Fall 2010
All Things Equine:
www.history.ky.gov
A Glimpse of the Horse in Our History
KHS Camp Artyfact is a Hit The Willis P. McKee Collection: A Story of Service
SO ON CO MI NG Discover Kentucky’s Unique Civil War Story. www.history.ky.gov/civilwar
“The Wheels on the Bus...” School field trips leave lasting memories. Annually, more than 30,000 students from every corner of the commonwealth travel to the KHS history campus to learn about their Kentucky heritage. Your secure online gift to the KHS Foundation Annual Fund will make an immediate impact, ensuring that our children will know what it means to be a Kentuckian. Visit www.history.ky.gov and click “Give/Join.” Or, mail your donation to: Kentucky Historical Society Foundation 100 W. Broadway Frankfort, KY 40601 502.564.1792 “I hope I go again.” Drawing of visit to KHS history campus from 4th grade Spencer County student, 2009.
Contents
Fall 2010
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Kentucky’s Horse Industry
An Interview with KHS Scholarly Research Fellow Catriona Paul
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More Than a One Horse History Broadening Horse Collections at KHS
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Vantage Point
The View from Camp ArtyFact
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Featured Acquisition | Willis Payne McKee Collection Connections | Education Briefs Perspective | Society News Inspiration | KHS Foundation Updates
5 Letter from the Executive Director 18 New Collections Acquisitions 32 KHS Calendar of Events
This page: Maud S, foaled at Woodburn Farm in 1874, was known as “The Queen of the Trotting Turf.” William Vanderbilt, of the prominent U.S. railroad family, sold Maud S to Robert Bonner for $40,000 in 1884. Three years later, Bonner reportedly refused a cash offer of $100,000 for Maud S. Donated by Martin F. Schmidt. Cover: This 1958 Anderson County Fair Horseshow Trophy belonged to Frank Bradshaw. KHS is home to a large collection of trophies and ribbons awarded to Bradshaw, a rider, trainer and horse owner in the Saddlebred horse industry, who spent most of his career in Scott County, Ky.
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Executive Director Kentucky Historical Society Kent Whitworth Executive Director Kentucky Historical Society Foundation Dana Bauer Cox Director of Communications Lisa Summers Cleveland Editor Lisa Summers Cleveland Assistant Editors Laura Coleman Lauren Medley Contributors Bill Bright, Tony Curtis, Nelson Dawson, Jennifer Duplaga, Chris Goodlett, Rebecca Hanly, Louise Jones, Leslie McWhorter, Darrell Meadows, Sarah Milligan, Catriona Paul, Sam Richardson, Don Rightmyer, Stuart Sanders, Andrew Stupperich, Tim Talbott Design Studio Director Scott Alvey Creative Director Charley Pallos Design Amy Crittenden Kelli Thompson
2010 KHS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE BOARD Chancellor, Gov. Steven L. Beshear President, Robert E. Rich, Covington First Vice President, Sheila Mason Burton, Frankfort Second Vice President, J. McCauley Brown, Louisville Third Vice President, Bill Black Jr., Paducah Yvonne Baldwin, Ph.D., Morehead; Terry Birdwhistell, Ed.D., Lexington; Fred Brashear II, Hyden; Jim Claypool, Ph.D., Park Hills; Major Gen. (Ret.) Verna D. Fairchild, Frankfort; John Hardin, Ph.D., Bowling Green; Derrick Hord, Lexington; John Kleber, Ph.D., Louisville; Ruth Ann Korzenborn, Edgewood; Karen McDaniel, Frankfort; Brian Mefford, Bowling Green; Mike Mullins, Hindman; Patti Mullins, Corbin; Nancy O’Malley, Paris; Renee Shaw, Lexington; Sue Speed, Louisville; Louis Stout, Lexington 2009 KHS FOUNDATION BOARD President, John R. Hall, Lexington First Vice-President, Ann Rosenstein Giles, Lexington Second Vice-President, Henry C. T. Richmond III, Lexington Secretary, Kent Whitworth, Frankfort Treasurer, Buckner Woodford IV, Paris Lucy A. Breathitt, Lexington; Bruce Cotton, Lexington; James T. Crain Jr., Louisville; Dennis Dorton, Paintsville; Thomas Dupree, Lexington; Jo M. Ferguson, Louisville; Frank Hamilton, Georgetown; Jamie Hargrove, Louisville; Raymond R. Hornback, Ed.D., Lexington; Nancy Lampton, Louisville; Elizabeth Lloyd Jones, Midway; James C. Klotter, Ph.D., Lexington; Anita Madden, Lexington; James H. M. Molloy, Lexington; Margaret Patterson, Frankfort; Erwin Roberts, Louisville; Warren W. Rosenthal, Lexington; James Shepherd, Georgetown; Gerald L. Smith, Ph.D., Lexington; Alice Sparks, Crescent Springs; Charles Stewart, Frankfort; John P. Stewart II, M.D., Frankfort; William Sturgill, Lexington; James M. Wiseman, Erlanger
Photography Creative Services Charley Pallos Lee Thomas Circulation Manager Leslie Miller
Fall 2010. The Chronicle is published by the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS), Frankfort, Ky. It is a periodical for KHS members and friends that builds awareness of the mission of the Society as it engages people in the exploration of the diverse heritage of the commonwealth. The Chronicle reports how the comprehensive and innovative services, interpretive programs and stewardship of the Society are providing connections to the past, perspective on the present and inspiration for the future. If you are interested in making a bequest to the Society’s work, use our full legal address: Kentucky Historical Society Foundation, 100 West Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601. Send all address changes to: The Chronicle, Kentucky Historical Society, 100 West Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601. Website: www. history.ky.gov. E-mail: KHSmembership@ky.gov.
The Kentucky Historical Society is an agency of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet.
Director’sletter “The Cup is Half Full!” We’ve all heard the phrase, “the cup is half full,” and that is the attitude we are taking at the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) during these difficult financial times. As an agency of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, KHS receives strong general fund support from the commonwealth of Kentucky. Nevertheless, in the face of an ongoing global economic recession, budgets within most state agencies have been reduced eight times in two-and-a-half years, and the fiscal year 2011-2012 biennial budget requires cuts even deeper than the enacted appropriations. At KHS, this translates into a 35 percent reduction in general fund dollars and a reduction in workforce from a peak of 95 full and part-time staff shortly after the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History opened in 1999 to a staff of 60 today. How KHS responds to these challenges is critical. I am happy to report that the KHS Committee (governing board) approved a new three-year strategic plan at its meeting on July 16. The plan focuses on four main goals:
On Aug. 20, the KHS Foundation also reviewed the new plan. Together, KHS and the KHS Foundation will focus on serving our target audiences: educators and students, and history enthusiasts. With a healthy respect for the challenges that lie before us, we remain excited about the future of KHS! This fall, KHS welcomes the world to Kentucky during the World Equestrian Games. In honor of the Games, some of the KHS horse-related collections are featured in this issue of the Chronicle. As you entertain guests during the Games—and in the future—please consider bringing them to visit the KHS history campus. We think that KHS is a great place to introduce people to all that is Kentucky—and we hope that you agree!
Executive Director
1) KHS will be a significant resource fostering the production of historical works, the promotion of historical understanding and history education. 2) KHS will develop and strengthen statewide collaborative relationships that connect with and support key institutions and community activities. 3) KHS will become a customer driven organization and implement marketing strategies that promote the use of KHS resources and services. 4) KHS will diversify and grow its funding and ensure the positive support from the state for long-term sustainability.
The history of the horse in Kentucky is as diverse as the number of horse breeds. A new exhibit in the Center’s Commonwealth Hall features breeding records, tools related to the industry and awards from various equine sports.
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Opposite: Engraved by A. Dick for the Spirit of the Times from a painting by Edward Troye, ca. 1830.
KENTUCKY’S HORSE INDUSTRY An Interview with KHS Scholarly Research Fellow Catriona Paul
Catriona Paul
We cannot understand the past without understanding the present; nor can we understand the present without understanding the past. This maxim, famous among historians and first uttered by the French historian Marc Bloch—who had in mind France’s agricultural history— applies no less to Kentucky and its horse industry. This is particularly true for its early history, about which surprisingly little is known.
