the deal, Mexico gave the “Texians,” as the new Anglo colonists were calling themselves, a seven-year grace period on payment of taxes. The conditions were straightforward: Those who were willing to adopt Mexican citizenship, abide by its laws, and convert to Catholicism were eligible for sizable land grants. This fit perfectly into the land-hungry Bowies’ plans. ••• Bowie made an exploratory journey to Texas, visiting the presidio of San Antonio de Béxar. The capital of Spanish Texas, it was an unimpressive collection of low log-and-adobe buildings flocked around a military plaza. At some point, he met Juan Martin de Veramendi, a wellconnected local official, land speculator, and scion of an old and respected Texas family. He also was introduced to Maria Ursula, de Veramendi’s comely 16-year-old daughter. Bowie traveled back to Louisiana at least three times over the next few years to try to advance more of his false claims. On his last trip, he discovered that virtually all of his spurious land schemes had collapsed and that President Andrew Jackson himself had authorized an investigation. In 1830, James returned to Texas, ostensibly to build a cotton mill, but mainly to pursue his plan to acquire vast tracts of available land. It probably was around this time that he determined to court young Ursula and enter into business with her influential father. Having adopted Mexican citizenship and undergone the required religious conversion, Bowie established relationships with members of both the civil authority and the more prominent families of the Tejano—or native-born Mexican—middle and upper classes. He hunted, partied and drank with them, and sought their input on the most desirable land for purchase. At 35, Bowie was still a handsome, beguiling man; with de Veramendi’s consent, he wooed and won the then-18year-old Ursula, and they were wed in April 1831. Much has been written about Bowie’s motivation for marriage. Opportunist that he was, he clearly saw the benefits. While sizable tracts were available to the thousands of single Texians, considerably larger grants were offered to married men, and even more to those who wed Mexican women. Ursula was the perfect choice. Her family was old and established, and her father could open doors that
otherwise would have remained shut. Also, de Veramendi was an old friend of Stephen Austin. A powerful figure among the settlers, Austin had been instrumental in bringing in the first Anglo settlers, and the Texians looked to him for leadership and guidance. There is also strong evidence, however, that Bowie was genuinely smitten with his new bride. His close friend and companion Caiaphas Ham referred to the beautiful Ursula as a “most esteemed lady,” and described Bowie as “kind and gentle—anticipating [her] wants and wishes with great foresight and judgment.” He was, recalled Capt. William G. Hunt, “supremely happy with and devoted to her, more like a kind and tender lover than the rough backwoodsman.” Nonetheless, the “dowry contract”—an itemized list of Bowie’s assets that de Veramendi had demanded from the groom—would prove to be a collection of falsehoods and exaggerations. Bowie was, in fact, deeply in debt. Referring to Bowie’s “stunning economy with the truth,” biographer William O. Davis described the dowry: “Like the man himself, it was big, bold, and just over half dishonest.” De Veramendi had recently been named vice-governor of Coahuila y Tejas, and James and Ursula moved into her parents’ upscale home, where he lived well on his fatherin-law’s largesse. While Bowie won over many of de Veramendi’s friends, others found him boastful, and called him el Fanfarron (the Braggart), but never to his face. ••• Bowie was not a stay-at-home husband. Since the Mexican government had allowed a four-year grace period for payment on land purchases, he was counting on acquiring huge tracts and selling them at a profit before the notes came due. This required constant travel, and he ranged far afield to inspect his prospective purchases. He also assembled a party of nine fortune hunters, including brother Rezin, whom he had lured from Louisiana, to accompany him in locating a legendary silver mine purportedly discovered a century earlier by the nowabsent Spaniards. They traveled to the San Saba hills, where they were attacked by a large party of American Indians. For the next 10 hours, Bowie’s party fought off assault after heated assault, suffering one dead and three wounded. According to the Texians’ estimate, they killed or wounded some 70 Indians. Bowie and his small party had bested foes at better than 12-1 odds, and although he failed to find the silver mine, his legend grew exponentially among the rugged colonists. Meanwhile, there was growing tension between the Mexican government and the Anglo settlers. The government grew increasingly alarmed at the steady influx of tens of thousands of “gringos,” and closed the door to further emigration from the U.S. As the seven-year exemption had long since expired, it also established military garrisons at several of the settlements to ensure the payment of customs duties. While the shift in governmental policy could have been handled better, the Texians were not without blame. Although they had sworn as newly made Mexican citizens to respect and obey the laws of their adopted country, many still considered themselves Americans first, and they bristled at what they felt was an infringement on their rights. The recent American Revolution had begun over the issue of taxes, and many had relatives who had fought the British. Americans, with their sense of entitlement, were in no mood to be controlled by a government of “greasers” and “bean-eaters,” as they derogatorily referred to Mexicans. Further, the fledgling U.S. was in an expansionist phase, and several of the Anglos believed it was their God-given right to expand unhindered to the Pacific shore. N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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In August 1832, word reached Stephen Austin, who was still hopeful of a peaceful resolution, of a confrontation in Nacogdoches between a 200-man Mexican garrison and some 300 Texians. Recognizing Bowie as an influential figure among the colonists, Austin asked him to travel to Nacogdoches and defuse the situation. Bowie, however, arrived after hostilities had already broken out. Finding the Texians leaderless, he made a life-changing decision: Resentful of the new restrictions and unwilling to see his fellow Texians slaughtered, he entered the fray on the colonists’ side. Selecting 20 men, he ambushed the Mexican column and, bluffing the officers into believing he would slaughter the whole garrison, convinced them to surrender. Again, he had triumphed over impossible odds, and within a short time, all of Texas heard about it. Overnight, the charismatic Bowie had become an icon in the rebellion. In an effort to avoid all-out war, the Texians elected delegates who attended conventions in 1832 and 1833, and drew up a list of grievances and requests. Austin himself presented the petitions to the government in Mexico City; most of the requests were denied, and Austin was jailed for nearly two years, further enraging the Texians. In September 1833, tragedy struck the Bowie home, having nothing to do with either land values or the rebellion. While James was away, his wife and her parents were caught up in the cholera epidemic that was sweeping the region; all three perished. No record exists describing Bowie’s response to the death of his young wife. If the many contemporary accounts of their relationship are to be credited, however, it must have devastated him. Bowie had always been fond of hard liquor, as were most men of his time, but he then became a dedicated drinker. Around that time, Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, a national hero who had been instrumental in winning Mexico’s independence from Spain, was elected president. He advertised himself as a Federalist and vowed to honor the earlier promises of the Republic, but by 1835, he had reversed his position. Declaring himself dictator, he abolished the constitution, removed all local magistrates from office, and established a centralized government supported by the army. In the face of these and other draconian acts, what had begun as a disorganized resistance was fast becoming a war for Texas independence, supported not just by Texians, but by an increasing number of frustrated Tejanos as well. ••• In October 1835, the Mexican army occupied San Antonio, and the Texas rebels placed the city under siege. The soldados had also installed themselves in the nearby 34
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Original illustration by Charles A. Stephens
One of the stipulations in the colonization agreement was a strict no-slave policy. However, since most of the new settlers came from the Southern states and territories, they simply chose to ignore this law and brought their slaves with them. This included James Bowie, who arrived in Texas with two slaves. According to one source, by 1834, there were 30,000 Anglo settlers and 5,000 slaves in Texas. Finally, few of the norteamericanos were actually Catholic and had only agreed to convert to take advantage of the offer of cheap land. Although most were not devout, denying them freedom of religion only exacerbated the situation. Initially, Bowie straddled the fence, sympathizing with his fellow Texians, but mindful of his commitment to his family and his new homeland. Many of the Texians, however, clamored for armed resistance, as confrontations flared across Coahuila y Tejas. •••
An illustration of the death of James Bowie at the battle of the Alamo. mission. The complex had been named San Antonio de Valero when it was built more than a century before, but because of the cottonwoods (alamos in Spanish) that grew close by, it was familiarly known as the Alamo. Although constructed as a mission, over the decades it also had served as a fortress against Indian attacks. By this time, Austin had been released from prison and had become leader of the so-called War Party. The Texans were struggling to build a government and an army, and Austin appointed Bowie a colonel on his staff. On Oct. 28, while leading a force of 92 mounted volunteers, Bowie was attacked by more than 400 Mexican soldiers. Once again, he turned the tables, driving off the Mexicans and capturing a cannon and 30 muskets. A month later, Bowie, commanding 140 cavalry and foot soldiers, descended on a contingent of Mexican cavalry escorting a pack train bound for the San Antonio garrison. Gen. Martín Cos, commanding the troops inside the town, immediately sent out reinforcements, and again, Bowie’s smaller force prevailed. The packs, which were rumored to carry silver, held only fodder for the Mexican horses. Nonetheless, the Grass Fight, as it came to be known, reflected glowingly on the seemingly unbeatable Bowie. After the Grass Fight, Bowie traveled to the mission at Goliad to inspect the Texian garrison stationed there. In his absence, the rebels attacked San Antonio and its nearby mission. After five days of hard fighting, Cos, who happened to be Santa Anna’s brother-in-law, surrendered his 1,100-man force. Since the victors had no provisions for prisoners, they released the soldados and sent them south to Mexico, on Cos’ pledge to nevermore fight against the Texians.