But a doctoral student at the University of Dundee, Scotland, Catriona Paul, is about to change that. With the help of a KHS Scholarly Research Fellowship, Paul is quickly becoming one of the leading historians of the early horse industry in Kentucky. Her preliminary work on “the importance of horses in the lives of early inhabitants of Kentucky, from the frontier years through to early statehood,” conducted at KHS and other repositories, recently earned her a coveted six month research fellowship at the Library of Congress, co-sponsored by the John W. Kluge Center and the British Arts and Humanities Research Council. Paul will return to KHS in fall 2010 to complete her research using several important KHS collections. What follows is an e-mail interview that Darrell Meadows, director of research and interpretation for the Kentucky Historical Society, conducted with Paul this past spring.
Meadows: Could you tell us briefly, what is the focus of your study and how will it further our understanding of early Kentucky? Paul: Around 1800, horses were everywhere you might care to turn—used on the farms and roads, relied upon by the militia, filling the towns on court days and, as most people know, providing the entertainment at numerous race courses. Yet perhaps because horses were ubiquitous, their presence has been taken for granted by historians. I’m suggesting that by focusing on horses and what they meant to society, we can learn a lot about the development of Kentucky. Meadows: Before we get too far along, I just have to ask: how does someone born in Scotland become interested in Kentucky horses? Paul: Well, I finally managed to put together two things that always fascinated me growing up—horses and America! Up until I started this project, I’d always kept the two things separate—I studied history at university and had horse jobs during the holidays. But then I became part of a research team headed by Matthew Ward, Ph.D., at the University of Dundee in Scotland which had the trans-Appalachian West as its focus. Kentucky attracted me because of its two best known www.history.ky.gov |
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exports—the Derby and bourbon! Realizing I knew a lot more about horses than I’m ever likely to know about whiskey (despite being from Scotland) I decided to investigate why Kentucky, of all the states, acquired a reputation for raising horses. Meadows: Your work investigates the very earliest stages of the horse industry in Kentucky, and also what you call “horse culture.” What do you mean by “horse culture”? Paul: Well, I’m not suggesting that horses went to the theatre, which might be one interpretation!
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What I really mean by “horse culture” are the attitudes, ideas and behaviors associated with being a horsedependent society. By 1800, the vast majority of white, male Kentuckians, including those who were really quite poor, did own at least one horse. All those people were taking part in what I would call “horse culture.” A horse was a status symbol that told onlookers a great deal about the owner. It revealed him as rich or poor, single or family man, itinerant worker or settled householder, careful or careless. People related to each other through their horses. Judgments
of character were made on the basis of an honest sale or a competitive race. And individuals could send a message to the rest of society through participating in aspects of horse culture. It is interesting, for example, that so many of Kentucky’s political leaders were interested in racing pedigree horses (a very public display of wealth and success) and in offering the stud services of winning animals to the rest of society (an act of both economy and self promotion). Meadows: Your research and writing suggest that, from the very beginning, the development of the horse industry shaped Kentucky society in important ways. Could you elaborate? Paul: In the first instance, horses were vital to Kentucky becoming established as a viable economic entity. Until the U.S. acquired rights to navigate the Mississippi, Kentucky relied on horses and mules to get its goods to market in the east. Indeed, horses themselves constituted a valuable “crop” and one that could walk itself to market. From the beginning of the 19th century, Kentucky was acquiring a reputation for producing good quality riding horses, with U.S. army agents, among others, seeking Kentucky mounts. It was good publicity for all those involved with the horse industry when Kentucky race horses performed well out-of-state. Buyers began to associate the state with good horses, at every consumer level. I think this is one of the reasons why Kentuckians from across the social spectrum took an interest in racing even though the majority couldn’t afford to run a horse personally. Horses helped create wealth for the state and they were a fun way of showing that wealth off. From these positive associations grew a sense of pride in Kentuckybred horses and a sense of identity which Kentucky still revels in today.
Opposite: The American Turf Register and Sporting Magazine, which began publication in 1829 in Baltimore, Md., focused on the horse racing calendar, pedigrees, stable management, breeding and veterinary practices. In 1839, William T. Porter, editor of Spirit of the Times, purchased the Turf Register. Porter ended publication of the Turf Register in 1844, combining both magazines under the new title, Spirit of the Times: A Chronicle of the Turf, Agriculture, Field Sports, Literature and the Stage. KHS Collections.
Meadows: Your research breaks new ground on several fronts. One of those is your emphasis on the environment, especially what you call the built environment. Could you explain what you mean by the “built environment?” Paul: When you look at Kentucky’s Bluegrass region— its beautiful fields, fences, and horse barns—it is tempting to think of this as a natural landscape. But environmental historians tend to question what “natural” really means, and in the case of the Bluegrass, the onlooker really observes a man-made landscape, a “built environment,” that was transformed from Indian hunting grounds in the late 18th century. What I find fascinating is how settlers began to feel at home in their newly acquired lands, especially when these lands had often been violently wrested from Ohio Indians. How do you replace a sense of fear and uneasiness and, possibly, memories of wartime atrocities, with a sense of justified possession, contentment and well being? Well, one of the ways settlers began to feel at home in Kentucky was to make it look familiar by putting up fences and barns and filling fields with livestock, including horses. By drawing on the company of animals, settlers were able to replace that sense of fear on the land with a sense of comfort and continuity. I think the psychological benefit of living with animals tends to be overlooked when historians evaluate the more tangible advantages of the relationship (at least from the human perspective) such as animals for food, clothing, transport or power. But in Kentucky, when settlers chose to raise horses, they were filling their fields with company and a sense of contentment. Henry Clay is perhaps most effusive on the joy he took in rearing livestock at Ashland away from the political fray in Washington (a different kind of stress from frontier living). But there are earlier examples on which I also draw. Meadows: From your vantage point, and as someone involved in a program dedicated to the comparative study of “frontier” societies—in what ways was Kentucky’s trans-Appalachian frontier unique? What features did it share with frontier societies in other times and places? Paul: Well, of course I want to bring the answer back to horses, but first I should share some of the findings www.history.ky.gov |
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of the project. My colleague, Darren Reid, has found that the intensity of violence on the Kentucky frontier in the 1770s and 80s was second to none; white settlers were party to both the fighting of the Revolution and a battle for territorial control with resident Ohio Indians. That experience of violence hardened attitudes on all sides. Of course, I would bring horses into the discussion and mention that horse theft often occasioned an escalation of violence. What is more, horses brought a new dimension to warfare in the Ohio Valley. Mounted military campaigns were faster, went further and cost more than fighting on foot, the dominant mode of fighting until the late 18th century. I seem to be back to my favorite theme—but you can’t escape the role of horses in Kentucky! It was the first frontier where settlers relied heavily on horses. If you think of the original 13 colonies, horses had not played a significant role in the opening phases of settlement. Shipping horses across the Atlantic was expensive and high-risk. So, first contact on the eastern seaboard was made on foot; trees were cleared with the help of oxen; people got around on foot or by boat. Without the help of horses, the pace of settlement would have been altogether slower and the frontier more static than what we have seen across the Appalachians. By the time settlers looked across the mountains to Kentucky, horse numbers were up and the animals were attainable. Settlers arrived on horseback or floated their animals down the Ohio on barges. And from horseback, the world looks a little different,
expectations change. If you ride, distances are shorter; town isn’t so far; your neighbor seems closer; you acquire a bigger farm if you can. On horseback, time speeds up a little. You can travel further in a morning. You expect to accomplish more in a day. And, if circumstances aren’t working out, and you have a horse to ride; you’re more willing to try someplace new. And that’s my last thought really, about how the Kentucky frontier was unique—the transition from frontier to sophisticated settlement appears to have sped up when compared to the east. Through the 1780s and early 1790s, mass migration (made possible by horses) meant that all the land was taken up by the turn of the century. After 1800, eastern migrants had to set their sights on territories further west if they wished to relocate. And the speed of settlement in Kentucky gave an indicator that westward expansion in the new republic was going to be far more rapid than earlier colonization under British rule. My research on Kentucky suggests that horses were at the heart of what Americans considered possible as they surged into the 19th century. Whilst I have the ear of the readers, if anyone would like to contact me about my research or has material relevant to my period of study, they can contact me by e-mail at c.m.paul@dundee.ac.uk. v
KHS Scholarly Research Fellowship program Made possible by the generous support of the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) Foundation, the KHS Scholarly Research Fellowship program encourages and promotes advanced study and research in the collections of KHS on all aspects of Kentucky history. The annual application deadline is April 30. To learn more, go to the KHS website at history.ky.gov and click on “Learn,” then “Research Fellowships.”
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William “Billy” Walker Tintype, ca. 1870. KHS Collections.
MORE THAN A ONE HORSE HISTORY Broadening Horse Collections at the Kentucky Historical Society
Curators and archivists at the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) are constantly surveying the landscape for potential collections acquisitions, including artifacts, manuscripts, books, pamphlets and oral histories. One current area of focus is the Kentucky horse industry, with the most recent collections opportunity occurring in November 2009. The descendents of William “Billy” Walker, an African American jockey born into slavery in Woodford County in 1860, made several lots available for auction. Walker rode in the first Kentucky Derby in 1875 and won the Derby two years later riding Baden-Baden, trained by fellow African American Ed Brown. On
July 4, 1878, Walker rode Ten Broeck to victory over Mollie McCarthy at Churchill Downs in a famous match race, which is memorialized in a bluegrass song entitled, “Mollie & Tenbrooks.” After retiring as a jockey in 1896, he worked as a bloodstock expert, horse trainer and consultant for John Madden at Hamburg Place in Lexington. Walker died in 1933. With the financial support of the KHS Foundation, the Society acquired a circa 1870 tintype of Walker, along with other artifacts belonging to him. The image of the tintype is shown above. Prior to this acquisition, KHS held two significant collections related to African Americans in the 20th century Kentucky thoroughbred industry. A portion of www.history.ky.gov |
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the Oscar Dishman Collection, which documents the career of African American thoroughbred owner and trainer Oscar Dishman, resides at KHS. Additionally, a Kentucky Oral History Commission special project was conducted from 1994-1995 to document the experiences of African Americans in the thoroughbred industry, including trainers, jockeys, exercise riders, clockers, grooms and hot walkers. Thanks to the generosity of the KHS Foundation, the Society has grown its collections related to the Kentucky thoroughbred industry, particularly lending attention to the history of African American jockeys and trainers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Taking into account the collections as a whole, KHS preserves a small, yet important continuum of the history of African American involvement in the Kentucky thoroughbred industry.
Past collecting efforts at KHS in relation to the horse have primarily focused on the thoroughbred industry. Two important KHS thoroughbred collections are the Woodburn Farm Collection and the Nantura Stud Farm Records. The Woodburn Collection, a particularly expansive KHS collection, includes manuscripts, ledgers, correspondence, business records and personal papers spanning multiple generations of the Alexander family from 1767-1934. But the history of the horse in Kentucky is not exclusive to the thoroughbred industry. KHS has acquired a few collections that help supply a broader understanding of the importance of the horse to the history of the commonwealth. The Henry L. Martin Papers and the Frank Bradshaw Collection are two such collections; they speak to the diversity of horse businesses and horse breeds in the commonwealth.
Clockwise, from near left: Fordyce with jockey D. Whited and Oscar Dishman Jr. (at right); Churchill Downs, Nov. 19, 1968; courtesy of the Kentucky Derby Museum. This trophy was won by Mark of Success, owned by The Old Stone House Farm, at the 1954 Kentucky State Fair. KHS Collections. This jockey cap bears the stable colors from one of the many owners Oscar Dishman Jr. (1923-2000) worked with in the 1970s. These colors and patterns are unique to individual farms. Dishman was an African American thoroughbred owner and trainer from Scott County, Ky. Donated by Marilyn Dishman, KHS Collections.
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Nantura Stock Farm, owned by John and Frank Harper of Woodford County, Ky., was part of a grouping of horse farms that shaped the thoroughbred horse landscape and bloodlines in central Kentucky. This notebook chronicles the 1886 breeding season. KHS Collections. www.history.ky.gov |
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Opposite: Henry Lewis Martin was a partner with Martin, Thomson and Co., “dealers of Kentucky mules and horses,” a business based in Louisville, Ky., and New Orleans, La. Letterheads from this collection show the diversity of horse businesses in Kentucky. KHS Collections.
The Alexander family owned and operated Woodburn Stud Farm in Woodford County, Ky., for most of the 19th century. They were founding members of the Kentucky Trotting Association, later named the Kentucky Trotting Horse Breeders Association. Donated by A.J. Alexander, KHS Collections.
KHS curators continually seek collections that will highlight the breadth and depth of the Kentucky horse industry. Areas of focus defined by KHS curators and archivists include: •
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Collections that tell the history of immigrant laborers on the backside of the horse farm and horse track, inclusive of the Scots-Irish, enslaved and emancipated African Americans and Latinos. Collections that tell the history of the horse as a “prime mover,” a tool in agriculture, motive power in transportation, a cog in multiple cycles of migration westward and a shaper of urban planning and development. Collections that span the diversity of current and historic horse breeds across Kentucky, such as the draft horses of Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky’s own unique Saddlebred and the Kentucky Mountain Horse of eastern Kentucky.
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Collections of horse industry business records, especially those related to the 20th century.
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Collections that document the linkages of the Kentucky horse industry to the international community and the influence of the international community on the Kentucky horse industry.
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Collections that tell the history of the horse economy in Kentucky, for example livery stables, wagon and carriage manufacturers, veterinarians, railways, breeding farms, racetracks and blacksmiths.
The possibilities for horse-related collections growth are endless, especially considering the horse industry in Kentucky history from this broader perspective. If you have a collection relating to the horse industry or you know of a collection that could help document this wider view of the horse industry in the commonwealth, please contact a KHS curator or archivist at 502-564-1792. v www.history.ky.gov |
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SOCIETYCOLLECTIONS
Willis Payne McKee Collection: A Story of Service In April 2010, the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) received a donation from the family of Willis McKee, M.D., that tells the story of McKee’s service to his state and nation. McKee’s story begins in 1915 with his birth in Lawrenceburg, Ky. To many, McKee was known as an exceptional physician in central Kentucky, a tradition now carried on by his son. The longevity of his career alone would make preserving this story important, but hidden just under the surface is the story of Col.
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McKee and his service during World War II. McKee entered service in the U.S. Army on June 20, 1942 as part of the 101st Airborne. Assigned to the 326th Airborne Medical Company, he received permission to jump into France on D-Day with a small medical team. Landing near his intended target, Capt. McKee set up an aid station to begin treating the wounded. In September 1944, he flew in the lead glider during Operation Market Garden. Captured by the Germans near Bastogne in December, McKee was
sent to Stalag IV B. Later, he transferred to a POW hospital in Leipzig where he first used penicillin to treat patients. Liberated on April 19, 1945, McKee went on to have a long and auspicious Army career, eventually retiring with the rank of colonel. Col. McKee amassed a remarkable collection of artifacts relating to his service. The items his family donated to KHS include a piece of the reserve parachute carried by then Capt. McKee during his jump on D-Day; a V-Mail (victory mail) to his wife dated June 7, 1944; the surgical bag which accompanied him throughout much of the war; telegrams informing his family of his capture and liberation; and his British battle dress uniform. The collection also includes many other pieces of correspondence, photographs, souvenirs and what the family describes as a piece of the glider that carried McKee into Holland during Operation Market Garden. As with any incoming collection, KHS curators take special care to learn as much about each artifact as possible before the object is cataloged. While researching this collection, the glider piece mentioned above raised several questions. The piece is crudely marked “The Fighting Falcon Presented by Greenville Schools Greenville Michigan.” This marking was known to be inscribed on at least two CG-4A gliders. The accepted story is that the original Fighting Falcon was to be the lead glider on D-Day. However, when it was determined that Brig. Gen. Don F. Pratt would fly in the Falcon, a second glider with a
crash protection system was substituted and painted to match the original. Ironically, Pratt was killed when his glider crashed on D-Day. The original Falcon survived the invasion. While the piece in the McKee collection does not match images of the original Fighting Falcon, it is quite similar to a piece photographed at the crash site of the second Falcon. After consulting with French researchers and the Silent Wings Museum in Lubbock, Texas, evidence suggests that the piece may be a surviving part of the glider that carried Gen. Pratt on D-Day. Additional research is being conducted in coordination with the Don F. Pratt Museum at Fort Campbell, Ky. KHS curators continue to work with the family and other researchers to gather additional evidence. The family’s donation of the McKee Collection to KHS means this Kentucky treasure will be preserved and shared for generations to come. To read more about Col. McKee, see “BattleFire!: Combat Stories from World War II,” by Col. Arthur L. Kelly. The chapter devoted to McKee covers his WWII experience. Transcripts of Kelly’s oral history interview with Col. McKee are housed at the University of Kentucky. Also, see the Report of Capt. Willis P. McKee, Medical Corps 326th Airborne Medical Company, 101st Airborne Division, APO 472 on the U.S. Army Medical Department Office of Medical History website at history.amedd.army.mil.