When he learned of Cos’ surrender, a furious Santa Anna resolved to crush the upstart Texians. Marching north at the head of his army, he encountered his retreating brother-in-law. Ignoring Cos’ pledge, Santa Anna ordered him and his soldados to reverse direction and join his punitive expedition. •••
Above, a statue of Bowie in Texarkana, Texas; below, the tomb of Bowie, David Crockett and William Barrett Travis in San Antonio, Texas
Bowie returned to San Antonio on Jan. 19, 1836, at the head of 30 volunteers. According to various sources, he carried an order from Gen. Sam Houston, commander of the Texian forces, mandating the destruction of the Alamo. Bowie reportedly disregarded the order, deciding instead to fortify the mission and give Houston time to enlarge his army. Soon, a group of 12 adventurers, including the noted frontiersman and former congressman David Crockett, arrived in San Antonio seeking to make their fortunes in Texas. Shortly thereafter, a party of 30 regulars rode into town, commanded by a 26-year-old transplanted Alabama lawyer and firebrand named William Barrett Travis. Arrogant and ambitious, he had proven himself in skirmishes against the Mexican army and had recently acquired the rank of lieutenant colonel of cavalry. The nascent rebel government had placed Col. James Neill in charge of the San Antonio troops, and when Neill left to attend to his sick family, he left Travis in command. The men, who overwhelmingly favored Bowie, demanded an election, and to no one’s surprise, Bowie won handily. Bowie and his men celebrated the victory by going on a massive drunk, releasing several prisoners from the jail and terrorizing the locals. When he finally sobered up, he apologized to Travis, and the two agreed to divide command, with Bowie overseeing the volunteers while the regulars reported to Travis. When word reached San Antonio of the advancing Mexican army, the Texians, numbering only around 150 Anglos and Tejanos, left the town for the relative security of the Alamo, taking with them the 21 cannons that Cos had abandoned. Santa Anna’s forces arrived in late February. Thousands of Mexican soldiers besieged the mission, with more on the way. As the men inside the walls were aware, without reinforcements, their situation was hopeless. Before the siege began, Bowie had written to the provisional governor of Texas, “We will rather die in these ditches, than give it up to the enemy … It would be a waste of men to put our brave little band against thousands … Again we call loud for relief.” As history records, relief never came. Myriad accounts have been written on the 13-day siege of the Alamo. During the blockade, Travis addressed himself to logistics: commanding and provisioning the garrison, maintaining order and discipline, and writing repeated letters pleading for aid. During the constant shelling, Crockett, a gifted raconteur, buoyed the men’s spirits with his seemingly endless store of anecdotes and entertained them with his fiddle. Initially, Bowie shared command with Travis, but after the first few days, he fell seriously ill. His condition rapidly worsened until his fever reduced him to lying on a cot in a room near the mission’s main gate. He probably suffered from typhoid fever, exacerbated by the effects of his old wounds, an earlier bout of malaria and alcohol abuse. Whatever the cause, Bowie was a dying man. ••• Before dawn on the morning of March 6, Santa Anna’s troops attacked the Alamo in force, neutralizing the outer defenses and breaching the walls. The battle that followed was fierce but brief, the outcome predetermined. Travis was reportedly among the first to fall, while the nature of Crockett’s death is widely and bitterly debated. The most popular version has him selling his life dearly among an overwhelming throng of Mexicans. According to other sources, he was among the few who attempted to surrender, only to face brutal execution. Stories of Bowie’s last moments depict him fighting with knife and pistols to his last breath. In reality, Bowie was near death, if not already gone, by the time the final battle raged. There is general agreement that the frenzied soldados N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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who burst into his sick room shot and bayonetted him numerous times, but the man whose body they desecrated was already beyond hope of recovery. In the end, the specifics of how Travis, Crockett, Bowie or any of their fellow defenders died matter little. Each man had chosen to face insurmountable odds, ultimately without hope of survival. In the aftermath of battle, the legends were born, and James Bowie’s legend flourished. His death at the Alamo virtually erased any fact-based appreciation of the man himself in the public mind, replacing it with fantasy, nor were Americans alone in idolizing the fallen warrior. Famed British historian and philosopher Thomas Carlyle thundered, “By Hercules! The man was greater than Caesar or Cromwell—nay, nearly equal to Odin or Thor. The Texans ought to build him an altar.” Nowhere has the fanciful image of Bowie been more widely exploited than in Hollywood. At last count, he has factored largely in at least 22 films, beginning in 1915 with a silent movie titled Martyrs of the Alamo. Some films are more credible than others, but nearly all play up his skill with the massive blade that erroneously bears his name. Although most movies, such as Ron Howard’s 2004 epic, The Alamo, focus on his final days inside the doomed mission, others have invented Bowie biographies that strain credulity. Perhaps the most absurd is 1950’s Comanche Territory, in which an ill-cast MacDonald Carey saves the Comanche Nation by teaching the braves to forge Bowie knives by heating steel in their campfires and using rocks as hammers and anvils. In 1956, no doubt inspired by Disney’s blockbuster Davy Crockett series, the legend went mainstream when The Adventures of Jim Bowie debuted on television, starring British actor Scott Forbes. It ran for 76 episodes, in nearly all of which the hero is called upon to draw his fearsome knife in the service of justice.
••• Hollywood notwithstanding, James Bowie was a highly complex man, with great strengths and stunning flaws. As Caiaphas Ham described him, “He was a clever, polite gentleman. He was a true, constant, and generous friend; an open, bitter enemy, who scorned concealment, and any unfair advantage. He was a foe no one dared to undervalue, and many feared.” Dauntless fighter and charismatic leader though he might have been, Bowie also was a slave trader, a land swindler, a drunkard, a braggart and an irrepressibly ambitious opportunist. But in the end, by displaying a willingness to sacrifice himself for the sake of an ideal, he redefined himself as a true American hero. Q
Recommended Reading William O. Davis, Three Roads to the Alamo James Donovan, The Blood of Heroes Walter Lord, A Time to Stand
PENNED
Kentucky Monthly’s Annual Writers’ Showcase Attention, Writers! Kentucky Monthly is seeking submissions for our annual literary section in the February issue. Entries will be accepted in the following categories: Poetry, Fiction & Creative Non-Fiction. Working on a novel? Send the first paragraph for a chance to be featured!
Submission deadline - December 1
For guidelines and to submit entries, visit kentuckymonthly.com 36
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The Comeback Crop? Once prominent in Kentucky’s agricultural industry, hemp is being cultivated again in the Commonwealth by farmers for research projects Text and Photos by Abby Laub
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avid Garey walked through his Paris hemp field and rubbed the sticky resin from the rich green leaves onto his fingertips. He noted that the plants in his cannabidiol (CBD) crop were shorter and wider this year than they were in his inaugural hemp crop last year. “We’re still learning … That’s about all you can say,” Garey said about the fine-tuning process his farm is undergoing with industrial hemp. “Growing it is not the problem. Farmers can figure out how to grow it relatively easy, but there is no market. The market has to be
developed. There is no industry at this point.” Developing an industry for hemp seems like a new thing for Kentucky. But it’s actually not new, only making a return. Kentucky’s first hemp crop was planted and harvested in 1775. The Commonwealth soon led the nation in hemp production and hit a peak of 40,000 tons in 1850, according to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Almost all of the nation’s industrial hemp was grown in the Bluegrass region when nationwide production declined after the Civil War. N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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Hemp was lumped in with all cannabis and was outlawed in 1937, along with its high-inducing cousin, marijuana. Hemp has only traces of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the mind-altering ingredient of marijuana, but it looks a lot like marijuana and, therefore, it’s tough for law enforcement to distinguish between the two. During World War II, Kentucky hemp production was ramped up for the war effort to manufacture products like rope, parachutes and clothing. After the war, the cultivation of hemp fell off again, and seeds were confiscated. Then, in 1971, the Controlled Substance Act labeled industrial hemp as a Class 1 narcotic, along with cocaine and heroin. The U.S. Congress in 2013 included industrial hemp in the Farm Bill after years of lobbying by hemp advocates. It was signed into law in February 2014 by President Barack Obama. This provision allowed farmers to grow the highly versatile plant strictly for state-supervised research projects. Kentucky was poised to be a leader in these efforts. Hemp is legal to sell, and hemp products can be found on shelves all over the country. It’s a market that people from many sectors—including food, cosmetics, manufacturing, medicine and clothing—are jumping on. Products range from hemp hearts to nutraceutical CBD oil to hempseed oil. Hemp is used in auto manufacturing, animal bedding and numerous other applications. Chefs are even adding it to their menus. ••• Garey, who has farmed for 36 years—mostly tobacco and then vegetables—carefully contemplated cultivating industrial hemp. The crop can be difficult to grow. There is no guaranteed return on investment and only a small market. Among the other hurdles are a scarcity of harvesting equipment, extra fees and paperwork, no crop insurance and public stigma. But that didn’t stop Garey and his wife, Carla, and son John from diving in. They see the potential. “I didn’t really know how to get involved in doing it, but we had this commercial kitchen on our farm, and a guy called about renting a commercial kitchen to do some things with hemp,” Garey recalled. “They were doing it for their kids. They needed the CBD because one of the kids had epilepsy and one had cerebral palsy, so we got interested in it because of the health benefits.” Carla added, “When I walked in here and saw a child in the shape she was in and [that] what they were doing could help that child, that tore my heart out.” The National Center for Biotechnology Information has published information from a study showing that CBD
exhibited anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects in laboratory animals, a promising result that indicates a potential for treatment of anxiety and depression in humans. Additionally, an article in Scientific American revealed new evidence suggesting that CBD could be effective in reducing or preventing seizures in patients with epilepsy. The possible benefits of CBD continue to be researched. “That’s not my child, but that is someone’s child,” said Carla, who noted that she is stressed about growing hemp because of the obstacles and financial investment without a promise of return. “If I can help one person feel better, that, to me, is 100 percent amazing. And it’s not a pharmaceutical. It’s not about money.” According to the Gareys, CBD can be added to food, such as baked goods or condiments, or taken as a supplement or essential oil. As a food, hemp seeds and hempseed oil are high in protein and contain amino acids, as well as a balance of Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids—a rare trifecta. ••• For Annie Rouse, founder of Verified Life Cycle and Think Hempy Thoughts LLC, educating the public on the benefits of hemp is a priority. Rouse founded the Kentucky Hemp Research Foundation and was a Fulbright Scholar. She contends that CBD will be a major part of industrial hemp’s future. Currently, most hemp products sold in America are imported, but Kentucky industrial hemp is poised to change that. It’s becoming more mainstream. “The questions have changed a lot,” Rouse noted. “People didn’t know what it was. Now, people are more educated and ask how they can get into the program and spread the word.” The state’s growers and processors must go through an application process with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and sign a memorandum of understanding. “I’m so grateful for farmers who are assuming a lot of risk and not getting great returns,” Rouse said. “It’s a pain in the butt to grow, partly because the current varieties aren’t right for Kentucky. The seeds are imported from China, and we’re at a completely different latitude. Eventually, those seeds will become acclimated.” Rouse feels that 10 years from now, hemp will be fully legalized. For that to happen, it would have to be removed from the Controlled Substance Act at the federal level. “I think it’s great to see that there’s the collaboration still in Washington,” Rouse said. “Hemp truly is bipartisan. It’s rare that you see that in Congress, even at the state level. It’s really refreshing.”
The Gareys examine their hemp crop.
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••• At 92, Jacob Graves of Winchester lives on and oversees Leafland, the family farm that grew hemp before it was banned. The crop is there again, and he is encouraged by the level of support for a crop that he understands better than most. “I get frustrated because it’s so obscene that most of my life there’s been nothing done with it because it’s all illegal,” he said. He is hopeful that Kentucky can catch up. “We’re in the process of learning, and we’re a little bit beyond the first few years of school,” Graves said. “We’re out of kindergarten.” Graves gathered much of his experience with hemp from his family, which can trace its roots to growing hemp all the way back to 1800. “I remember seeing fiber hemp crops—10 to 12 feet tall— thick as the hair on your back,” Graves trailed off, recalling the hemp fiber crops on his family’s farm. “It grows thick and sheds its leaves and covers the ground, which helps keep the moisture and feeds the critters in the soil … I remember Dad said that first crop he sold before the war effort [brought] the most money he ever got off the land per acre.” When the family’s seeds were confiscated and used for the war effort, Graves said he remembered armed guards keeping the seeds under lock and key. Graves also worked in the financial industry but said that he “liked the dirt better.” Learning to utilize dirt in the production of hemp so many generations removed from its heyday is a challenge, but farmers and researchers are making great strides. “My experience in [the recent] hemp started 24 years ago,” Graves recalled. “We had Woody Harrelson right there in that dining room. He learned that an acre of hemp is equal to 15 acres of trees, to make fiber.” Advocates like Harrelson flooded into Kentucky as hemp gained new attention in the late 1990s. “I’ve been putting it on my face to get rid of bumps that are unsightly,” Graves said, caressing his face. He noted that hemp has been used to feed, clothe, shelter and medicate humanity for thousands of years. ••• To bring hemp back as a viable agricultural product, more work needs to be done from supply chain to marketing. This is where Rouse’s work—and that of others like her— becomes so important. She feels that the future for hemp farmers primarily will be in CBD. It is the most profitable and the most needed component of hemp, she says. Rouse is a huge fan, partly because she believes daily CBD use has helped to alleviate her Lyme disease symptoms. She doesn’t want to see CBD overtaken by pharmaceutical companies, but she said that having CBD as both a nutraceutical supplement and a pharmaceutical could allow more people to have access. “Some people really see the CBD as preventative care— prevention from all sorts of issues that people have, like inflammatory issues,” Rouse said. “With our food system now the way it is, we have horrible inflammation. That’s also where hemp food comes in. It’s so healthy! It’s one of the best things you can put in your body.” Rouse is busy connecting innovators and producers of hemp with the marketplace through her Think Hempy Thoughts brand. “Initially, it was geared toward all hemp-derived products, but now I’m shifting the focus to CBD specifically, because there is so much unknown by the buyer,” she said. “They need that quality assurance. My other focus is moving forward the nonprofit called Friends of Hemp.” ••• N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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A hemp-topped dish from Brasabana Cuban Cuisine
Back in Paris, the Gareys say their products are selling. “People get impatient about the process [of easing hemp back into the market],” John said. “But it’s good to take it slowly. Otherwise, people will dive in and lose a lot of money, and then it will go by the wayside real quick.” Carla added, “I think it’s something that can be great for our farmers … something that could save a lot of our Kentucky farms if done in the correct way.” The Gareys create value-added CBD products in the kitchen on their farm—things like jelly, honey and bread. Though they have not yet made back their investment, especially with the addition of a processor, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. “Financially, we’re doing better at it than what I ever anticipated at this point, this quickly,” David said. “All we’re doing pretty much is selling it at the farmers market. We’re selling more than what I ever dreamed of selling and have a following of people weekly.”
Carla noted that patiently educating consumers is key, and the family aims to increase production and get into retailers. ••• Chef Jeremy Ashby of Azur often cooks with hemp in his restaurants—Azur Restaurant & Patio and Brasabana Cuban Cuisine in Lexington—and in his own kitchen. Ashby cited Victory Hemp Food’s move to becoming Kentucky Proud as “huge for the state. The groundwork and foundation is being laid, and we’ve been laying down some good recipe foundations.” He often hears about the health aspects of hemp, and people ask questions about it. “Just like any other ingredient, it does better in some applications than others,” he said. “Usually, I’m using the seeds for crusts. I’m finding ways to put the seed into anything I bake—like biscuits and gravy. There’s probably nothing worse for your body in the world than biscuits and gravy, but it’s good for the soul, so if I can add any kind of nutritional value, like sprinkling hemp in the dough, then we’re doing it.” He puts hemp seed on top of baguettes and salads, in granola and pancakes, and when crusting meat. “It’s so nonintrusive and healthy,” Ashby said. “It’s just like the chia seed. You can put it on anything, and you don’t even notice it, but it adds so much nutrition.” Q
To learn more about the comprehensive history of hemp, including the Graves family history with the crop, visit ataloholdings.com. Check out thinkhempythoughts.com for more information on Annie Rouse’s work.
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY OPERA THEATRE
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K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7
Gene & Jean Cravens Isabel Yates Joan B. Fowler Steve Kay & Rona Roberts John & Magdalene Stewart
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VOICES
Past Tense/Present Tense
The Great War BY BILL ELLIS
A
s many people prefer, here is the bottom line before the near you, please take a photo of it and email it to me. explanations. The Great War, or what we now call To add to the trauma of war, Spanish influenza, a viral World War I, has had repercussions we continue to see infection, struck Kentucky in the fall of 1917. At Camp Taylor, and feel 100 years later, and ones that will impact our children, an estimated 1,500 soldiers died. By late 1919, more than grandchildren and later generations for years to come. 16,000 Kentuckians had succumbed to a malady that could Over the next several months, you will read, see and hear strike a person dead in a single day. more about World War I and its aftermath. Television What price did the U.S. pay for its six months of combat? specials, commemorations, books, articles and other media The usually renowned Gen. John J. “Black Jack” Pershing lost presentations will tell us more about this era. You may even 26,277 men in two weeks. In six months of fighting, more than be inundated with more information than you recalled from 116,000 of the 1 million-plus American troops died in Europe. your high school history classes (humor intended). That number is double that of the Vietnam War death toll and Irvin S. Cobb, one of the first nearly a third as many as that of Americans to observe the World War II. The American battlefields of Belgium after Expeditionary Force fought Germany’s lightning strike in valiantly. What would have August 1914, realistically described happened to America if the war the first months of the war in had ground on for two or three articles compiled into his book, more years? Paths of Glory. “I have seen the So, what can you take away flower of the youth of Europe from this brief discourse on the being turned into pestilential importance of World War I? carrion and decent men reduced Wilson declared that American to the level of beasts,” wrote the intervention would contribute to native Kentuckian and Saturday Allied victory in this “war to end Evening Post columnist. all wars.” When the U.S. entered The United States became a de the conflict, it ranked 12th in facto ally of Great Britain and troop strength in the world. A France, sending transport ships year and a half later, 4 million The National Guard Memorial at the Boone Center in Frankfort Americans were in uniform. laden with badly needed supplies to those countries. Germany America had become a world responded with submarine warfare, taking American lives on power. What would become of this prominence? the shipping lanes, including torpedoing the Lusitania on May The U.S. Senate rejected President Wilson’s “Fourteen 7, 1915. Meanwhile, President Woodrow Wilson walked a Points,” refusing to ratify the Treaty of Versailles or join the neutrality tightrope. He narrowly won the 1916 presidential League of Nations. The rise of Nazi and Japanese militarism in election (277 to 254 electoral votes) with a slogan, “He Kept the 1930s led to World War II. If the U.S. had joined the Us Out of War.” Soon after Wilson’s second inauguration, League and been more engaged in international affairs rather Germany announced an end to restricted submarine warfare. than isolationism, would the world have been saved from the The U.S. declared war on April 6, 1917, and mobilized rapidly, carnage of the late 1930s and ’40s? Would the world have been with armed forces camps established all over the country. made “safe for democracy?” Organized in the Commonwealth were Camp Zachary Taylor If you are confused about the origins of the current, on the outskirts of Louisville and, 30 miles away, Camp Henry apparently age-old, conflict in the Middle East, look no Knox, later Fort Knox. Men volunteered by the thousands and further than the worldwide conflict between 1914-1917 and the later were drafted into the armed forces. fall of the Ottoman Empire. Great Britain promised not only a Though most Americans supported the war effort, dissent homeland for Jews in Palestine but also rearranged the map of was suppressed with the Espionage Act and the Sedition Act. the Middle East with the aid of the French. Conflicting ethnic The study of the German language was dropped from some and religious groups were placed into “countries” with schools. Wars always engender hypervigilance. Germanartificial boundaries and autocratic governments. Then, as Americans had to publicly display their patriotism or be now, much of the Anglo-French strategy revolved around the suspected of being “Kaiserists.” Cobb joined a loosely geopolitics of protecting strategic oil reserves. organized group known as The Vigilantes, which ridiculed There appears to be no end in sight to conflict in the antiwar critics. He wrote several pro-Allied, pro-Wilson Middle East. American servicemen and women there are in tracts, including Speaking of Prussians, a strong indictment of harm’s way every day, as are we civilians from the threats of German warmongering and Kultur (German culture). “We terrorism. must hold it to be a holy war, we must preach a jihad … We We now commemorate the day The Great War ended as must risk our manhood,” Cobb exclaimed. Veterans Day. World War II ended with victory in Europe, the By the time the Armistice took place on Nov. 11, 1918, fall of Nazi Germany and the death of Adolph Hitler. A few nearly 2,800 of the 84,172 Kentuckians who had joined the weeks later, atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and armed forces (13,584 of them African-American) had died. Nagasaki persuaded the Japanese warlords and the emperor Two National Guardsmen, who died during WW I while on to surrender, an act completed on the battleship Missouri. guard duty in Kentucky, were added to the Kentucky National The war in Afghanistan is now America’s longest war. Guard Memorial at the Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort last Memorial Day weekend. There are several Readers may contact Bill Ellis at editor@kentuckymonthly.com World War I doughboy memorials in Kentucky. If there is one N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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CULTURE
Off the Shelf
RECONNECTING Dancing Alone Without Music By Larry B. Gildersleeve Adelaide Holdings, LLC $11.95 (P)
Bowling Green’s Ben Taylor was raised by his Southern father to be a Christian man. Readers meet him as an adult in the diametrically different, materialistic world of the financial industry in Chicago. Although considered by some of his closest friends to be a little narcissistic, Ben worked hard for everything he could ever want in this world: a beautiful wife and a son on the way. Ben’s world changes dramatically when his wife and unborn baby are killed in a car accident, and then again when he loses his job in the 2008 Great Recession. He returns home to Bowling Green to recover and rediscover who he is after losing everything. Larry B. Gildersleeve’s debut novel, Dancing Alone Without Music, follows
A Town’s Secrets
Overcoming Obstacles
Influential Educator
The theme is good versus evil in the fictional small town of Gray Hollow, Kentucky. The Keeper of Newspaper the Crows reporter By Kyle Thomas Brooks Alexander is looking for a Romines career-making Sunbury Press story when $16.95 (P)) someone is murdered in the community. As evidence is uncovered by the town sheriff, Jezebel Woods, with an unwanted assist from Thomas, terrifying clues reveal supernatural forces, noisy black crows and some creepy scarecrows. More corpses turn up, and some of the town’s dark secrets are uncovered. Author and Taylor County native Kyle Alexander Romines, who published the novel while he was in medical school at the University of Louisville, studied creative writing as a high school student in the Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program. In addition to The Keeper of the Crows, he also has written a science fiction novella titled The Chrononaut and a western novel, Salvation.