Opposite page: Photo of Captain Willis McKee, 1944. This page, from top: 101st Airborne Division patch; Prisoner of war transfer card, 1944. All items donated by Willis McKee Jr., M.D. www.history.ky.gov |
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SOCIETYCOLLECTIONS
New DONATIONS & ACQUISITIONS TO THE
KENTUCKY HISTORICAL SOCIETY COLLECTIONS
The Kentucky Historical Society continually adds to its collections of historic materials. Photographs, documents, artifacts and oral histories help keep Kentucky’s rich past alive for future generations. A sample of the latest acquisitions is featured here.
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Slap Bracelet, ca. 1990 A slap bracelet is a flat steel band, sometimes covered in fabric or leather, which creates a bracelet when slapped on the wrist. A fad during the late 1980s and early 1990s, girls and boys enjoyed wearing this fashion accessory. This bracelet belonged to the donor. Donated by Christina G. Benson, 2010.12
Wedding Cake Toppers, 1942 These bisque figurines topped the wedding cake of Eloise Letton and John Billy Wiglesworth. The couple was married in Cynthiana, Ky, in December 1942. Jane Marr Martin, cousin of the bride, made and decorated the cake. Donated by Jane Martin Smith, 2010.11
Medical Instruments and Tools, ca. 1940-1980 The Red Bird Mission, founded in Beverly, Ky. in 1921, serves communities in southeastern Kentucky. The mission impacts the communities through various ministries. These medical instruments illustrate the health and wellness ministry of the mission to this area of Appalachia. Donated by the Red Bird Clinic, 2010.13
National Baseball Hall of Fame Baseball Cap, 1997 Harold Henry “Pee Wee” Reese signed and wore this baseball cap. Reese, one of four native Kentuckians in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, was born in Ekron, Ky. He played with the Brooklyn, and later Los Angeles, Dodgers from 1940 to 1958. The Veterans Committee voted Reese into the Hall of Fame in 1984. Donated by Dorothy “Dottie” Reese, 2009.27.1
Oral History with Helm Roberts Helm Roberts, architect of the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Frankfort, Ky., shares his experience developing the design for this memorial in a recent oral history interview. This interview is available in the Martin F. Schmidt Research Library and copies are available for $5. The interview will eventually be available online.
Hart County African American Heritage Oral History Project This collection includes 19 oral history interviews focusing on African American community life in southern Hart County, Ky. Topics cover early African American settlements, segregation and Civil Rights Movement activities in the area. This collection is available in the Martin F. Schmidt Research Library and copies are available for $5. The collection will eventually be available online.
VANTAGE POINT The View from Camp ArtyFact Seven 10 to 12 year-olds and one instructor stood in a circle, giggling and full of energy, in the middle of the classroom. The excited first camper took his place in the center of the circle, ran toward one camper and yelled, “Jello!” The recipient of the call then jiggled and made what can only be described as a wiggly Jello sound.
The camp is sponsored by the KHS Foundation, with support from the Kentucky Arts Council. After several minutes of participating in this activity, Ellis called the campers to the center of the room to be seated and to debrief. “Why is this a good activity?” Ellis asked.
The instructor, Kathi Ellis, explained the activity, which consisted of a caller standing in the middle of the circle and saying words like Stonehenge! and Boppybopbopbop!, while the members of the circle responded to the call. Welcome to week two of Camp ArtyFact, the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) summer camp for children ages six to 12, which offers campers the opportunity to explore history through theatre, folk arts, making fine-scale models, cartooning and other activities.
“It makes you think!” suggested one camper. “It gets our mind already thinking, remembering things,” offered another. “Our body has to sort of go with what we’re thinking.”
Above: An ArtyFact camper works diligently in the Kentucky Journey exhibition during the transportation class. In its inaugural year, Camp ArtyFact served 140 students ages six to 12. www.history.ky.gov |
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Introducing History through Theatre After the initial warm-up activity, Ellis informed the class about the activities of the day. Today, she told them, they would spend some time in the exhibitions—a comment that received a fist pump from a pink-clad participant. Their assignment would be to look at different pieces of writing in the museum, read aloud from it and then, as a group, create tableaus depicting the writings. “In a picture, what we see is a frozen moment in time,” Ellis said. “Everybody is still, nobody is moving. Tableau is a frozen moment of time. With our bodies, we create images from a piece of writing. When we use our bodies to create objects, we don’t have to use words.” When Ellis’s class entered “A Kentucky Journey,” the KHS signature exhibition, they approached the flatboat in the frontier section. Then, one camper read aloud a quote from William Whitley. “At times my wife would fall, horse and all and at other times she and her children [were]in a file tied together. In that situation, we were 33 days in the wilderness… had rain, hail and snow with disadvantages large. William Whitney, 1749-1813,” the camper read. The class then discussed travel during the frontier era and how much travel has changed since that time. “If it rains, we have windshield wipers,” commented one camper. “If it hails…well, I don’t know what we have if it hails—I’ve never been in hail. But we have a lot more to work with.” Instruction at Camp ArtyFact Along with the tools KHS has to make this camp effective—the history campus, existing programs, a plethora of artifacts that could fit in wide array of topics—Camp ArtyFact offers one more feature that not all camps can boast: high-quality instructors from a variety of walks of life. Instructors for the camp include juried theater teachers and actors, studio artists, sculptors, certified art educators, painters, folklorists, animators, cartoonists and script writers.
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“We have chosen the highest quality educators to teach in Camp ArtyFact from professional artists to professional classroom teachers,” said Mike Deetsch, KHS interpretive education administrator. “Each instructor brings his own unique perspective and experience to his class and has seamlessly blended the KHS campus into his projects. The success of this program relies heavily on the quality of instruction and accessibility of the educators and we believe we have the staff who deliver in these areas.” Classes at the camp are divided into two groups— campers ages six to nine and campers ages 10 to 12. This year’s camp ran in one week terms, Monday through Friday from July 12 to 30 and served 140 campers, some participating in several courses. Some campers even attended all 15 days of the camp. With the success of this year’s summer camp, Deetsch says he hopes Camp ArtyFact becomes an annual event. A one-week camp is scheduled for October 4-8, and the camp will be similar to the three-week summer camp in class schedule and format. And plans for a spring break camp for 2011 are also in the works. To find out more about the fall break one-week camp, contact Mike Deetsch at Mike.Deetsch@ky.gov or visit www.history.ky.gov/camp. To get a peek at Camp ArtyFact Summer Camp 2010 and view a short video from the camp, visit History Burgoo, the KHS blog, at www.historyburgoo.com and click July 2010 Archives. v
Near left: An ArtyFact camper displays her political buttons during the working small class. Opposite page, top to bottom: Greg Hardison, KHS Museum Theatre Director, demonstrates how campers can use their bodies to create the movements of vehicles as part of the creative dramatics segment of the ArtyFact transportation class; ArtyFact participants work together to simulate a car.
www.history.ky.gov |
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CONNECTIONS | Education Briefs 2010 National History Day Contest Puts Kentucky Students in the Spotlight Thirty-four of Kentucky’s best and brightest students participated in the 2010 National History Day contest held at the University of Maryland in College Park from June 13-17. These Kentucky students joined over 2,500 other participants from locations as far away as Guam and Samoa to compete. The event began on Sunday with a rousing opening ceremony, which included furious button trading among the competitors from different states and territories. Monday was reserved for junior (grades six through eight) project judging, while Tuesday was the day for senior (grades nine through 12) competitors to shine.