The element of time often is an elixir, an almost magical concoction in matters of romance. Someone Like You That’s By Victoria Bylin Bethany House something $13.99 (P) Julia Dare discovers when she sees Zeke Monroe, once a college flame, while servicing a business account at a resort that Zeke runs. Both feel the old spark, but alas, it’s complicated. Julia has a charming child but a narcissistic former husband who makes her miserable, plus she is trying to make a go of a fledgling business. She also possesses a strongly personal religious faith she didn’t have when she was with Zeke in college. Zeke, meanwhile, has “lost” his faith that was strong when Julia’s wasn’t. Not only has his faith left him, but his resort business is on the blink, too. Will a stronger, more mature love be enough to overcome the obstacles and bring them together permanently? Christian romance writer Victoria Bylin of Lexington pens novels replete with believable characters. Someone Like You is one of them.
The first university west of the Alleghany Mountains, Transylvania University quickly Horace Holley: achieved Transylvania recognition University and from the South’s the Making of political and Liberal military Education in the families. This Early American book spotlights Republic By James P. one of the Cousins school’s early University Press of presidents. In Kentucky 1819, Horace $50 (H) Holley of Connecticut was appointed to the position in which he served until 1827. This book delves into Holley’s early life and his transition from New England city-dweller to resident of Lexington, which was still in its infancy. A chaplain with a degree from Yale University, he had visions for grooming the next generation of Christians, while growing the secondary educational opportunities. But Holley came under attack from religious foes, who were uncomfortable with his outspoken ways, his Unitarian background and his ties to the elite Northeast.
— Deborah Kohl Kremer
— Steve Flairty
— Deborah Kohl Kremer
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(P)-Paperback (C)-Clothbound (H)-Hardback
BOOKENDS Ben’s life several years after losing his wife and son. While not always the most likable protagonist, Ben undergoes a change of character when he returns to his hometown, making him relatable to readers who may be dealing with their own difficulties. With a cast of characters there to support him, including his pastor, best friend and father, Ben reconnects to his Southern roots, which eventually helps him connect with himself. Gildersleeve, a Western Kentucky University alumnus, and his wife live in Bowling Green. — Alex Sandefur
In the narrative nonfiction book One Town’s Son: A Journey Home to find the Truth, Glasgow native Kevin Troxall examines the 2004 death of his high school classmate, Scotty Martin. The day after Martin attended his 10-year class reunion, he was discovered unconscious in a loading dock area in Barren River Lake State Park. He died several days later. While homicide was not ruled out and an investigation took place, the mystery of what exactly happened to Martin remains unsolved. Troxall, who is gay, felt a kinship with Martin, who also was gay, and felt compelled to conduct his own investigation. “Simply put, I wanted to know what happened to Scotty, and no one could tell me,” Troxall said. “With so many stories as to what may have happened that night, I really wanted to separate fact from fiction. I also realized that, if this was a hate crime as I had heard in the gossip, I could have been the victim one year earlier at my reunion. It was unsettling to know that this could happen in my hometown.” The murder investigation has grown cold, but Troxall hopes that, in releasing One Town’s Son: A Journey Home to find the Truth and subsequent public feedback, the Kentucky State Police will reopen the case. The paperback book, published by Shark Bite Media, retails for $14.99 and is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Seasonal Tales
Direct Hit
Wild West Woman
In Haunted Holidays: Twelve Months of Kentucky Ghosts, husband and wife authors Roberta Simpson Brown Haunted and Lonnie E. Holidays: Twelve Brown tell Months of stories of Kentucky Ghosts Kentucky By Roberta ghosts. Some of Simpson Brown the encounters and Lonnie E. actually Brown University Press of happened to the Kentucky couple or their $19.95 (P) relatives. Beginning with Martin Luther King Jr. Day and working through the calendar to New Year’s Eve, the Browns have a story or two for each holiday. Some are spinetingling and scary, and some just make you think about the presence of those who have passed on. Each chapter presents a brief history of how our holidays came to be, followed by the stories. Some of the tales mention haunted locations around the state, such as Lake Cumberland, the Falls of the Ohio and Cave Hill Cemetery. This book will be enjoyed by anyone interested in paranormal events, history or Kentucky tales.
On Folly Beach, the hits just keep coming. But this time, a hit comes dead center to the forehead of Dead Center: A the hit man Folly Beach before he can Mystery carry out his By Bill Noel duty. And who Hydra discovers the Publications unfortunate bad $14.99 (P) boy? That would be Chris Landrum, the corporate escapee living out a semipeaceful retirement on this semi-sleepy island off the South Carolina coast. As usual, Chris finds much of the responsibility for solving the crime rests on his shoulders. Making the task more challenging, he shoulders the pain of the departure of two close friends who leave the island for greener pastures (or, possibly, more glittery sand). His photo gallery shack has changed to a bookstore, and it’s not his building anymore. With Dead Center, author Bill Noel has added another entertaining volume to his Folly Beach Mystery series. The Louisville resident continues to attract a large readership with moving dialogue, imaginative characters and a sense that the author is enjoying himself.
Set in the 1800s, Teresa, The Snake Witch relates the story of a 17-yearold girl with more than her Teresa, The share of life Snake Witch: A experiences. Novel of the Kidnapped as a Pony Express young child and the and traded by Northern Paiute Native War Americans, By Ted Kozak Teresa lived Midnight Star with several Press tribes for 11 $20 (P) years. During her time with the tribes, she began to talk to snakes, and they would slither away. The Indians were convinced she was a witch and were somewhat afraid of her. When she was released and adopted by a Mormon couple, Teresa had what today we would call “street smarts.” She understood the cultures of the various tribes and the terrain of the West, which led her to accept a job as a courier with the famed—and dangerous—Pony Express. A former Marine, police officer and attorney, author Ted Kozak lives in Fisherville and has written several books.
— Deborah Kohl Kremer
— Steve Flairty
— Deborah Kohl Kremer N OV E M B E R 2 0 1 7
• K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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OUTDOORS
Field Notes
In the Zone
K
BY GARY GARTH
entucky’s deer season has been in progress since Sept. 2, which was opening day for the 4½-monthlong archery season. October opened the deer woods to crossbow hunters. Muzzleloaders were afforded an October weekend, and youth hunters (age 15 and younger) also were granted two days in October to deer hunt. But for most of us, deer season effectively begins Nov. 11, opening day of the 2017-2018 modern firearm deer hunt. During the various September to January archery, crossbow, muzzleloader and modern gun seasons, Kentucky hunters likely will tag 140,000-150,000 whitetail deer. (The five-year, 2012-2016 average kill was 141,976, ranging from 155,730 in 2015 to 131,395 deer taken in 2012.) Most are taken during the November gun season. Of the 139,450 deer tagged and checked through the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ automated Telecheck system during the 2016-2017 season, 104,229 (74.4 percent) were taken by modern gun hunters. There are reasons for this. More people hunt with modern firearms than with archery, crossbow or muzzleloading gear combined. State wildlife biologists and game managers also structure the November firearm season to coincide with the peak of whitetail breeding season, or rut. Like all things with a sexual tinge, the rut has a bit of mystery about it, but for whitetail deer, it is generally triggered by the 24-hour photoperiod. That’s the time during a 24-hour period when animals are exposed to sunlight. Just how this works is not clearly understood, but when female deer become interested in breeding, male deer generally become a little careless. They move a bit more when chasing does. Mature, heavy-antlered bucks that become mostly nocturnal critters when hunting pressure increases display more daytime activity during the rut, making them more vulnerable to hunters. Sex, it seems, makes all critters careless. Deer season is open statewide, and deer are taken from each of Kentucky’s 120 counties. But where and how you can hunt—including how many deer can be legally taken and by which method—depends on the zone of the county in which one is hunting. This is not quite as complicated as it might seem, unless you’re a first-time deer hunter. Wildlife management is an inexact science. Kentucky is home to about 1 million whitetail deer. The habitat could handle more deer, but for various reasons, game managers would like to keep the herd at around 1 million animals. The only effective method for managing deer numbers is hunting. The challenge is that deer are not evenly distributed across the state. For management and hunting purposes, each Kentucky county is assigned a zone number: 1, 2, 3 or 4. The management goal in Zone 1 counties is to reduce the number of deer. The management goal in Zone 4 counties is to increase the number of deer. In Zones 2 and 3, deer densities are about right. “It can seem a little complicated, but there used to be 44
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seven [deer] zones,” said Gabe Jenkins, deer program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. “But basically, we want to reduce the number of deer in some areas and grow the number of deer in other areas.” Check your county zone at fw.ky.gov or in the 2017-2018 hunting and trapping guide. Hunt safely.
Zone 1
A hunter may take an unlimited number of antlerless deer. Two deer may be taken using the statewide deer permit, and an unlimited number of antlerless deer may be taken using additional deer permits. A hunter is limited to one deer with visible antlers (excluding button bucks) per license year statewide.
Zone 2
A hunter may take no more than four deer total and combined in Zones 2, 3 and 4. Two deer may be taken using the statewide deer permit and two deer may be taken using one additional deer permit. A hunter is limited to one deer with visible antlers (excluding button bucks) per license year statewide.