Wednesday proved to be a full day as a number of the Kentucky students and their parents took the Metro train into Washington and visited the recently opened Capitol Building Visitor Center. They received a personal tour of the Capitol by Sen. Mitch McConnell. After visiting the Capitol, the Kentucky students met with Rep. Ben Chandler at his office. Before returning to campus, the students toured the recently renovated National Museum of American History. That evening, they met for a pizza party and to make signs in preparation for Thursday’s awards ceremony. Kentucky’s “Unbridled Spirit” was evident at the parade of states, which opened the awards ceremony. Lexington’s Winburn Middle School student Aaron Weittenhiller received the award for the highest scoring Kentucky competitor in the junior category for his paper, “The Five Dollar Day,” while Will Walker of Rockcastle County High School received the award for highest scoring Kentucky competitor in the senior category for his individual performance of “Lion of White Hall: Cassius Marcellus Clay, Kentucky’s Catalyst of Change.” Will Walker and Aaron Weittenhiller were the highest scoring Kentucky competitors in their respective divisions.
Educators Gather for 2010 Kentucky History Education Conference Elementary through college-level educators from 26 Kentucky counties attended the 2010 Kentucky History Education Conference (KHEC) on Thursday, July 15 at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. The all-day event was presented by the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS). Participants were given the opportunity to attend four of the 12 presentation offerings. The presentations featured speakers from four Kentucky institutions of higher education and covered topics on historical content, teaching strategies
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and primary sources. The keynote presentation on historical perspectives of American diplomacy was provided by George Herring, Ph.D. and University of Kentucky professor emeritus. Plans are now underway for the 2011 KHEC. For information on next year’s conference, check the KHS website, www.history.ky.gov, or contact Tim Talbott at tim.talbott@ky.gov.
CONNECTIONS | Education Briefs School Groups Invited to Explore KHS History Campus Over the course of a school year, the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) will welcome more than 30,000 school visitors from more than 100 Kentucky counties. Many of these school groups are recipients of the Elizabeth Lloyd (Libby) Jones Student Scholarship Fund, which provides free admission to schools in need of financial assistance. KHS welcomes school groups with a wide variety of services and provides a range of experiences. All school groups have the opportunity to explore “A Kentucky Journey,” the Society’s permanent exhibition in the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History either on their own or with a museum staff member. Additionally, groups have the option of selecting a KHS Museum Theatre play and watching the live theatre performance in the museum galleries. This year, students will be able to explore the temporary exhibition “Kentucky Military Treasures: Selections from the Kentucky Historical Society Collections,” as well. This exhibition provides students with an opportunity to connect with treasures from the Kentucky Military History Museum while that building is undergoing renovations. As part of the campus experience, students may also visit the Old State Capitol. Tours of this Greek Revival-style building give students a chance to learn first-hand about the beginnings of Kentucky politics and the building that housed these important political figures. KHS will be welcoming back the Hands-on-History Cart docents, who were a vital part of the success of the 2009-2010 school group season. These docents provided a hands-on experience of Kentucky history
in “A Kentucky Journey” and helped ensure student visitors had an engaging experience with the KHS collections and staff. If you would like to visit the KHS history campus with your school group, contact Leslie McWhorter at leslie.mcwhorter@ky.gov or 502-564-1792.
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CONNECTIONS | Education Briefs KHS Fall Teacher Events to Offer Something for Everyone Teachers who would like to brush up on their content knowledge, learn from Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) exhibits or gather new ideas for teaching history will have several opportunities to do so this fall. KHS will offer regional training sessions as part of the Kentucky Junior Historical Society (KJHS) program, host teachers at the history campus in Frankfort at an open house and work with more than 150 teachers through the Teaching American History grant partnerships. KJHS Sessions With funding provided by the Teaching with Primary Sources program of the Library of Congress, KJHS will host eight regional rallies for teachers and students at local universities to introduce the 2010-2011 Kentucky History Day project theme and to model teaching ideas and research suggestions and activities. While individual teachers may attend, KJHS sponsors are also encouraged to bring their club members as a field trip opportunity. Homeschool parents and students are also welcome.
Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010 (9 a.m.-1 p.m.) District 8: Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, Cumberland Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) District 3: Frazier International History Museum, Louisville Friday, Nov. 5, 2010 (9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) District 4: Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) District 5: Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2010 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) District 7: Morehead State University, Morehead Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2010 (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) District 2: Kentucky Wesleyan College, Owensboro Teacher Open House On Thursday evening, Sept. 16, KHS will host an open house for teachers who might not know all that is available at the KHS history campus in downtown Frankfort. Curators and educators will be on hand to interact with teachers who can tour exhibits at a more leisurely pace than when they are chaperoning a group of students. Teaching American History Grant Partnerships Finally, a series of workshops, both on and off the KHS campus, will take place throughout the fall with KHS Teaching American History grant partners—the Central Kentucky Special Education Cooperative, Knott County Board of Education, Covington Independent School District, Powell County Schools and the Wilderness Trail Education Cooperative. KHS educators will work with teachers on topics such as Kentucky’s early statehood and the early 20th century. Primary source activities, using items drawn from KHS collections, will strengthen teachers’ content knowledge and help them engage their students more effectively in the classroom.
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2010
CONNECTIONS | Education Briefs
BY THE NUMBERS *
12
14
{
52
MUSEUM THEATRE OUTREACH
100lbs.
Weight of an historical marker
of purchasing an $2075- Cost marker $2300 historical (depending on the desired text)
6 museums & historic sites 5 libraries 3 colleges
*numbers as of Sept. 1, 2010
{
Historical markers dedicated this year
Museums-to-Go exhibits available on a variety of topics
{
Museum Theatre outreach visits
13
20 Venues to host Museums-to-Go
Accents used during Museum Theatre outreach performances
Museum Theatre viewers
Museum Theatre outreach plays available to audiences
HISTORICAL MARKERS
25
3157
Counties visited by Museum Theatre outreach
41 15
Museums-to-Go exhibit visits Counties visited by Museums-to-Go
8
Counties have received historical markers
{
MUSEUMS-TO-GO www.history.ky.gov |
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Perspective | Society News IN MEMORIAM
Walter Baker
The Register to Join Project MUSE in 2011
Former KHS President
Feb. 27, 1937 – May 24, 2010 A lifelong Kentuckian, Walter Baker served with distinction on the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) Executive Committee for nearly 25 years. Baker was elected president for 20022003 and was a member of the KHS Foundation Board of Directors from 2004 to 2007. The Harvard-educated lawyer was a respected statesman; he represented Barren County for more than two decades in the state legislature. Baker’s colleagues remember him fondly, describing him as “scholarly and genteel” and “an enthusiastic and hardworking public servant.” Baker worked at the pentagon as the U.S. Department of Defense assistant general counsel for international affairs, served on the Kentucky Supreme Court and dedicated his time and efforts to support various boards and commissions. Baker’s life as a public servant was shaped by his keen interest in history and his passion for the commonwealth. A proud and effective advocate for KHS, Baker was a champion for the construction of the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. As president of the KHS Executive Board, Baker provided vision and direction to the Society as its staff began the process of growing into the new headquarters facility. The KHS Executive Committee adopted a resolution on July 16 in tribute to Baker for his leadership and commitment to furthering the KHS mission of making connections to the past, offering perspective on the present and providing inspiration for the future. The KHS Foundation Board adopted a similar resolution on Aug. 20. Baker died at his home in Glasgow on May 24. He is survived by his wife, Jane, and two children, Thomas Herschel and Ann Tate.
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The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS), the state’s history quarterly since 1903, has been selected for inclusion in the online journal database, Project MUSE, beginning in 2011. Inclusion in the database will expose the Register to a larger audience and draw greater attention to historical scholarship on Kentucky. Through this and other key institutional partnerships, KHS is working to enhance the historical infrastructure of this state and region. Developed and administered by the Johns Hopkins University Press, Project MUSE is a collaboration between libraries and publishers to provide affordable and user-friendly online access to a comprehensive selection of prestigious humanities and social science journals. MUSE collections support a diverse array of research needs at libraries worldwide. Its journals are heavily indexed and peer-reviewed, with critically acclaimed articles by the most respected scholars in their fields. MUSE is also the sole source of complete, full-text versions of titles from many of the world’s leading university presses and scholarly societies. Currently, MUSE provides full-text access to current content from more than 400 titles representing nearly 100 not-for-profit publishers. Beginning with volume 108, the Register will be made available online to more than 2,400 individual and institutional KHS members as well as researchers at institutions worldwide. KHS members will continue to receive the print version as well. To learn more about Project MUSE, visit the website at http://muse.jhu.edu/.
Perspective | Society News Celebrate Veterans Day with the KOHC Celebrate Veterans Day this year by sharing your military story with the Kentucky Oral History Commission (KOHC). If you are an active-duty military member, veteran, National Guardsman, reservist or civilian who completed work on the homefront, the KOHC wants to hear from you. Administered by the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS), the KOHC invites veterans and others with military-related stories to preserve their piece of history. Participants can schedule a time to visit the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History in Frankfort to interview with trained KHS volunteers. Interviews will be recorded and take approximately one hour. Participants will be sent a CD of their interview and will receive free admission to the KHS history campus.
story, we can more intentionally add all levels of experience to the record of official history,” said Sarah Milligan, program administrator for the KOHC. “We welcome all stories, but especially need to hear those of veterans from the Korean War, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and current wars and engagements, and the stories of women and minorities.” Make this Veterans Day extra special by sharing your story with future generations. These interviews will be shared with the Library of Congress American Folklife Center as part of the Veterans History Project and will be available at both the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and KHS in Frankfort. To make an appointment to share your story, contact Milligan at sarah.milligan@ky.gov or 502-564-1792.
“By documenting the oral history of our state’s military
Elizabeth D. Leonard Awarded the Richard H. Collins Award Elizabeth D. Leonard, PhD., was recently awarded the Richard H. Collins Award for her article, “One Kentuckian’s Hard Choice: Joseph Holt and Abraham Lincoln,” which appeared in the special Abraham Lincoln and Kentucky issue of the Register of the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS), published this spring. Leonard is the John J. and Cornelia V. Gibson Professor of History at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. She is a prolific scholar and author and is completing research for a biography of Joseph Holt. Named for Richard H. Collins, one of the trailblazing historians of Kentucky, the Collins Award has been given annually by KHS since 1978. The award honors one author of each volume year of the Register whose article is judged by a panel of leading scholars to have made the most outstanding contribution to Kentucky
history. Made possible by funding provided by the KHS Foundation, the award carries a $1,000 prize. Leonard’s article focuses on Joseph Holt, who became Abraham Lincoln’s judge advocate general and head of the Bureau of Military Justice. Leonard observed that “although he shared Lincoln’s Kentucky roots, features of his antebellum biography might lead one logically, if mistakenly, to assume that he was more likely to have inclined strongly against Abraham Lincoln and for yet another fellow Kentucky native of the same generation, Jefferson Davis.” Leonard’s article explains why this was not the case. Leonard is also the author of “Yankee Women: Gender Battles of the Civil War” (1994), “All the Daring of the Soldier: Women of the Civil War Armies” (1999), “Lincoln’s Avengers: Justice, Revenge, and Reunion after the Civil War” (2004), and “Men of Color to Arms! Black Soldiers, Indian Wars, and the Quest for Equality” (2010). www.history.ky.gov |
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Perspective | Society News Trevor Jones Joins KHS Senior Leadership Team Ranks Trevor Jones was first introduced to the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) during a presentation last year at the Seminar for Historical Administration in Indianapolis. He decided then that KHS sounded like the kind of place he would like to work. So when the KHS museum collections and exhibitions director position became available earlier this year, Jones knew he had to apply. Fast forward a few months and the Minnesota-born curator and administrator is settling into his new job and home in Frankfort, Ky. Jones knows museums and history—he has a B.A. in history and German from Grinnell College in Iowa and an M.A. in history from the University of WisconsinMilwaukee. He completed work towards an M.B.A. at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, N.C. before moving to Kentucky. Jones previously served as a curator at the Mountain Heritage Center in Cullowhee, N.C., the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay, Wis. and the Early American Museum in Mahomet, Ill. Jones is a member of the American Association of Museums and American Association for State and Local History. He was honored with the 2009 AAM Global Curator Fellowship.
When Jones is not getting acquainted with KHS and the many museum collections and exhibitions projects, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters. He describes himself as an excellent bread and pie baker. KHS staff members hope he will share the fruits of these labors with his co-workers in the near future!
KHS Sponsors Successful Cemetery Preservation Workshop On June 26, the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) hosted a cemetery preservation workshop that brought together genealogists, representatives from local history organizations, cemetery preservation enthusiasts and researchers. “This was a wonderful opportunity for people to learn the basics,” said Ann Johnson, KHS cemetery preservation specialist. “Attendees were also able to network and share stories about preservation issues from their own communities.”
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The workshop featured Mike Peters, president of the Kentucky Genealogical Society, and Phil DiBlasi, staff archaeologist at the University of Louisville. Peters discussed researching cemetery records, while DiBlasi highlighted cemetery preservation and mapping. Following these sessions, Mike Higgs from Louisville’s Cave Hill Heritage Foundation and Ron Adkins, a stone preservationist, led a demonstration outlining best practices for tombstone repair.
Perspective | Society News KHS Receives Preservation Award, Hosts Civil War Preservation Trust Tour The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) was recognized in early June as the 2010 Brian C. Pohanka Preservation Organization of the Year. The award was presented by the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) during its annual conference, which was held this summer in Lexington. The Brian C. Pohanka Preservation Organization Award is presented annually to an organization that distinguishes itself for outstanding dedication to the preservation, promotion and interpretation of Civil War history. KHS is the fourth recipient of this award, which began in 2007 to honor the late Civil War historian Brian Pohanka, one of the founders of the Association for Preservation of Civil War Sites, the predecessor organization of CWPT. “KHS is honored to be chosen for this prestigious award,” said Kent Whitworth, executive director of KHS. “We hope to engage all Kentuckians during the 150th anniversary of the Civil War to take a fresh look at Kentucky’s history as it relates to the war and to discover with us how the Civil War impacts our state to this day.” More than 200 members of the CWPT toured the KHS campus the evening prior to the awards ceremony. They had dinner in the Cralle-Day Garden and then toured the Old Sate Capitol and the Old State Arsenal. The CWPT is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the U.S. Its mission is to preserve the nation’s Civil War battlefields and to promote appreciation for those grounds.
IN MEMORIAM
J. Harold Utley
April 27, 1939 – May 25, 2010 J. Harold Utley, a native of Hopkins County, served on the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) Executive Committee from 2005 until his death in 2010. Described as a true gentleman, a local treasure and a stickler for accuracy, Utley was passionate about Kentucky history and the history of Hopkins County, and was particularly interested in the history of Hopkins County coal mining. He was president of the Hopkins County Historical Society—a position he held without opposition for more than two decades. Utley graduated from Madisonville High School in 1957 and attended the Madisonville Community College as part of the Mining Engineering Technology program. He was a retired land surveyor and engineering technician for the TVA Fuels Planning Staff. He retired in 1994 as a federal coal mine inspector. The KHS Executive Committee adopted a resolution on July 16 honoring Utley as “an enthusiastic ambassador of Kentucky history and the Kentucky Historical Society” and expressing appreciation for his commitment to local historical organizations. Utley is survived by Louise, his wife of 29 years; his children, Jim and Sandra Utley, Craig and Karrie Utley, Cathy Babb, Steve and Donna Cobb and Beth Cobb; his brother and sister-in-law, David and Beverly Killough; nine grandchildren, two greatgrandchildren and several cousins.