Zone 3
A hunter may take no more than two deer with a firearm and no more than four deer total and combined in Zones 2, 3, and 4. Two deer may be taken using the statewide deer permit and two deer may be taken using one additional deer permit. All four deer may be taken with archery or crossbow equipment. A hunter is limited to one deer with visible antlers (excluding button bucks) per license year statewide.
Zone 4
A hunter may take no more than two deer with a firearm (one with a modern firearm and one with a muzzleloader, or both with a muzzleloader). Antlerless deer can only be taken with a firearm during the last three days of the December segment of the muzzleloader season. A hunter may take no more than four deer total and combined in Zones 2, 3 and 4. Two deer may be taken using the statewide deer permit and two deer may be taken using one additional deer permit. All four deer may be taken with archery or crossbow equipment. A hunter is limited to one deer with visible antlers (excluding button bucks) per license year statewide. •••
Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry provides donated venison to food banks and other distribution centers. For more information, or if you wish to donate a deer, go to kyhuntersforthehungry.info. Readers may contact Gary Garth at editor@kentuckymonthly.com
TRAVEL
KTIA Signature Winter/Holiday Events ach quarter, the Kentucky Travel E Industry Association spotlights Signature Events for the season. Following is a sample of the state’s prime activities for the winter/holiday season. Southern Lights, Nov. 17-Dec. 31, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, kyhorsepark.com. Celebrate the season with this driving tour through an enchanted lighted land. In addition to dazzling animated displays, visitors can enjoy the Mini-Train Express, a petting zoo, pony and camel rides, model trains, crafts and refreshments. Old Fort Harrod Holiday Open House, Nov. 18, Old Fort Harrod State Park, Harrodsburg, (859) 734-3314, parks.ky.gov. The 18th-century fort transforms into a festive frontier to welcome visitors to tour the fort with paths lit by candle lanterns. Each cabin is adorned with live greenery and natural decorations. The kids can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, and guests can gather around a roaring campfire and listen to volunteers in period dress tell stories about the fort. Christmas in the Park, Nov. 22-Jan. 1, Freeman Lake Park, Elizabethtown, (270) 7652175. With more than 100 displays and a million-plus lights, this free Christmas event has been twinkling for more than 25 years. As visitors navigate the luminary-lit path, they can tune their car radio to a local station for accompanying Christmas music. Manger scenes, Santa Claus, Disney characters, Christmas trees and more are among the brilliant displays. Festival of the Trains, Dec. 1-3, Historic RailPark and Train Museum, Bowling Green, (270) 745-7317, historicrailpark.com. The annual Festival of Trains brings visitors of all ages to the Historic RailPark and Train Museum. The entire family can enjoy this fun event featuring numerous model train displays in the lobby and meeting room. There are even model trains for hands-on play for kids of all ages. Holidays at Shaker Village, Dec. 1-31, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg, 1-800-734-5611, shakervillageky.org. Throughout the season, the Village is adorned with fresh swags, wreaths, garlands and luminaries lining the paths. Sample the bakery’s handiwork during holiday teas, including Tea Time with Mrs. Claus. Catch a ride on the Jingle Bell Shuttle, a festive wagon that travels the village road lined with classic holiday greens. The shops are filled with twinkling lights, holiday décor and gifts.
Explore
Holiday Homes Tour, Dec. 2, Harrodsburg Historical Society, Harrodsburg, 1-800-355-9192, harrodsburghistorical.org. For 26 consecutive years, this tour has featured properties throughout Mercer County trimmed with everything from decorations recalling Kentucky’s pioneer past to Victorian embellishments to contemporary motifs. The Historical Society also opens a tea room with homemade sandwiches, soups, beverages and desserts for visitors to enjoy in its headquarters on Chiles Street. A Mayberry Christmas, Dec. 3 and 9, Old Courtroom, Owenton, (502) 563-5050, facebook.com/OwenCountyKYTourism. The Owen County Art Council and Owen County Tourism Commission present the two-act play A Mayberry Christmas. Owenton itself is a Mayberry kind of town, and visitors can enjoy its Christmas parade, shopping and dining, in addition to taking in the play. Candlelight Tours, Dec. 8-10 and 15-20, Ward Hall, Georgetown, wardhall.net. This grand Greek Revival mansion is decorated for Christmas and offers candlelight tours during the season. Visitors step back into the mid-19th century with period-dressed guides, a colorful Christmas tree and dazzling holiday displays, all viewed in the glow of candles. ChristmasTime at the Ark, Dec. 8-23 and Dec. 26-Jan. 15, Ark Encounter, Williamstown, 1-855-284-3275, ArkEncounter. com/Christmas. Visitors to ChristmasTime at the Ark Encounter see the Ark decorated in rainbow lights and watch a spectacular video projection show. They can enjoy a Christmas buffet, shop for fair trade and one-of-a-kind gifts, meet adorable zoo animals, listen to live music and more. Christmas Town at the Museum, Dec. 15-23 and Dec. 26-30, Creation Museum, Petersburg, 1-888-582-4253, CreationMuseum.org/ christmas. When visitors arrive at the Creation Museum during the annual Christmas Town event, they can catch a glimpse of the amazing events that surrounded the wonder of Jesus’ birth, enjoy the dazzling lights, see a live nativity, and have fun while learning about this special time of the year.
The Kentucky Travel Industry Association names its Signature Events four times a year. To be eligible, festivals or events must be recommended or produced by a KTIA member. A panel of impartial judges selects the winners for each season.
For more information, phone (502) 223-8687, email info@ktia.com or visit KTIA.com. Illustration by Annette Cable.
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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CALENDAR
Let’s Go
7
November SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
1.
2.
Adhar/Sky/Ciel Axis Prisoners Exhibit, of War in Schneider Kentucky, Hall Galleries, McCracken University of County Public Louisville, Library, Paducah (502) 852-6794
FRIDAY
3.
4.
10.
11.
Emmylou Harris, Paramount Arts Center, Ashland, (606) 324-3175
5.
6.
1
Bg26.2 & Half Marathon: The Race to Beat MS, throughout Bowling Green, (270) 791-2346
7.
Tea Tuesday, Waveland State Historic Site, Lexington, also Nov. 14 and 28, (859) 272-3611
8.
9.
A Gentleman’s Holiday Hop, Guide to Love downtown and Murder, Winchester, Norton Center for through Nov. 11, the Arts, Danville, (859) 737-0923 1-877-HIT-SHOW
SATURDAY
Deer Widow’s Weekend, Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls Of Rough, through Nov. 12, (270) 257-2311
Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical, The Carnegie, Covington, also Nov. 5, 10-12 and 17-19, (859) 957-1940
Veterans Day
12.
0
19.
26.
North Pole Express, My Old Kentucky Dinner Train, Bardstown, (502) 348-7300
13.
Winter Wonderland of Christmas Lights Festival Opening, Central Park Bandstand, Ashland, (606) 324-5111
20.
Henry Butler, Glema Mahr Center for the Arts, Madisonville, (270) 824-8650
27.
21.
Light Up the Levee’s Grand Illumination, Newport on the Levee
28.
2
Visit kentuckymonthly. com for additional content, including a calendar of events, feature stories and recipes.
22.
Christmas in the Park, Freeman Lake Park, Elizabethtown, through Jan. 1, (270) 765-2175
29.
Ongoing Grandmother Power: A Global Phenomenon, Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville, through Jan. 7, (502) 584-9254
23.
24.
25.
Thanksgiving
30.
Holiday Lights, Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, through Jan. 1, (502) 696-5926
Light Up Dickens of a Bardstown, Christmas Welcome Center Small Business Plaza, Bardstown, Saturday, (502) 348-4877 historic downtown Paducah
Ongoing Alison Saar: Breach, University of Kentucky Art Museum, Lexington, through Dec. 3, (859) 257-5716
Ongoing Called to Arms: Kentuckians in the First World War Exhibit, Filson Historical Society, Louisville, through Dec. 28
At the Stroke Dr. Seuss’ How of Midnight: the Grinch An Original Stole Holiday Christmas! The Musical, The Musical, The Center for Rural Kentucky Center, Development, Louisville, Somerset, through Dec. 3, (606) 677-6000 (502) 584-7777
K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7
18.
Southern Berea Makers Lights, Kentucky Market Horse Park, Holiday 2017, Lexington, Russel Acton Folk through Dec. 31, Center, Berea, (859) 233-4303 (859) 358-6885
More to explore online!
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17.
Let’s Go!