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INSPIRATION |
Foundation Update
Make Your Mark on Kentucky History You do not have to be famous or achieve a legendary feat to leave a permanent mark on Kentucky history. The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) Foundation offers special commemorative items for purchase that become part of the permanent display at the Society’s headquarters, the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. Since the mid-1990s, nearly 2,000 families, friends and co-workers across Kentucky and around the world have celebrated a loved one or marked a milestone by naming a brick, bench or a component of the Kentucky Family Tree in honor of a person, company or organization important in their lives. Anthony and Cheryl Picarazzi were among 24 people who purchased commemorative bricks this past year. The Picarrazis chose to commemorate the birth of their two grandchildren, James and Eva, with two engraved bricks on the KHS “Pathway through History.” Eva’s brick was dedicated in June 2010 at a special ceremony held in conjunction with the annual KHS Boone Day celebration. Her brick is featured at the front entrance to the Center for Kentucky History along with hundreds of others, including former and
current Kentucky legislators, civic leaders, awardwinning state employees and everyday citizens. Items for purchase range in price from $100 for a commemorative brick to $1,000 for a named bench in the Center’s Cralle-Day Garden. Most of the purchase price is a tax-deductible contribution to the KHS Foundation for the benefit of the Society’s mission. Only the expenses to produce and display the commemorative item are subtracted from the taxdeductible portion of the gift. In addition to bricks and benches, brass leaves, stones and acorns in the Martin F. Schmidt Research Library are available for library and genealogy enthusiasts or anyone wishing to list themselves, a special someone or an organization or company on Kentucky’s Family Tree. Special dedication ceremonies are held semi-annually at KHS to install these items and to honor those in attendance. As you make your holiday wish and gift lists, consider making your mark on history by purchasing an engraved item through the KHS Foundation. For more information, contact the KHS Foundation at 502-564-1792.
Anthony and Cheryl Picarazzi, of Frankfort, purchased engraved bricks on the KHS Pathway through History in honor of their grandchildren. Pictured here are Eva Picarazzi and her father, David, at the dedication ceremony in June.
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INSPIRATION |
Foundation Update
A Grand Old Time! Del McCoury Concert Set for Saturday, Oct. 2 The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) Foundation and the Grand Theatre in downtown Frankfort are co-sponsoring a concert featuring Del McCoury that lovers of bluegrass music will not want to miss. Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. performance are $50, $40 and $30 and can be purchased through the Grand Theatre’s website, grandtheatrefrankfort.org, or by calling the ticket office at 502-352-7469. The Del McCoury concert will pay homage to Kentucky’s own Bill Monroe, the Bluegrass legend who was born on Sept. 13, 1911. McCoury was lead guitarist and singer for Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys in the early 1960s and carries the banner today for new generations of Bluegrass fans. His sons, Ron, on the banjo, and Rob, on the mandolin, will join McCoury in this high-energy show. The concert will feature work done by the Kentucky Folklife Program, an interagency program of KHS and the Kentucky Arts Council. Folklife Program staff will interview McCoury during breaks in the performance to shed light on the roots of bluegrass music, as well as Monroe and McCoury’s experiences in the field. The event is being sponsored by the KHS Foundation to highlight the role of KHS in preserving the commonwealth’s musical heritage. McCoury has won numerous awards throughout his 50-year career. He was named Male Vocalist of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association for three consecutive years and was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 2003.
Concert photo courtesy of Del McCoury.
www.history.ky.gov |
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
For updated calendar information, visit www.history.ky.gov. All events held at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History unless otherwise noted.
OLD STATE CAPITOL TOUR
Regular hours (Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Old State Capitol Delve into the politics and everyday life of the tumultuous 19thcentury by touring this National Historic Landmark that served as Kentucky’s capitol from 1830 to 1910. Tours must be scheduled at the Center for Kentucky History. Free with admission. Contact Leslie.McWhorter@ky.gov.
“KENTUCKY MILITARY TREASURES” TOUR
Saturdays, 2 p.m. Take a personalized tour of our newest exhibition with a museum educator. Free with admission. Meet in Commonwealth Hall. Contact Leslie.McWhorter@ky.gov.
OLD STATE ARSENAL OPEN HOUSE
Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kentucky Military History Museum Travel back in time as you tour the first floor of this 1850 Gothic Revival architectural treasure. Learn about the history of the building and grounds as well as the ongoing renovation process. Tours must be scheduled at the Center for Kentucky History. Free. Contact Leslie.McWhorter@ky.gov.
HISTORY LAB
Regular hours (Wednesdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Thursdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Check out this series of activities for guests of all ages. Touch objects from KHS special use collections, answer questions and explore the KHS history campus. Learn the methods and techniques used by historians, curators and archivists to uncover the past, and understand history and how it has impacted the present. Contact Jody.Blankenship@ky.gov.
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OCTOBER BILL MONROE CONCERT
Saturday, Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m. The Grand Theatre, Frankfort, Ky. Bluegrass music lovers will not want to miss this concert featuring Del McCoury. The concert is co-sponsored by the KHS Foundation and the Grand Theatre. Tickets are $50, $40 and $30 and can be purchased at www.grandtheatrefrankfort.org or by calling the Grand ticket office at 502-352-7469.
GIRL SCOUT WORKSHOP
Puppets, Dolls and Plays Saturday, Oct. 2, 9 a.m. to noon Girl Scout Brownies will participate in an interactive theatre performance of the Appalachian folktale “Jack and the Robbers,” create a limber-jack and a yarn doll and learn how ordinary stories come to life. The workshop fee includes a Try-It badge, a KHS badge, craft materials, a snack and admission to the KHS history campus. For registration and pricing information, contact Stephanie Allen, Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, at sallen@kyanags.org or 502-636-0900.
HISTORY SPEAKS!
“How Kentucky became Southern: A Tale of Outlaws, Horse Thieves, Gamblers and Breeders” Thursday, Oct. 7, 6:30 p.m. Old State Capitol At the conclusion of the Civil War, Kentucky was a wild and violent frontier struggling to stake its claim in the horse industry. Author and Lexington Herald-Leader writer, Maryjean Wall, Ph.D, will speak on her latest work that explores the transformation of Kentucky from a land of lawlessness to the unofficial horse capital of the world. Free. Contact Erica.Harvey2@ky.gov.
FAMILY-HISTORY WORKSHOP
“Researching Your Irish and Scots-Irish Ancestry” Saturday, Oct. 9, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. KHS will be a site on the 2010 USA Lecture Tour of the Ulster Historical Foundation (UHF), known worldwide as one of the premier resources for those researching their Irish and Scots-Irish ancestry. In addition to presentations about Ireland’s genealogy research resources, materials and publications on Irish genealogy will be available and UHF representatives will offer one-on-one consulting. The workshop fee, which includes lunch, is $25 for KHS members and $30 for non-members. Registration is required by noon on Oct. 8. Contact RefDesk@ky.gov.
GIRL SCOUT WORKSHOP
Let’s Pretend Saturday, Oct.16, 9 a.m. to noon Girl Scout Brownies will bring history to life by learning fun drama techniques, playing games with objects from KHS collections and creating their own drama masks. The workshop fee includes a Try-it badge, a KHS badge, craft materials, a snack and admission to the KHS history campus. For registration and pricing information, contact the Girl Scouts of the Wilderness Road Council at tapquestions@gswrc.org or 859-293-2621.
KHS FILM SERIES
“The Narcotic Farm” Thursday, Oct. 28, 6:30 p.m. Narrated and scored by former inmate Wayne Kramer, the film tells the story of this long forgotten American institution through the voices of the former addicts who spent years of their lives locked within its walls. Many of the photographs and much of the film footage are from the KHS collections. Contact Mike.Deetsch@ky.gov.
MUSEUM THEATRE
Free with museum admission. Contact Greg.Hardison@ky.gov. “Westward into Kentucky: The Journal of Daniel Trabue” Thursdays, 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. Journey into frontier Kentucky in this autobiographical drama about westward expansion and Native American conflicts. (15 minutes.) “Haints in the Holler: Appalachian Ghost Tales and Superstitions” Saturdays, 1 and 3 p.m. Beware of folk tales and legends that go BOO in the night! Clasp your hands and gasp in delight as you enjoy family-friendly tales of fright. (15 minutes.)