A guide to Kentucky’s most interesting events Bluegrass Region
Lexington, also Nov. 14 and 28, (859) 272-3611, parks.ky.gov
8 A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Norton Center for the Arts, Danville, 1-877-HIT-SHOW, nortoncenter.com Ongoing Alison Saar: Breach, University of Kentucky Art Museum, Lexington, through Dec. 3, (859) 257-5716, finearts.uky.edu/art-museum Medals, Memories & Milestones: Great Moments in American Show Jumping, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, through Nov. 30, (859) 225-6700, ushja.org November
1 Day of The Dead Festival, The Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, lasclex.org 1-5 CP National Horse Show, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, (561) 753-3389, nhs.org 1-5 The Journey Continues: Preston Dyer’s Bedouin Experience, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, (859) 259-4232, imh.org 1-11 Agate: Jewel of Kentucky, Kentucky Artisan Center, Berea, (859) 985-5448, kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov 3 Riders in the Sky, The Grand Theatre, Frankfort, (502) 352-7469, grandtheatrefrankfort.org 3 Larry Sanders & Borderline Band, The Burgin Barn, Harrodsburg, also Nov. 10, 17 and 24, (859) 748-5424, larryandborderline.com 4 2017 Art Trail, various locations in Lawrenceburg, (502) 839-5372, facebook.com/Anderson County Arts Council 4-5 Open House, Ward Hall, Georgetown, also Nov. 11-12, (502) 863-5356, wardhall.net 4-5 Open Studios Arttour, various locations in Harrodsburg and Mercer County, (859) 734-7731, facebook.com/arttourky 5 Lexington Messiah Community SingAlong Choir Search, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Lexington, also Nov. 12 and 17, (502) 353-0597, lexingtonmessiah.org 7 Tea Tuesday, Waveland State Historic Site,
9-11 Holiday Hop, downtown Winchester, (859) 737-0923, downtownwinchesterky.org 10-12 Going Straight – First Batch Straight Kentucky Bourbon, Bluegrass Distillers, Lexington, (859) 253-4490, bluegrassdistillers.com 10-12 The Lion King Jr., Leeds Center for the Arts, Winchester, (859) 744-6437, leedscenter.org 10-12 A Campers Thanksgiving, Fort Boonesborough State Park campground, Richmond, parks.ky.gov 11 Gaither Vocal Band, EKU Center for the Arts, Richmond, 859-622-7469, ekucenter.com
21 Evening Tea Tuesday, Waveland State Historic Site, Lexington, (859) 272-3611, parks.ky.gov 25 Christmas Open House, Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, Beehive Gifts, Harrodsburg, (859) 734-7255, beehivegiftsinky.net 25 Discovery Saturday, The Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, lasclex.org 25 Craft Fair and Open House, Spindletop Hall, Lexington, (859) 255-2777, spindletophall.org 25-26 Winter Trade Days, Fort Boonesborough State Park, Richmond, (859) 527-3131, parks.ky.gov 30 Holiday Lights, Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, (502) 696-5926, through Jan. 1, buffalotracedistillery.com December
11-12 Home & Hearth Christmas Bazaar, Russel Acton Folk Center, Berea, (859) 986-8033
1 Larry Sanders & Borderline Band, The Burgin Barn, Harrodsburg, (859) 748-5424, larryandborderline.com
15 Judy Collins Quartet, The Grand Theatre, Frankfort, (502) 352-7469, grandtheatrefrankfort.org
1-2 Illuminated Evenings, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg, also Dec. 8-9, 15-16, 22-23 and 29-30, (859) 734-5411, shakervillageky.org
17 Gallery Hop Reception, The Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, lasclex.org 17-30 Southern Lights, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, through Dec. 31, (859) 233-4303, kyhorsepark.com 18 Kentucky Book Fair, Alltech Arena, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, kyhumanities.org 18 Henry Butler, Norton Center for the Arts, Danville, 1-877-HIT-SHOW, nortoncenter.com 18 Berea Makers Market Holiday 2017, Russel Acton Folk Center, Berea, (859) 358-6885, bereamakersmarket.com 18 Holiday Open House, Old Fort Harrod State Park, Harrodsburg, (859) 734-3314, parks.ky.gov 18-19 18th Century Trade Fair, James Harrod Conference Center, Harrodsburg, (859) 734-3767, friendsofoldfortharrod.com
1-2 Christmas Tea, Harrodsburg Historical Society, Harrodsburg, (859) 734-5985, harrodsburghistorical.org 1-2 A Victorian Christmas, White Hall State Historic Site, Richmond, also Dec. 8-9 and 15-16, parks.ky.gov 2 Brian McKnight, Norton Center for the Arts, Danville, 1-877-HIT-SHOW, nortoncenter.com 2 Tea Time with Mrs. Claus, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg, also Dec. 9 and 16, (859) 734-5411, shakervillageky.org 2 Christmas Craft Fair, Christian Academy of Lawrenceburg, Lawrenceburg, christianacademyoflawrenceburgky.org 2 A Kentucky Christmas, Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate, Lexington, (859) 266-8581, henryclay.org
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CALENDAR
Let’s Go
2 Holiday Homes Tour, presented by the Harrodsburg Historical Society, various locations in Harrodsburg, (859) 734-5985, harrodsburghistorical.org
November
Bullitt High School, Shepherdsville, facebook.com/Festival of Trees Holiday Craft Fair
1-3 Adhar/Sky/Ciel Exhibit, Schneider Hall Galleries, University of Louisville, (502) 852-6794, louisville.edu/art/facilitiesresources/hite-galleries
11-12 All Wrapped Up Gift & Craft Show, Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls Of Rough, (270) 257-2311, parks.ky.gov
2 Christmas Parade, downtown Winchester, (859) 737-0923, downtownwinchesterky.org
1-5 Louisville Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, Iroquois Park, Louisville, jackolanternlouisville.com
17 The Gallery on the Square Christmas Open House, Fine Arts Gallery, Bardstown, facebook.com/BardstownGalleryOnTheSquare
5 Christmas Teas, White Hall State Historic Site, Richmond, also Dec. 12, (859) 623-9178, parks.ky.gov
1-10 Ann Klem Glass Exhibit, Flame Run Gallery, Louisville, (502) 584-5353, flamerun.com
17 Sneak-A-Peek Holiday, downtown Bardstown, bardstowntourism.com
5 Tea Tuesday, Waveland State Historic Site, Lexington, also Dec. 12, (859) 272-3611, parks.ky.gov
2 Bourbon Rocks & Ruins Exclusive Experience, Mint Julep Tours, Louisville, (502) 583-1433, mintjuleptours.com
8-9 18th Century Christmas, Fort Boonesborough State Park, Richmond, (859) 527-3131, parks.ky.gov
2-4 Full-Day Kentucky Bourbon Tour, Mint Julep Tours, Louisville, also Nov. 9-11, 16-18, 24-25 and 30-Dec. 1, (502) 583-1433, mintjuleptours.com
2 Twilight Christmas Parade, downtown Berea, bereachamber.com
8-10 Candlelight Tours, Ward Hall, Georgetown, also Dec. 15-20, (502) 863-5356, wardhall.net
Louisville Region
Ongoing
3-4 Heartland Dulcimer Club Festival, First Christian Church, Elizabethtown, (270) 862-9747, heartlanddulcimerclub.org 4 Reception and Book Signing, for The Kentucky State Capitol Building, by Thorney Lieberman, Frazier History Museum, Louisville, (502) 753-5663, fraziermuseum.org 4 Lunch & Learn: Autumn Trees from Top to Bottom, Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, Clermont, (502) 955- 8512, bernheim.org
Grandmother Power: A Global Phenomenon, Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville, through Jan. 7, (502) 584-9254, alicenter.org
4-30 Merry & Bright, Christmas Tours of My Old Kentucky Home, My Old Kentucky Home State Park, Bardstown, through Jan. 6, (502) 348-3502, visitmyoldkyhome.com
Called to Arms: Kentuckians in the First World War Exhibit, Filson Historical Society, Louisville, through Dec. 28, (502) 635-5083, filsonhistorical.org
5 Half-Day Louisville Beer Tour, Mint Julep Tours, Louisville, also Nov. 9, 24 and 26, (502) 583-1433, mintjuleptours.com
Paintings by G. Caliman Coxe, Filson Historical Society, Louisville, through Dec. 15 (502) 635-5083, filsonhistorical.org Family Gathering: Linda Bruckheimer’s Kentucky, Frazier History Museum, Louisville, through Jan. 11, (502) 753-5663, fraziermuseum.org Hope and Healing: Celebrating 125 years of Norton Children's Hospital, Frazier History Museum, Louisville, through Feb. 4, (502) 753-5663, fraziermuseum.org Drive: Photographs by Sarah Lyon, Photographic Archives Gallery, Ekstrom Library, University of Louisville, through Dec. 22, (502) 852-6794, louisville.edu/art/ facilities-resources/hite-galleries
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K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7
9 Heaven and Evan Exclusive Bourbon Experience, Mint Julep Tours, Louisville, (502) 583-1433, mintjuleptours.com 10 2nd Friday Bluegrass Jam, Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls Of Rough, (270) 257-2311, parks.ky.gov 10-12 Deer Widow’s Weekend, Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls Of Rough, (270) 257-2311, parks.ky.gov 11 Secrets of Bluegrass Chefs, Kitchen Studio at Bourbon Barrel Foods, Louisville, (502) 583-1433, mintjuleptours.com 11 Second Saturday, downtown Elizabethtown, (270) 765-2175, touretown.com 11 Festival of Trees Craft Fair, North
17 Flaget Hospital Auxiliary Christmas Bazaar & Luncheon, Bardstown Baptist Church, Bardstown, (502) 348-4877 18 Murder Mystery Theatre, Kentucky Railway Museum, New Haven, kyrail.org 18 Wickland Christmas Bazaar, Nelson County Civic Center, Bardstown, (502) 507-0808, bardstowntourism.com 22 Christmas in the Park, Freeman Lake Park, Elizabethtown, through Jan. 1, (270) 765-2175 23 Thanksgiving Buffet, Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls Of Rough, (270) 257-2311, parks.ky.gov 24 Light Up Bardstown, Welcome Center Plaza, Bardstown, (502) 348-4877, bardstownmainstreet.com 24 Making Spirits Bright by Lantern Light, Barton 1792 Distillery, Bardstown, 1792bourbon.com 24 The Christmas Corner, The Gallery on the Square, Bardstown, bardstowntourism.com 25 Santa on the Square, downtown Bardstown, bardstowntourism.com 26 North Pole Express, My Old Kentucky Dinner Train, Bardstown, (502) 348-7300, rjcorman.com 28-30 Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Muscial, The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, Louisville, through Dec. 3, (502) 584-7777, kentuckycenter.org December
1 Janet Jackson, KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, (502) 690-9000, kfcyumcenter.com 1-2 Beautiful Music of Christmas, Basilica of St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral, Bardstown, bardstowntourism.com 1-3 North Pole Express, Kentucky Railway Museum, New Haven, also Dec. 8-10, 15-17 and 21-22, (502) 549-5470, kyrail.org
2 Civil War Christmas, Old Bardstown Village, Bardstown, civil-war-museum.org 2 Supper with Santa, Grayson’s Landing Restaurant, Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls Of Rough, 1-800-325-1713, parks.ky.gov 2 Santa on the Square, downtown Bardstown, also Dec. 9, (502) 348-4877, bardstowntourism.com 2 Full-Day Kentucky Bourbon Tour, Mint Julep Tours, Louisville, also Dec. 7-9 and 14-15, (502) 583-1433, mintjuleptours.com 2-3 North Pole Express, My Old Kentucky Dinner Train, Bardstown, also Dec. 8-10 and 15, (502) 348-7300, kydinnertrain.com 2-3 Santa Express, Kentucky Railway Museum, New Haven, also Dec. 9-10, 16-17 and 21-22, (502) 549-5470, kyrail.org 7 Jailer’s Inn Open House, Jailer’s Inn, Bardstown, (502) 348-5551, jailersinn.com 7 Kiwanis Club’s Christmas Parade, downtown Bardstown, (502) 348-4877, bardstowntourism.com
8 2nd Friday Bluegrass Jam, Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Falls Of Rough, (270) 257-2311, parks.ky.gov 8-10 A Christmas Story, Historic State Theater, Elizabethtown, also Dec. 14-17, (270) 765-2175, hardincountyplayhouse.com 8-10 Louisville Christmas Gift and Decor Show, Kentucky Expo Center, Louisville, (502) 456-2244, stewartpromotions.com
Tea, Wickland, Home of Three Governors, Bardstown, (502) 348-4877, historicwickland.com
10 Christmas at St. Brigid, St. Brigid Catholic Church, Louisville, (502) 968-6300, LouisvilleChorus.org 15-17 The Nutcracker, Hardin County Schools Performing Arts Center, Elizabethtown, (270) 765-2175, thepac.net
Northern Region
9 Second Saturday, downtown Elizabethtown, (270) 765-2175, touretown.com 9 Christmas Tour of Homes, downtown Bardstown, (502) 348-4877, bardstowntourism.com 9 Skate with Santa, Whispering Wheels Roller Rink, Bardstown, (502) 348-6622, bardstowntourism.com 9 Second Saturday, Family Day and The Nutcracker, Frazier History Museum, Louisville, (502) 753-5663, fraziermuseum.org 9-10 Mrs. Julia Beckham’s Christmas
Ongoing Catherine Palace at Christmas! Kentucky Gateway Museum Center, Maysville, through Jan. 20, (606) 564-5865, ksbminiaturescollection.com November
2 Pound Fit Classes, General Butler State Resort Park, Carrollton, also Nov. 14 and 28, (502) 732-4384, parks.ky.gov
CALENDAR
Let’s Go
3-17 Holiday Brunch Cruise, B&B Riverboats, Newport, bbriverboats.com
25 Holiday Artisan Market, The Carnegie, Covington, 859-957-1940, thecarnegie.com
Owenton, also Dec. 9, (502) 563-5050, facebook.com/OwenCountyKYTourism
4 Linton PB&J Concert: A Musical Zoo, Lakeside Presbyterian Church, Lakeside Park, lakesidechurch.org
25 Small Business Holiday Shopping Event, Augusta, (606) 756-2183, augustaky.com
8-23 ChristmasTime at the Ark, Ark Encounter, Williamstown, (855) 284-3275, arkencounter.com
4-5 Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Musical, The Carnegie, Covington, also Nov. 10-12 and 17-19, (859) 957-1940, thecarnegie.com 10 Howard Bloemker Orchestra, Boone County Public Library, Burlington, bcpl.org 18 Another Reason to Be Thankful, downtown Carrollton, (502) 732-5713 18 A Perfect Circle in Concert, BB&T Arena, Highland Heights, thebbtarena.com 21 Kentucky Gathers Dulcimer Group, General Butler State Resort Park lodge mezzanine, Carrollton, (502) 732-4384, parks.ky.gov 21 Light Up the Levee’s Grand Illumination, Newport on the Levee, newportonthelevee.com 25 Small Business Saturday, downtown Carrollton, (502) 732-7034, carrollcountyky.com
25-26 Open House, Larkspur Press, Owenton, (502) 484-5390, larkspurpress.com December
2 Frozen Wonderland Day & Festival of Trees, General Butler State Resort Park, Carrollton, (502) 732-4384, parks.ky.gov 2-3 Frontier Christmas, Old Washington Historic Village, Maysville, (606) 759-7423, washingtonky.com
Enjoy an array of holiday lights and decorations during a self-guided tour through our historical campus while listening to memories of the holidays from those who have called our campus home over the years. Visit mhky150.com/holidays
15-23 Christmas Town at the Museum, Creation Museum, Petersburg, also Dec. 26-Jan. 15, (859) 727-2222, CreationMuseum.org
Western Region
2-3 Christmas Tour of Homes, throughout Carrollton, (502) 732-7036, carrolltontourism.com 2-3 A Dickens Christmas Festival, Kentucky Renaissance Fair Site, Eminence, also Dec. 9-10, kyrenfaire.com 3 Christmas Parade, downtown Owenton, (502) 484-5703, owencountyky.us 3 A Mayberry Christmas, Old Courtroom,
Home for the Holidays This holiday season visit our campus and help us celebrate our 150th anniversary.
9 White Christmas Parade, Main Street, Augusta, (606) 756-2183, augustaky.com
November
1-25 Art Through the Lens 2017, Yeiser Art Center, Paducah, (270) 442-2453, theyeiser.org 2 Kathy Mattea, featuring Bill Cooley, Glema Mahr Center for the Arts, Madisonville, (270) 824-8650, glemacenter.org
2 Axis Prisoners of War in Kentucky, McCracken County Public Library, Paducah, mclib.net 2-5 River’s Edge International Film Festival, Maiden Alley Cinema, Paducah, riversedgefilmfestival.org 3 Bluegrass Music Museum’s Benefit Concert Series, International Bluegrass Music Museum, Owensboro, also Nov. 16, (270) 926-7891, bluegrassmuseum.org 3-4 Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Theatre Workshop of Owensboro, (270) 683-5333, theatreworkshop.org 4 Market Days, Preservation Station, Owensboro, (270) 993-7532 4 First Day Hike – Monthly Hiking Series, Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park, Dawson Springs, (270) 797-3421, parks.ky.gov 4 Chili Golf Open, Kentucky Dam Village Golf Course, Gilbertsville, (270) 362-8658, parks.ky.gov 4 Turkey Time, John James Audubon State Park, Henderson, (270) 827-1893, parks.ky.gov 9 The Perfect Dinner Party 101, McCracken County Public Library, Paducah, mclib.net 10-12 Scrapbooking Weekend, Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park, Dawson Springs, (270) 797-3421, parks.ky.gov 11 2nd Saturday Hike – Geology, Lake Barkley State Resort Park, Cadiz, (270) 924-1431, parks.ky.gov 11 Kentucky Remembers, morning 5K, afternoon parade, evening concert at RiverPark Center, Owensboro, (270) 316-9203, kentuckyremembers.org 11-12 Greenville Merchants Christmas Open House, downtown Greenville and beyond, (270) 338-1895, TourGreenville.com
CO U Z E N S D E N T A L
17 Southern Gospel Nights, Kentucky Opry, Benton, kentuckyopry.com 17-18 West Side Story, Glema Mahr Center for the Arts, Madisonville, (270) 824-8650, glemacenter.org 18 X-Fest 2017, Owensboro Convention Center, owensborocenter.com 18 Red, White & Blue BASH, The Carson Center, Paducah, (270) 908-2037, thecarsoncenter.org 18 A Country Christmas Show, Kentucky Opry, Benton, (270) 527-3869, kentuckyopry.com N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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CALENDAR
Let’s Go 20 Henry Butler, Glema Mahr Center for the Arts, Madisonville, (270) 824-8650, glemacenter.org 23 Thanksgiving Buffet, Kentucky Dam Village Harbor Lights Restaurant, Gilbertsville, (270) 362-9205, parks.ky.gov 23 Thanksgiving Day Buffet, Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park, Dawson Springs, parks.ky.gov 25 Dickens of a Christmas Small Business Saturday, historic downtown Paducah, paducahmainstreet.org December
1 Bluegrass Music Museum’s Benefit Concert Series, International Bluegrass Music Museum, Owensboro, (270) 926-7891, bluegrassmuseum.org 1 A Community Christmas, Glema Mahr Center for the Arts, Madisonville, (270) 824-8650, glemacenter.org 2 Santa Visits the Park & Gift Shop Open House, Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park, Dawson Springs, (270) 797-3421, parks.ky.gov 2 Kiwanis Christmas Parade, downtown Madisonville, visitmadisonvilleky.com 2 First Day Hike – Monthly Hiking Series, Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park, Dawson Springs, (270) 797-3421, parks.ky.gov
2016 DECEMBER 017 JANUARY 2
7-9 A Country Christmas Show, Kentucky Opry, Benton, (270) 527-3869, kentuckyopry.com
INSIDE A STORIED HOME
7-16 Anne of Green Gables, Playhouse in the Park, Murray, (270) 759-1752, playhousemurray.org 8 Christmas with Kellie Pickler and Phil Vassar, Glema Mahr Center for the Arts, Madisonville, (270) 824-8650, glemacenter.org
PLUS
Display until 2/14/2017
17 Activities for 2017 MacPhail Antler Artist Dan ning Faux Furs Donna Salyers’ Stun
thly.com
www.kentuckymon
VIEW OUR CURRENT ISSUE FREE AT
KENTUCKYMONTHLY.COM
9 2nd Saturday Hike – Outdoor Ethics, Lake Barkley State Resort Park, Cadiz, (270) 924-1431, parks.ky.gov 9-12 Return to Bethlehem, First Baptist Church, Madisonville, fbcmadisonville.com 9 Holiday Ornaments, John James Audubon State Park, Henderson, (270) 827-1893, parks.ky.gov 9 Breakfast and the Grinch, Barren River Lake State Resort Park, Lucas, (270) 646-2151, parks.ky.gov 11 Tempest Trio, Glema Mahr Center for the Arts, Madisonville, (270) 824-8650, glemacenter.org
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14 An Evening with Eddie and Alonzo Pennington, McCracken County Public Library, Paducah, mclib.net
Southern Region
Ongoing Kentucky: 225 Years on the Move, National Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, through Feb. 27, 1-800-538-3883, corvettemuseum.org November
2-4 Vets ’n Vettes, National Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, (270) 781-7973, corvettemuseum.org 4 Butler County History Bus Tour, Morgantown Community Church, Morgantown, (270) 993-8542 4 Veterans Day Parade, Fountain Square Park, Bowling Green, (270) 393-3641, bgky.org 4 The Association in Concert, Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center, Bowling Green, (270) 846-2426, theskypac.com 4 Mill Springs Battlefield Annual Ghostwalk, Zollicoffer Park, Nancy, (606) 636-4045, millsprings.net 4 Community Heritage Day, Kentucky Museum, Bowling Green, (270) 745-2592, wku.edu/kentuckymuseum 5 Bg26.2 & Half Marathon: The Race to Beat MS, throughout Bowling Green, (270) 791-2346, bg262.com 7 Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, The Center for Rural Development, Somerset, (606) 677-6000, centertech.com 7 Romeo Is Bleeding Film Screening and Q&A, Capitol Arts Center, Bowling Green, theskypac.com 9 Open House, Riverview at Hobson Grove, Bowling Green, (270) 843-5565, bgky.org/riverview 9 Author Jamie Ford, Warren County Public Library, Bob Kirby Branch, Bowling Green, warrenpl.org 11-12 Sheltowee Artisans Art Fair, The Center for Rural Development, Somerset, (606) 875-5264, centertech.com N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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CALENDAR
Let’s Go
17 Spice Up the Night Fundraiser, Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center, Bowling Green, (270) 904-1880, theskypac.com 17 3rd Friday Folk – Coffeehouse, Carnegie Community Arts Center, Somerset, (606) 305-6741, lamay.com/3rdFridayFolk.htm 27 At the Stroke of Midnight: An Original Holiday Musical, The Center for Rural Development, Somerset, (606) 677-6000, centertech.com December
3-4 Murder Mystery Theater, Carter Caves State Resort Park, Olive Hill, 1-800-325-0059, parks.ky.gov 4 Unbridled Adventure Race Series, Natural Bridge State Resort Park, Slade, 361adventures.com/unbridled 4 Appalachian Elk Viewing Tour, Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, Prestonsburg, also Nov. 25, (606) 889-1790, parks.ky.gov 10 Gary Allan Live, Eastern Kentucky Expo Center, Pikeville, (606) 444-5500, eastkyexpo.com
1-3 Festival of the Trains, Historic RailPark and Train Museum, Bowling Green, (270) 745-7317, historicrailpark.com
10-11 Uh-Oh, Here Comes Christmas! Rowan County Arts Center, Morehead, also Nov. 17-19, (606) 784-6221, moreheadtheatre.org
2 Christmas Parade, downtown Horse Cave, kygetaway.com
10-11 The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley, Jenny Wiley Mainstage, Pikeville, (606) 886-9274, jwtheatre.com
7 A Celtic Angels Christmas, The Center for Rural Development, Somerset, (606) 677-6000, centertech.com 15 3rd Friday Folk – Coffeehouse, Carnegie Community Arts Center, Somerset, (606) 305-6741, lamay.com/3rdFridayFolk.htm
Eastern Region
11 Trail Trek Series, Natural Bridge State Resort Park, Slade, (606) 663-2214, parks.ky.gov 11-12 Fly Fishing Weekend, Pine Mountain State Resort Park, Pineville, (606) 337-3066, parks.ky.gov 13 Winter Wonderland of Christmas Lights Festival Opening Ceremony, Central Park Bandstand, Ashland, (606) 324-5111, visitashlandky.com 17-19 Winter Wonderland Express Train Rides, Central Park and 22nd Street, Ashland, also Nov. 24-26, (606) 324-5111
November
3 Emmylou Harris, Paramount Arts Center, Ashland, (606) 324-3175, paramountartscenter.com
21 Christmas Parade, downtown Ashland, (606) 324-5111 23-26 Visits and Pictures with Santa, Transportation Center, Ashland, (606) 324-5111
24-25 Outdoor Family Adventure, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, Corbin, 1-800-325-0063, parks.ky.gov December
1-3 Visits and Pictures with Santa, Transportation Center, Ashland, also Dec. 8-10 and 15-17, (606) 324-5111 1-3 A Christmas Carol, Jenny Wiley Mainstage, Pikeville, also Dec. 5, 7-8, 10, 12, 14-16 and 19-20, (606) 886-9274, jwtheatre.com 1-3 Winter Wonderland Express Train Rides, Central Park and 22nd Street, Ashland, also Dec. 8-10 and 15-19, (606) 324-5111 2 Appalachian Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair, Kentucky Folk Art Center, Morehead, (606) 783-2204, kyfolkart.org 2 Appalachian Elk Viewing Tour, Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, Prestonsburg, (606) 889-1790, parks.ky.gov 2 Christmas in the City, downtown Paintsville, VisitPaintsvilleKy.com 2-3 Redbird Crest 100K Trail Race, Daniel Boone National Forest - Redbird District, Big Creek, (859) 699-9871, nextopportunityevents.com/redbirdcrest100k 7 Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker, Paramount Arts Center, Ashland, (606) 324-3175, paramountartscenter.com 7 Karaoke and Pizza with Santa, Transportation Center, Ashland, (606) 324-5111 8-9 Mountain HomePlace Christmas, Mountain HomePlace, Staffordsville, also Dec. 15-16, VisitPaintsvilleKy.com 9 Breakfast with Santa, Natural Bridge State Resort Park, Slade, (606) 663-2214, parks.ky.gov 15-16 Madeline’s Christmas, presented by the Paramount Players, Paramount Arts Center, Ashland, (606) 324-3175, paramountartscenter.com
FINE COFFEES ESPRESSO CAPPUCCINO LATTE Also offering pastries, breads, and sandwiches. Free Wi-Fi, along with a collection of books and other literature on early Kentucky and Mason County history.
35 E 2nd St, Maysville, KY 606.564.9704
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For additional Calendar items or to submit an event, please visit kentuckymonthly.com. Submissions must be sent at least 90 days prior to the event.
MARKETPLACE
WHERE IS GRANT COUNTY? Where your journey begins!
Grant County is 35 miles south of Cincinnati and 45 minutes north of Lexington - We are conveniently located on I-75 and easy to get to! Grant County is home to the Ark Encounter, Williamstown Lake, walking trails, historical sites, specialty shops, restaurants, a winery and dinner theatre. Grant County is the place you need to visit on your next getaway!
visitgrantky.com 1-800-382-7117 Kincaid Regional Theatre presents
J U N E 2 0 0 8 • K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY
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VOICES
Vested Interest
Vested Thanksgiving
R
ecently, Kentucky Monthly helped sponsor the first Heritage Preservation Symposium at Paris’ Duncan Tavern, and we were proud to be listed alongside Max and Sharon Cox, Linda and Jerry Bruckheimer, and Angela and Jess Correll as assisting the Kentucky Society Daughters of the American Revolution forward on its mission. The reality is, little—from small-town festivals to public television—would happen in Kentucky if it weren’t for generous folks such as these and many, many others. As Kentuckians, we have plenty for which to be thankful. While local and national news is full of stories of people who are all about taking, we shouldn’t overlook those who give back with their time, talents and resources. Thank you all! •••
Between 1993 and 2010, Steve Wilson and Laura Lee Brown acquired the 700-acre Hermitage Farm near Goshen in Oldham County to ensure it would not be turned into a housing development. It continues to be a world-renowned Thoroughbred horse operation and scenic location for weddings and events. They are also in the process of creating a full bourbon experience as well as farm-to-table dining options. For their efforts, the couple was presented the Linda Bruckheimer Excellence in Rural Preservation Award during the annual awards ceremony, held Oct. 7 at the historic John Dale House (hosted by John David and Mary Helen Myles) near Simpsonville. The Linda Bruckheimer Excellence in Rural Preservation Award goes to preservation leaders, projects or programming devoted to preserving Kentucky’s rural heritage. This includes small-town preservation, barn and farmland preservation, rural heritage-based education projects, and historic architectural or archaeological survey and National Register of Historic Places work intended to preserve rural properties. “Steve and I are honored to receive this recognition,” Brown said. “We were surprised when we found out that this award was going to be given to us. It seems a little strange to be honored for doing what seems right and natural … Land conservation is one of our core values. Kentucky’s beautiful, wide-open green spaces are its most valuable asset!”
readings by Kentucky writers to honor the release of several Larkspur Press titles, including Gabrielle Fox’s book Larkspur Press: Forty Years of Making Letterpress Books in a Rural Kentucky Community, 1974-2014 (Gaspereau Press, 2016). The event will take STEPHEN M. VEST place in three adjacent Publisher & Editor-in-Chief historic buildings in New Castle, beginning at The Berry Center with the gallery opening. The afternoon will highlight readings and book signings in the Heritage Building by Wendell Berry, Leatha Kendrick, Maurice Manning, Bobbie Ann Mason, Ed McClanahan, Trina Pieffer, Erik Reece, Sue Richards, Leslie Shane, Frederick Smock, Richard Taylor, Mary Ann Taylor-Hall, Frank X Walker and Gray Zeitz. The Bookstore at The Berry Center, housed in a historic 230-year-old cabin, will be open throughout the day offering cookies and wassail as well as books by Kentucky authors and unique gifts. Rollin’ Ruby’s food truck will offer a variety of soups and sandwiches. The Berry Center was started in 2011 to continue the agricultural work of John Berry Sr. and his sons, Wendell and John Jr. The Berry Center is focused on issues confronting small farming families in Kentucky and beyond. Said Wendell: “We are trying to answer two of the most essential questions of our time: ‘What will it take for farmers to be able to afford to farm well?’ and ‘How do we become a culture that will support good land use?’ These questions are nowhere in the public discourse, yet the answers will go a long way in solving the most serious issues we now face. Our focus may shift because of need, but it will not move from what we believe to be the central issue of our time: the need for healthy and sustainable agriculture.”
•••
The Berry Center, a nonprofit advocating for farmers, landconserving communities and healthy regional economies, will host its fourth annual open house Saturday, Nov. 11, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. This year’s celebration will feature a world-premiere exhibit of black-andwhite photography by Tanya Berry titled For the Hog Killing, 1979, available to view through March 2018; and
Laura Lee Brown, second from right, receives Preservation Kentucky’s Linda Bruckheimer Excellence in Rural Preservation Award from Christy Lee Brown, second from left. Also pictured are Betsy Hatfield, executive director of Preservation Kentucky and Grady Walter, Preservation Kentucky’s board chairman.
•••
More than 180 authors will be on hand for this year’s Kentucky Book Fair, which, after more than 30 years in Frankfort, will be held at the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington. Slated for Saturday, Nov. 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Fair’s featured authors include Berry, Mason, bell hooks, George Ella Lyon and Karen Robards. Parking and admission are free. Readers, and those looking for a speaker for a church or civic group, may contact Stephen M. Vest at steve@kentuckymonthly.
NOVEMBER KWIZ ANSWERS: 1. C. The Blue People lived outside Hazard as early as 1820; 2. B. Stapleton spent a year as a Vanderbilt Commodore; 3. A. Asian carp; 4. B. Lincoln; 5. 38; 6. C. Milk sickness; 7. C. Rum and spring water; 8. False; 9. A. 8; 10. C. 2012, when the Wildcats defeated Western Kentucky University and the University of Louisville 56
K E N T U C K Y M O N T H LY • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 7
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