NOVEMBER HISTORY SPEAKS!
“The Vanishing Bluegrass” Thursday, Nov. 4, 6:30 p.m. Old State Capitol In 2006, the World Monuments Fund named Kentucky’s Bluegrass region one of the 100 Most Endangered sites on the planet. Join Ronnie Dreistadt, Kentucky Derby Museum curator, as he discusses why the region is so important and how conservation groups are
striving to protect Kentucky’s historic farms throughout the Bluegrass Region. Free. Contact Erica.Harvey2@ky.gov.
KENTUCKY HISTORY CELEBRATION
Friday, Nov. 5, 5:30 p.m. Old State Capitol Join KHS for its annual meeting and celebrate the accomplishments of individuals and history organizations across the state with the Kentucky History Awards. Reservations are required by Oct. 29. Contact AnnG.Johnson@ky.gov.
CANDLELIGHT TOUR
“A Classic Christmas” Thursday, Nov. 11, 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12, 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Celebrate the joy of the holiday season with KHS. Visit the KHS website for a complete list of KHS activities during Candlelight Tour.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“Jesse Stuart: An Extraordinary Life” Wednesday, Nov. 17, noon to 1:30 p.m. Based upon letters, hundreds of interviews with Stuart family and friends, newspaper accounts and other documents, this new biography presents a more personal look at Stuart. Join James Gifford, Ph.D., of the Jesse Stuart Foundation, as he discusses one of Kentucky’s most beloved and popular writers. $18 for KHS members and $23 for all other patrons. Reservations are required by Nov. 12. Contact Julia.Curry@ky.gov.
KHS FILM SERIES
“The Very Worst Thing” Thursday, Nov. 18, 6:30 p.m. This documentary tells the story of the worst school bus crash in U.S. history, which occurred in Floyd County on the morning of Feb. 28, 1958. Carrying 48 elementary and high school students, the bus collided with a tow truck on U.S. Hwy. 23 just three miles south of Prestonsburg and then plunged over a steep embankment into the swollen waters of the Big Sandy River. The director will be available for questions after the film. Contact Mike.Deetsch@ky.gov.
GIRL SCOUT WORKSHOP
Yarn and Fabric Arts Saturday, Nov. 6, 9 a.m. to noon Girl Scout Juniors are invited to join KHS for some fabric fun! Workshop participants will explore the KHS quilt collection, try their hands at embroidery and make their own tie-dye shirts. The workshop fee includes a Yarn and Fabric Arts badge, a KHS badge, craft materials, a snack and admission to the KHS history campus. For registration and pricing information, contact Stephanie Allen, Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, at sallen@kyanags.org or 502-636-0900.
FAMILY-HISTORY WORKSHOP
“Methodology and a Case Study: African American Genealogy/Slave Research” Saturday, Nov. 6, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.* Presented by Deborah Abbott, of the African American Genealogical Society in Cleveland, this genealogical research project traces the ancestry of an African American family from Ohio and Illinois back to their roots in Kentucky, intersecting with a family of free blacks. This
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project spans 250 years of heritage and demonstrates best-practice methodologies. Free. Registration is required by noon on Nov. 5. Contact RefDesk@ky.gov. *Please note that this workshop is being held on the first Saturday of the month rather than the second.
GIRL SCOUT WORKSHOP
Listening to the Past Saturday, Nov. 20, 9 a.m. to noon Girl Scout Brownies will discover how young girls entertained themselves before electricity and television. Workshop participants will watch a Museum Theatre performance inspired by the diary of a 1930s Kentucky farm woman and explore how archeology, diaries and oral histories help record and save the past. Cost includes a Try-it badge, a KHS badge, craft materials, a snack and admission to the KHS history campus. For registration and pricing information, contact the Girl Scouts of the Wilderness Road Council, at tapquestions@gswrc.org or 859-293-2621.
MUSEUM THEATRE
Free with museum admission. Contact Greg.Hardison@ky.gov. “Nothing New for Easter: Shopping for Civil Rights” Saturdays, 1 and 4 p.m. Meet Mattie Eleanor Lewis, a young Kentuckian growing up amidst the struggle for civil rights. Will you join her cause or will you stand in the back? (10 minutes.) “Necessity Knows No Law: the Lives and Liberties of Bloody Monday” Thursdays, 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. Step into the shoes of an Irish cobbler caught in the middle of an anti-immigration political riot in 1855 Louisville. Have feelings about immigration changed in the years since this incident? (15 minutes.)
DECEMBER FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“Paul Sawyier: A Kentucky Impressionist” Wednesday, Dec. 8, noon to 1:30 p.m. Enjoy an afternoon of fine art, food and fun! Join us as we take a closer look at the artist’s life with Bill Coffey, owner of Paul Sawyier Galleries Publishers, and view a display of original Sawyier works. $18 for KHS members and $23 for all other patrons. Reservations are required by Dec. 3. Contact Julia.Curry@ky.gov.
KHS FILM SERIES
“Big Lever: Party Politics in Leslie County, Kentucky” Thursday, Dec. 9, 6:30 p.m. In 1978, Richard Nixon chose this small mountain jurisdiction for his first public appearance since resigning as president. Priceless footage of his visit to Leslie County introduces this incisive and sometimes hilarious look at the engines that drive American politics. The film explores the machinations of party politics in this rural and staunchly Republican county from hollow to hollow vote-hunting to family squabbles over candidates, patronage promises, speechmaking on the courthouse steps and the up-and- down career of the incumbent county judge-executive who sought reelection while under
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indictment for vote fraud conspiracy. Contact Mike.Deetsch@ky.gov.
FAMILY-HISTORY WORKSHOP
“The Stories that Pictures Tell” and “Giving Life to Your Bare-Bones Genealogy” Saturday, Dec. 11, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Valuable family history can sometimes hide in plain sight in old pictures. Join Louise Jones as she uses examples from the KHS collections to illustrate the types of information that can be unlocked by studying the photographs themselves. Our ancestors are more than just names and dates on a chart. Discover some resources for putting “flesh on bones” by placing these lives in historical context. Deborah Lord Campisano will explain how to create ancestral time lines with help from newspapers, local histories, travel journals, manuscript collections and reference works. Free. Registration required by noon on Dec. 10. Contact RefDesk@ky.gov.
SATURDAY WITH SANTA
Saturday, Dec. 11, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Children, parents and other Santa-enthusiasts are invited to discuss their holiday wishes and take photos with the jolly old guy. Co-sponsored by Whitaker Bank and Downtown Frankfort, Inc. Don’t forget to bring your camera! Free. Contact Julia.Curry@ky.gov.
MUSEUM THEATRE
Free with museum admission. Contact Greg.Hardison@ky.gov. “In the Veins: Conversations from a Coal Town” Thursdays, 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. Do you support the Union, or just try to get by? Travel through a Kentucky coal company town as a cast of characters unearths their way of life above and below ground. (15 minutes) “Jack Hunts Christmas” Saturdays, 1 and 4 p.m. Sit a spell and story-tell about one of Appalachia’s favorite heroes in this interactive performance based on Anne Shelby’s retelling of a holiday Jack tale. (15 minutes.)
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Find your place in Kentucky’s history through KHS outreach or by visiting our campus! Book the KHS HistoryMobile or Museums-to-Go for your school or community event! Find out more about the varied characters in Kentucky’s history through the KHS Museum Theatre program— available for outreach in schools and other venues. Visit the KHS history campus, including the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, the Old State Capitol and the Kentucky Military History Museum at the Old State Arsenal.
HOURS Wednesdays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Kentucky Historical Society is an agency of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet.
For more information about KHS school programs and outreach, visit www.history.ky.gov or call 502-564-1792.
100 West Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601
100 West Broadway Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 502.564.1792 www.history.ky.gov
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2010
Next Issue: KHS Foundation Annual Report
www.history.ky.gov
The Kentucky Historical Society is an agency of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet.