St. Matthews Magazine February 2024

Much to Show for It A Look Back at Louisville’s Vogue Theater

World of Whiskey Farm Distillery Project at Locust Grove Offers an Educational Glimpse Into the Past

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MUCH TO SHOW FOR IT

PUBLISHER COREY BOSTON corey@townepost.com (502) 407-0185 KEY CONTRIBUTORS CASSADY LAMB JULIE ENGELHARDT KEVIN GIBSON ABIGAIL HAKE HELEN E. MCKINNEY MELISSA STALB CARRIE VITTITOE

A Look Back at Louisville’s Vogue Theater

9

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Glaser’s Collision Centers

10

GO GREEN

At Louisville Nature Center, There Are Programs, Events and Experiences for All Ages

14

STILL TRUCKIN’

FEBRUARY 2024

Troy King With the Louisville Food Truck Association Continues to Champion Local Culinary Ventures

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Middletown Has a Rich Local History Many Might Not Expect

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MUCH TO SHOW FOR IT

A LOOK BACK AT LOUISVILLE’S VOGUE THEATER Writer / Kevin Gibson Photography Provided

While the building once occupied by the Vogue theater is now retail space, legions of Louisvillians remember it as a place that shaped their youth and even their cultural viewpoint.

In this city, the Vogue is essentially legendary, at least for a certain group. From full-blown live productions of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” synced to the film itself, to the rotating midnight movies each weekend, to film festivals, those who ever went to the Vogue pretty much always went back to the Vogue. For many, it was not just once a month or every weekend, but a multiple-times-per-week proposition.

For some, it’s the first time they saw “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” or “A Clockwork Orange.” For others it was a place to see concert and rock films on the big screen, occasional classic silent films, as 6 | February 2024 | TownePost.com

well as underground and foreign films that other theaters would never dare to show.

Heck, Iggy Pop performed there.

As a regular at the Vogue myself during the 1980s and 1990s, some of my best memories are of seeing films like “The Warriors” on the big screen after having watched it for so long on the television in my parents’ basement. I remember seeing the bigger-than-life “Stop Making Sense” by Talking Heads there, and seeing films that freaked me out, such as “Liquid Sky.”

of employees and regulars, an inner circle of sorts - one that wept when the projectors finally rolled for the final time and still mourns the loss two and a half decades later.

EARLY LIFE While most remember it as the art-house theater cultivated by Marty Sussman and Carl Wohlschlegel starting in the late 1970s, the Vogue started its life as a neighborhood theater showing the first-run films of the day.

The theater opened in 1939 in a busy retail district. Vintage photos show it as part of a On many weekends, my friends and I, bustling corridor flanked by businesses like having no plans, would simply say, “Let’s a Sears store, an F.W. Woolworth store, a just go to the Vogue.” Often, it didn’t matter supermarket and more. Those photos also what was on the screen; the atmosphere, show lines of families waiting to get inside. along with a bucket of the theater’s delicious The theater’s first feature shown was “Lady popcorn, was all we needed. of the Tropics,” starring Robert Taylor and Hedy Lamarr, and tickets cost 16 cents.

In fact, the theater created a sort of family The theater ads touted free parking and

described the venue “the place to go.”

It quickly became a place for birthday parties and civic gatherings as well. In 1950 it played host to a cooking school for two days, and in 1953 it was a drop-off site for a book drive. It continued to host public meetings and showing movies through the 1960s. Things changed in the 1970s, when it began to transform into the place many would ultimately simply refer to as the Vogue, under new management with a bold, new vision.

For instance, in November of 1977 the theater played host to a Charlie Chaplin film festival - something most theaters would never even consider. In September of that year, Courier-Journal film writer Scott Hammen was already lauding the Vogue’s format change earlier in the year, extolling the “imaginative risks” Sussman was taking in programming. “Most theater owners considered the Vogue’s new format to be economic suicide, but, after a highly

successful summer, the Vogue is surprising everyone,” Hammen wrote.

The Vogue, however, almost died an early death. In 1978, Taylor Drug Store, which owned the building, canceled Sussman’s lease, drawing an outcry from regular customers who called it a “disservice” to the community in letters to the editor of the Courier-Journal and labeled the closing - over a handful of the films that were screened there - “a cultural wound.” A petition circulated, the lease was ultimately renewed a few weeks later, and the new theater concept pushed on.

But Saag’s passing in April 1998 put the Vogue in jeopardy yet again. This time, the old theater couldn’t recover. It would close its doors for the final time, without warning, on September 17, 1998, and it was frontpage news in the Courier-Journal. Dave Conover was there that night, and being an insider, although not an actual employee, he was in the know.

“The night the theater shut down was one of the saddest times I’ve ever experienced,” Conover says. “There was crying going on in every space as the final film rolled, and the audience inside had no idea they were going to be the last.”

The Vogue was offered some stability in 1982 when the building was acquired by Henry Saag and his Associated Theatres of Kentucky. He retained Sussman as the curator and manager, and maintained the art-house format. Sussman told the Courier- LIFE AFTER THE VOGUE Journal at the time, “If it works, don’t fix For Conover and the many like him who it. The Vogue works very well.” The Vogue continue to mourn the Vogue, the place was became home to live theater, continued

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Conover ended up working at Baxter Theatre, which opened just before the Vogue’s demise and probably contributed “I was a little left of center and it was an to that demise on some level, for 12 years.

Kevin DePaola remembers seeing “Return amazing communal place to feel safe and Wohlschlegel went to work there for a time, of the Living Dead” at the Vogue, which, different,” says Joe Botts, who frequented and the “Rocky Horror” productions moved as horror fans know, is set in Louisville, the theater in the 1980s and ‘90s. “I miss it to Baxter. Having spent 17 years associated although it wasn’t filmed locally. terribly.” with the Vogue, however, Conover says at “My friend and I were unaware of the setting the time of its closing, he literally had spent Shannon Runke concurs, name-dropping half his life there. Baxter, for its strengths, of the film, so halfway through the movie films like “Dogs in Space,” “The Cure in could never replace it. when the first Louisville police car showed Orange” and “The Moderns” as films she up, we started to feel really uncomfortable,” saw with friends at the Vogue. “The Vogue “The theater and its people changed my DePaola says. “By the end, we waited until shaped my high-school-age experience in life, widened my world and altered my the late ‘80s,” Runke says. “So many cinema everyone left and slowly made our way to perceptions in every way,” Conover says.

Lexington Road.” experiences like these at the Vogue that “It helped make me a whole person, and informed our aesthetic and provided us I’m sure so many folks have told similar And anyone who saw “Rocky Horror,” as with ideas to discuss.” stories. It was a place for misfits, the Vogue veterans always referred to the film, marginalized, the misunderstood, to find And specific memories are plentiful. Just ask remembers bigger-than-life costumes, acceptance and just be, not only in its Eddie Nedell. “One memory I have is being bigger-than-life traditions (let’s just say if programming, but in its environment. It caught by the police with a bottle of vodka,” you “propose a toast” to a group of “Rocky Horror” fans, you’d better duck) and bigger- became, in a very literal sense, my sanctuary. he says. “We were maybe juniors in high It’s a cliche to use the term ‘I found my tribe school so it was definitely not legal, and told than-life energy. The whole place oozed there,’ but it’s the stone truth.” alternative culture and community. to pour it out and go home and not come back. Needless to say, we parked my Cougar more than just a movie theater.

in some far-off alley and went to see ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ at midnight.”

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

GLASER’S COLLISION CENTERS

Writer / Melissa Stalb Photography Provided

It’s been a terrible day. You’ve had an auto accident. The car is damaged and you’re frazzled, frustrated and worried about what comes next.

It’s a tough day for you, but the staff at Glaser’s Collision Centers’ five locations sees this situation all the time.

The family-owned company has been around since 1986, and repairs all body damage to vehicles, bringing them back to pre-accident condition.

Secondly, Glaser says it’s important to sit down with your insurance agent and find out what is included in your policy.

“Many people don’t realize a rental car is not included in full coverage,” Glaser says.

“It used to take us seven or eight days to fix a car, however with supply shortages and repair volume, it could be longer. A rental car for more than two weeks can get very expensive but if it’s included in your policy you save in the long run.”

“We’re the people no one wants to see,” says Aaron Glaser, the second-generation owner of Glaser’s. “It’s our job to fix the car and walk the customer through it all. We’ll handle the insurance claim, the rental car, whatever is needed.”

In addition, finding the right repair shop is important. As vehicle technology continues to advance, Glaser says make sure you understand the capabilities of the shop and if they are keeping up-to-date with their practices. Be comfortable with the shop you choose to ensure they are taking care of your vehicle repairs.

There are a few factors to keep in mind when that accident occurs. Glaser says grab your smartphone and snap as many photos as possible.

All the Glaser’s locations maintain I-CAR Gold Class status, with trained welders and technicians to work on all makes and models.

“We see all kinds of hit-and-runs and uninsured motorists,” Glaser says. “If you document with a hundred photos, you can always delete them if they’re not needed but once everyone starts to leave, you’re losing any evidence of the accident.”

We work hard but we also like to have fun hosting chili cookoffs, pumpkin carving contest and more, ” stated Glaser. Another important part of the collision centers’ business is giving back to the community.

“We are very fortunate,” Glaser says. “We’re always looking for ways to give back, and each year it’s different. We want to help as many people as possible, and sometimes that looks like donating to a local charity, and other times it’s doing a car giveaway.”

They’ll continue to offer assistance to those having the worst day.

“We deal with it all day long and we’ve got the process figured out,” Glaser says. “Give us a call and we’ll walk you through it.”

Glaser’s Collision Centers just opened a fifth shop in Oldham County adding to their shops in Louisville, South Louisville, Bullitt County and Jeffersontown.

SCAN FOR OUR LOCATIONS 502-266-5905 glaserscollision.com TownePost.com | February 2024 | 9

GO GREEN

AT LOUISVILLE NATURE CENTER, THERE ARE PROGRAMS, EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES FOR ALL AGES

Writer / Julie Engelhardt Photography Provided

I

f you have the desire to get away from it all, but don’t have the time to drive hours from home, then there’s a local destination that offers the peace and solace you crave. This amazing oasis is the Louisville Nature Center, located within easy walking distance from the main entrance of the Louisville Zoo. The Nature Center consists of an education building as well as 80 acres of forest. A portion of the forest is sanctioned as the Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve, while the remaining area is owned by the City of Louisville. Employees and numerous volunteers manage the city-owned portion, and it is their job to restore the forest by planting native species, removing invasive species and tending to the two miles of walking trails.

The main building has been in existence for 25 years, but the Nature Center, as a nonprofit, was founded in 1964, and the State Nature Preserve was dedicated in the 1980s. The current executive director is Rebecca Minnick, who has been with the Center for five years.

When asked what visitors might see or do during their visit, Minnick says there are many different answers, depending upon who’s asking the question.

10 | February 2024 | TownePost.com

“I think we are an important place for birds and birders in the city because our forest is completely uninterrupted by roads, and because we have a creek, we do get a lot of good migratory birds,” she explains. “We get a lot of spring warblers, and we just actually had sightings of woodcocks for the first time in possibly a couple of decades, which is pretty exciting for us.”

Another bird that’s become a regular at the Center is the pileated woodpecker. “They’re not rare, but here they seem to have gotten used to having people around,” Minnick says. “They’re cool-looking birds. They look like Woody Woodpecker, and they make a lot of noise and it’s pretty awesome. They have that Woody Woodpecker kind of ‘laugh.’ ” If you’re not much of a hiker, then one quiet spot that’s perfect for bird watching is the Center’s bird blind. It’s constructed with one-way glass, so you can see the birds and animals but they aren’t able to see you.

“We put out bird feeders every day and we can see all sorts of species, like the woodpeckers and finches,” Minnick says.

“Often you’ll see deer eating the bird seed, or squirrels and woodchucks, which is pretty cool.”

Little ones will love visiting the Center, especially when they explore the nature play area, which was built in 2019.

“It is tucked into the woods and it’s made out of all natural materials,” Minnick says.

“There are no swings or slides, but there is a gravel pit that kids can play in, and a sandbox. There’s a platform they can climb on, and stumps to play on. They can build with wood blocks. It’s a big hit. There’s a lot of research about the benefits of self-guided play in nature for kids, so we just kind of encourage adults to sit back and let the kids do their own thing. It’s nice because it’s in the shade.”

The Center is also home to some wonderful gardens. One is the Sensory Garden, located in the front by the parking area, and the Rain Garden, situated behind the main building. “These are both entirely managed by master gardeners,” Minnick says. “It’s all volunteer work. They’re pretty stunning in the summer, especially when they are full of butterflies.”

The Sensory Garden is intended for people to engage, using all of their senses.

In this garden visitors will discover many types of plants, such as the mountain mint.

“When I pull up in the morning in the summer, the mountain mint is just swarming with pollinators like bees,” Minnick says. “That’s one of my favorites.”

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The Rain Garden is home to water-loving plants and flowers including columbine, cardinal flower and blazing star.

The Center also has a children’s garden.

“Last year our Swallowtail Forest School built the garden,” Minnick says. “The children do it all. They plant, they prepare the beds, they water, and you go out there and they’ll be eating entire cucumbers just like an apple. They’re allowed free range to eat the vegetables. They’re so proud of what they do.”

The Swallowtail Forest School is a preschool program that opened in 2020.

The concept behind the school is that the students spend their time entirely outside, unless there’s thunder, lightning, freezing rain or a bathroom necessity.

According to Minnick, the children come dressed for the weather. If it’s chilly out, they build a fire in the outdoor pit to warm themselves. If they need a bathroom, they use a camp toilet.

The students and teachers also have an outdoor shed they use to store their belongings, plus there’s a kitchen area.

They also have a wonderful mud hill where they can play. The children have

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a variety of items to use, somewhat like building blocks, where they can create various structures. The school primarily follows the JCPS school system schedule, beginning in August and ending in May. Classes are kept small with a maximum of 15 children and three teachers.

“The Forest School concept is finally starting to catch on in the United States,” Minnick says. “It originated in Europe, and

the idea is that nature is the best place for kids to be. They’re learning socio-emotional skills and they’re learning a lot about resiliency and risk taking.”

The Nature Center also offers public programs on the weekends that are primarily geared towards adults, but not exclusively. They include Night Hikes, Owl Prowl and Beginner Birding.

“The Night Hikes are really popular because most people don’t go into a forest at night,” Minnick says. “It’s a really different experience. For some people there’s a fear factor, but you’re likely to hear owls and possibly see one. You’re likely to see wildlife that you wouldn’t see in the day because they’re nocturnal.”

People joining in on the Owl Prowl hike will start their evening with an indoor

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in danger by stressing them out.”

which is very challenging.”

Beginner Birding is a daytime hike that teaches visitors how identify birds and how to properly use binoculars to locate them.

Other offerings at the Nature Center include school field trips and summer camps for children, where visitors may catch a glimpse of the numerous box turtles on-site, or mole salamanders.

educational component, such as a slideshow “We do something pretty much every about owls, and then the group heads out weekend,” Minnick explains. “In the into the night to search for these beautiful springtime we do a lot of salamander raptors. programs. Those are popular. We also do birding because of the migratory birds “We have expert birders lead those programs, and they will go out and call owls, coming through. We do the Owl Prowls during the winter, and the night hikes yearusually with a recording,” Minnick says. round. We do wildflower programs in the “Often if you call them, they’ll come into spring, and we do winter tree ID so you can our area. We only do a couple of these per tell what the trees are without their leaves, year because we don’t want to put the owls

For more information about the Louisville Nature Center’s programs, how to become a volunteer or how to join as a member, call 502-458-1328 or visit louisvillenaturecenter. org. It is located at 3745 Illinois Avenue.

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STILL

TRUCKIN’

TROY KING WITH THE LOUISVILLE FOOD TRUCK ASSOCIATION CONTINUES TO CHAMPION LOCAL CULINARY VENTURES Writer / Carrie Vittitoe Photography Provided

T

roy King is what you might call a serial entrepreneur - a man who thinks about ways to work smarter, not harder, oftentimes coming up with a bona fide business plan as a result.

He admits to having lots of ideas, but attributes a large portion of his success as co-owner of Velvet Couch Hospitality Group to his wife, Selena Johnson, an accountant who ensures his ideas are financially feasible. While King handles operations at their various food endeavors, Johnson handles everything administrative and financial. “She’s the backbone,” he says.

King has retired from a career as a police officer, and says he has always cooked and had an interest in food. “My father wasn’t a big proponent of fast food,” he says. “He worked third shift, so we had to come home and cook.”

As a teenager in Chicago, King had a job at a hot dog restaurant, so when he purchased and began running a hot dog cart in Louisville in 2008 after leaving the police force, it was almost like a return to his roots.

14 | February 2024 | TownePost.com

The cart was a cheap and quick way to get into the industry. “I knew I didn’t want to work for anyone else ever again,” he adds.

lack of education hinders individuals from getting into certain fields. I want to break those barriers for young people.”

A couple years after purchasing the cart, he became a manager at Tom & Chee in 2011, gaining more experience and knowledge in the overall food industry. He met Johnson in 2013 and she encouraged him to get a food truck, which he did in June 2014, calling it Pollo: A Gourmet Chicken Joint.

Business ventures and opportunities began to snowball.

At Culinary Row, they plan to reserve a food

In 2019 he and Johnson signed a lease and opened their restaurant, Six Forks Burger Company. In 2022 he became the chief executive officer of the Louisville Food Truck Association (LFTA), with Johnson serving as treasurer. They plan to open a food truck park in 2024 called Jubilee Field, an outdoor entertainment venue with a space for stationary food trucks called Culinary Row. “The one thing I love about food trucking is you don’t have to have any type of education,” King says. “Sometimes the

trailer for individuals who have challenges that could serve as hindrances. For example, one food truck trailer is only going to be rented to a mother who is a single parent.

When it comes to food truck entrepreneurialism, there are a lot of benefits. First, it is simply less costly to get into than a restaurant. “We probably spent $100,000 building our restaurant, and maybe $25,000-$30,000 opening a food truck,” King says. “There is definitely a financial difference.”

Another big difference is the way in which a food truck allows the owner to move and travel, which King likes. “We have traveled to the Grand Canyon, New Orleans and Atlanta,” he says. The couple’s 7-year-old daughter has already been to 25 states. The

flexibility of food trucking was one reason for their decision to close their brickand-mortar Six Forks Burger Company in September 2023, despite its success.

When King publicly announced the closure by video, he acknowledged that running the restaurant simply didn’t work for the lifestyle his family wants to have.

King says traveling with a food truck is fairly easy; you just have to check in with the local health department wherever you’re going.

“Some municipalities may require you to get a business license as well,” he says.

He explains that when a food truck goes

to another area for a festival or event, the host generally acquires any legal paperwork that vendors need to have. “We are the only food vendor from Kentucky that attends the National Fried Chicken Festival in New Orleans every year,” King says. “That host gets all necessary licenses and permits.”

Looking in from outside the industry, it may seem that food trucking could be at odds with brick-and-mortar restaurants, but King says they can and do work hand in hand.

“You go to Los Angeles or Chicago, and most restaurants have a food truck,” he says.

“In our case, we were food truckers first.”

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Even longtime restaurants like Chick-fil-A, White Castle and Olive Garden have seen the advantages of food trucks.

“Restaurants have seen that food trucking is here to stay,” King says.

King played a big role in ensuring food trucking is here to stay in Louisville. In 2017 he and another food truck entrepreneur sued city government because of rules placed on food trucks, which were aimed at protecting restaurants. The U.S. district court ruled in favor of food truck operators in 2018. Since that time, King says Louisville has become a welcoming city for food trucks.

As part of his role with the Louisville Food Truck Association, King helps people who are interested in food trucks and the financial rewards they can bring, by sharing knowledge and making it easier for them to learn about and enter the industry. He

collaborated with several government agencies including Alcoholic Beverage Control, the entity that regulates food trucks, to offer pop-up clinics to teach people how to safely and legally operate a food truck.

trucks,” he says. “I’m also going to build a classroom and train new food truckers because I get a lot of phone calls from people who want to buy a food truck.”

King also hopes to purchase a warehouse and create a food truck commissary. “It’s going to be a place where I keep all my food

To spread the word about the Louisville Food Truck Association and promote food trucks in general, King has created Food

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“It’s become very successful. It looks like it is something that just happens, but it is very much planned. The invasion in May 2023 in Shepherdsville had 21 food trucks and approximately 4,000 people in attendance.

“It is my wish to make the LFTA just as powerful as the Kentucky Restaurant Association,” he says.

Over the years, one of the lessons King has learned is the non-food skills needed to own and operate a food truck - the kind of skills that involve construction tools, and are aimed at taking a trailer and converting it into an attractive and usable food truck.

He uses his know-how in another business venture, Derby City Mobile Kitchens. “We build food trucks for ourselves and other people,” he says. He has a plan to trick out a food truck for his daughter’s Girl Scouts

troop, making it easier for them to sell when cookie season rolls around.

While one might assume that King never sleeps, given his business plans and projects, he says he goes to bed early but wakes early when no one else is up, so he can think and research. Perhaps it is because he has already retired from one career, or his diagnosis last year with diabetes, but King thinks thoroughly about how the lifestyle he wants

to lead intersects with his food businesses.

For example, he enjoys hunting hogs, and is considering buying a farm in Texas. He says the goal is to take people on culinary adventures to hunt, dress and cook their own hogs in the same day.

If all of his other ventures are any indication, as long as Johnson gives the word that his idea makes financial sense, King will see that it gets done.

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WORLD OF WHISKEY

FARM DISTILLERY PROJECT AT LOCUST GROVE OFFERS AN EDUCATIONAL GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST Writer / Helen E. McKinney Photography by Fox and Rose Photography

I

t’s been said that in Kentucky, whiskey is more than a drink - it’s a way of life.

On Major William Croghan’s farm, it was used to preserve a product and make a profit - and yes, it was a way of life.

Grove in May 2017, historical interpreter Brian Cushing oversaw operations.“My main goal is for this to be an enticing window into the interconnected world of farm economy in the early 19th century,” Cushing says.

Croghan was the original owner of Locust Grove, a farm of 55 rolling acres just six miles upriver from downtown Louisville.

He and his wife, Lucy Clark, a sister to General George Rogers Clark and William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame, built and lived in the 1792 Georgian mansion known now as the Locust Grove historic site.

In 1999 Cushing began volunteering as a first-person interpreter at the historic site, portraying an individual relevant to the Locust Grove property in 1820.

Cushing says he “was fortunate enough to be the program director at the time the

In today’s world, visitors flock to such sites to take a peek at how whiskey was made and life was lived in the early 19th century. But in Croghan’s time, a distillery was used for crop processing and preservation so that grain and fruit crops would not spoil due to lack of refrigeration.

The Farm Distillery Project was born at Locust Grove to represent the small, farmscale distilling activities of early Kentucky, before mass production evolved. Making whiskey from excess corn and other grains was one of the best ways to preserve the crop. At that time, Kentucky whiskey had not yet developed into the distinctive bourbon that we have today.

Once a distillery was recreated at Locust 20 | February 2024 | TownePost.com

project started to come to fruition, and since I was already dealing with interpretive programming, including historic trades, I was tapped to dig into the specifics of how the distillery likely worked in the 19th century, and to translate that into action.”

This took a bit of researching. Cushing says he has always appreciated distilled spirits.

“I knew what they were and had a general idea of the history, but this went way further than that,” he says. “Melissa Alexander was a volunteer on the distillery committee and she made a connection with the distillery at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. To our delight, they invited us out.”

Cushing and others had the opportunity to spend three days making whiskey at Washington’s home in Virginia during full-scale production. “That was my first experience with getting my hands on the process and learning to make whiskey,” he says. “I always say I never had to break any modern habits. My introduction was the 18th century way.”

Steve Bashore and the crew at Mount Vernon were the cornerstone of his distillery training. Bashore is their master distiller and “that experience with him and his crew was formative for the direction my

life took,” Cushing says.

To add to Cushing’s knowledge, he says Alan Bishop from Spirits of French Lick and One Piece at a Time Distilling Institute stepped in, and became a great friend and mentor.

“Wilderness Trail Distillery invited me to train with them for a day,” he says. “That’s where I got my best lesson in on-the-fly cooperage. I also went through Executive Bourbon Steward training at Distilled Spirits Epicenter and viewed every mention of distilled spirits that I could locate in the Filson Club collection from prior to 1900. Lots of other reading, discussing and experimenting followed.”

Records exist from Louisville’s Fitzhugh & Rose store to prove the purchase of a 66-gallon still on Croghan’s account in 1808. The original estate contained about 700 acres. The speculation is that Croghan operated a whiskey distillery on Muddy Fork, in what is now the Riverwood subdivision. It would have been the probable site for a mill, as very often, distilleries were associated with mills.

Locust Grove got some of the biggest distilling families around on board for this project. Board Member Sally Van Winkle Campbell, the granddaughter of the legendary Pappy Van Winkle, “hit the ground and made it happen,” according to Cushing.

“I doubt there was ever such a wellfunded project at Locust Grove,” he says. “When I first heard about the idea, I thought that if it happened, I would probably be long-since retired, but she made those connections, stoked the fire of enthusiasm, and everybody came together as a team to see this thing through. It was amazing to watch unfold.

I can’t thank her enough.”

Campbell says she had recently joined the Locust Grove board, and didn’t yet have a niche with which to be involved.

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with our Director Carol Ely and she mentioned that there was evidence that

there may have been a small-scale whiskey and brandy distillery at Locust Grove, and that there had from time to time been talk of recreating that,” Campbell says.

Being from a distillery family, Campbell immediately expressed interest.

“The thought just grabbed me,” she says. “To have the chance to tell the story of some of the first spirits produced in Kentucky, to tell a story of this farm that had never been told, it was just really exciting. Besides, the timing was right. It was 2014 and spirits production in the area was exploding. It was a perfect storm.”

“We were looking for ways to tell the farm story here, and farm distilling is part of the process of preserving crops,” Ely says. “A board member, Susan Reigler, who is a food and bourbon writer, mentioned that the Croghans would have distilled here, and the idea grew. Sally VanWinkle Campbell was key in fundraising for the refurbishment of

an existing small log building to recreate a small farm distillery.”

Campbell admits she didn’t know a thing about fundraising. “It felt right to go first to the distillers in the area, and especially to Louisville’s historic distilling families,” she says.

That said, she visited a friend, Mac Brown, and said she needed help. His response was, “You’ve come to the right place!” She says they quickly raised $60,000 to jump-start the project.

There were other factors that helped get the project off the ground quickly. Campbell’s brother, Julian, and her family donated

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“A friend knows the song in your heart and sings it to you when you’ve forgotten the words.”

She also credits Dominick Pagano, and his vast background in engineering and passion for history. “He was responsible for drawing up plans, working with Vendome to get the still just right for us, laying old bricks, plumbing, shoveling dirt, digging drains, and having the wooden water raceway handcrafted,” she says.

five bottles of Van Winkle bourbon, which raised funds through a national online auction.

“The other major reason the project took off so fast was because of all the in-kind donations,” Campbell says. “The Sherman family at Vendome Copper and Brass worked with us and made our beautiful and authentic little still.”

“The Croghan family enslaved approximately 100 individuals between 1790 and 1856,” Campbell says. “These enslaved men, women and children were the heart of the farm at Locust Grove and

“The project would never have had such a successful outcome without the passion, quest for knowledge, and creativity of Brian,” Campbell adds. “His enthusiasm for the project from the start was palpable.”

Ely says visitors to the distillery will remember the “skill and artisanry of the workers as they developed the process and adapted it for Kentucky crops, the sheer labor involved in doing by hand what is now done effortlessly by machines, and the context of distilling as a farm craft just like smoking meat or making cheese, drying and preserving fruit, or milling and baking.”

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without them it would not exist. Because of the distillery, we are able to tell a deeper story, because it was the enslaved - and primarily the enslaved women - who were the distillers.”

For more information including tour details, please visit locustgrove.org.

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Writer / Kevin Gibson Photography Provided

BOTTOMS UP

TAILSPIN ALE FEST 2024 TURNS IT UP TO 11

2024

tailspin ale fest louisville’s winter warmer

Tailspin Ale Fest enters its 11th year with a new charity partner, an exclusive bourbon, and new and improved restroom experiences. The annual beer festival, which draws attendees from around the country, takes place March 2.

The festival will again take place at the iconic Bowman Field.

The new charity partner will bring new entertainment to the event. Louisville-based Pints for Parkinson’s is partnering with TKO Parkinson’s, which is dedicated to helping those with Parkinson’s disease, and will

bring a boxing exhibition to the festival for the first time. Part of what the charity does is provide Parkinson’s patients with physical exercise - a key component to fighting the disease - in the form of boxing.

“It’s not only about exercising,” said Tisha Gainey, co-founder of Tailspin. “Boxing is also mental as well as physical. TKO also is a community of support.”

“We are proud that Tailspin Ale Fest has decided to support Pints for Parkinson’s/ TKO’s mission to help fight Parkinson’s disease,” said Brian Helton of TKO. “We have seen them do great things for great causes in the past, so to have team Tailspin choose to support our charity at the local level is an honor. We’re excited to partner with them to make a difference in Parkinson’s fighters right here in our own community.”

One of the festival’s mainstay attractions, the Bourbon Barrel Beer Bar, is back. It will be sponsored by Green River Distilling this year and will have added features. The sponsorship this year comes with a new twist; Tailspin will present its exclusive barrel pick from the distillery. Gainey said

26 | February 2024 | TownePost.com

roughly 180 bottles will be available, some at the festival and some in advance.

As part of the partnership, proceeds from bottle sales will benefit Pints for Parkinson’s and TKO. “Having our name on the barrel and it going toward a great charity is a win three times over,” Gainey said. “The majority of craft beer drinkers are spirits lovers as well. I feel like craft cocktails and craft beer go hand in hand.”

Of course, the main draw at the Green River Bourbon Barrel Beer Bar will be the many selections of beers aged in Green River barrels Tailspin acquired from the distillery.

In those selections, craft beer and bourbon come together in one beverage.

Tom Drexler Plumbing, Air & Electric decided to make the most of its relationship with Tailspin Ale Fest this year. Why? Because at an event like Tailspin, bathrooms are important.

“It doesn’t matter if you have 50 or 1,000 bathrooms, you can never have too many,” Gainey said. “Some people are funny about

using porta pots, but we’re out on the tarmac of an airfield. What are you going to do?”

In recent years, Tailspin brought in a custom-made bathroom facility, the Urination Station, that utilizes urinals to keep restroom lines short and moving. Last year the festival added karaoke to entertain those waiting in line at the porta potties.

It was named Piss Pour Karaoke and will return this year. “It’s either entertainment or torture,” Gainey said.

In addition, Drexler added clever signs to the porta potties (for example, “We’re your

No. 1 for No. 2.”). Don’t be surprised if you see more of the same.

This year Tailspin will add a VIP restroom pass experience to what has been dubbed the Luxury Loo. Drop $30 for one of 300 VIP passes, and you’ll have access to a restroom experience that is heated and has full plumbing.

“They flush and everything,” Gainey said.

In addition, if you come with a group, you’ll have a chance to invest in your own private porta potty. For $200, you’ll get a dedicated potty with a combination padlock on the door, and only you and your group have the combination. Feel free to bring your own potpourri.

Finally, Tailspin will decorate one special Golden Porta Potty, painting it gold and adorning it in luxury. This limited-access porta potty will be dubbed The Royal Flush.

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“It won’t flush, but it will be decked out with some amenities,” Gainey said. “Potty like a rock star.”

Expect roughly 250 beers to pour on March 2, and this year’s Tailspin Ale Fest brings a new featured brewery in Untitled Art, based in Waunakee, Wisconsin. The brewery, which also makes seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages, collaborates with artists to blend beverages with creativity. The brewery recently began distributing products in Kentucky.

If you’re going to the festival as a designated driver, or are simply taking a break from imbibing, you’ll have more choices than ever. Free water is a mainstay at Tailspin, but this year Red Hot Roasters also will provide coffee. Meanwhile, there will be nonalcoholic beers and seltzers, CBD water and more.

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“WE’RE TURNING IT UP TO 11,” GAINEY QUIPPED.

In other words, dress for the weather. VIP tickets sold our faster than ever before.

For those who take advantage of the Tailspin shuttle service, an 11th shuttle stop was added at Drinks Jeffersonville.

The shuttle program includes drinks and apps, and is another VIP-esque option for just $20. The AC Hotel NuLu once again provided “stay and play” packages for attendees.

In addition to all the new attractions, from boxing demos to primo potties, attendees at Tailspin year 11 can expect all the same options they’ve come to know: Cox’s Cigar Lounge, the Cider & Sour Bar, Drake’s Silent Disco, live music from Tony & the Tan Lines, 10 local food trucks and snack vendors, karaoke, vintage planes and plenty of photo opps.

GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS ARE STILL AVAILABLE FOR $55 PLUS TAX AND FEES, WHILE DESIGNATEDDRIVER TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FOR $15 PLUS TAX AND FEES. TO ORDER OR TO LEARN MORE, VISIT TAILSPINALEFEST.COM.

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7 DATE IDEAS FOR A MEMORABLE VALENTINE’S DAY Writer / Abigail Hake Photography Provided

30 | February 2024 | TownePost.com

V

alentine’s Day is coming up, which means it’s time to start planning the perfect date for you and your special someone. Do you prefer a typical dinner with your loved one or would you rather enjoy a Valentine’s Day that’s a little more memorable? Whatever you like, here are a few ideas that you may or may not have thought of before.

1. GO SKATING

Lots of outdoor ice rinks are still open through the end of February so check out your options. Skating under the stars can be very romantic. If outdoor skating isn’t an option, look into skating times at your local indoor rink or even roller rink.

Gliding around together and holding hands is always a good time. If you aren’t comfortable with skating, grab some hot chocolates and go watch others do it.

This can actually be quite entertaining and definitely leave you with something to talk (or laugh) about!

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2. RECREATE A FAVORITE MEMORY

Whether it’s your first or 15th Valentine’s Day together, there’s probably a memorable moment between the two of you that stands out. Do your best to recreate that special moment. Go back to where you met or where your first date was, and take a walk down memory lane it’s sure to give you all the feels.

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3. PLAN A PICNIC

While you might not be able to do this outside, there are plenty of indoorfriendly ways to have a picnic. Set up in the living room in front of the fire, crack open a bottle of wine, and enjoy some light snacks and appetizers while getting to know each other a little better - or, if you’ve been together a while, getting to know each other again.

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4. DO A DRIVE-IN DATE

Load up the car with some folding chairs, cozy blankets and lots of snacks, and head to your closest drive-in theater for an evening with a throwback feel. Depending on the weather, you could set this up in your backyard, at the park or even in the basement if the weather won’t cooperate. If you plan to do it at home, string some bistro lights for a little extra magic, and don’t forget the popcorn.

5. ENJOY A QUICK GETAWAY

Getting away is always refreshing for those involved. Whether it’s an evening at the local boutique hotel or a cabin in the woods a couple hours away, enjoy the uninterrupted time together. You might even seek out a treehouse to rent as those have a truly magical and romantic feel, which is sure to make for a memorable Valentine’s date.

6. GET ACTIVE TOGETHER

If you don’t regularly work out together, this might be a fun one to try. Set up a personal training session, go for a run together or plan a hike with a special surprise at the top. Getting the endorphins going together could really help get the sparks going. Plus, it’s always fun to cheer each other on when doing hard things.

7. CREATE A BUCKET LIST

Bucket lists are always fun to come up with and even more fun to complete. Why not make one just for the two of you?

Come up with all the things you can do without the kids, or maybe before you have kids, depending on where you are in the relationship. Make sure to include all kinds of ideas - fun, silly, extreme, romantic, easy and hard. Start by checking one of the items off the list THIS Valentine’s Day.

Remember, just because it’s Valentine’s Day, that doesn’t mean it has to be a twoperson event. No matter where you are on the relationship spectrum, we’ve all had a crazy past couple of years and we all deserve a little treat. If there’s not a significant other in the picture, or maybe you just can’t be with the one you love so dear, spoil yourself and indulge a bit. Grab some chocolates, treat yourself to a nice dinner, or just take some time for yourself - because you deserve it!

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LESSONS AND LORE MIDDLETOWN HAS A RICH LOCAL HISTORY MANY MIGHT NOT EXPECT Writer / Cassady Lamb Photography Provided

Middletown, Kentucky, is a time capsule amongst the cityscape. Yes, the city has a Walmart, Target, fast food restaurants and coffee shops, but historical preservation is a large part of keeping the city’s historical roots visible and safe.

It has been 225 years since Jefferson County Court chartered Middletown as a city in 1797. The city served as a middle point between Louisville and Shelby County, and it is widely believed that is why the city’s name prevailed.

Kentucky was a part of Virginia starting in 1776, when the 13 colonies were severed from Great Britain. These states were combined until 1792, shortly after the American Revolution, and Kentucky was made the 15th state, following the last colony, Nova Scotia, which was located in parts of Maine and Canada. Kentucky was the first state admitted to the Union left of the Appalachian Mountains.

Middletown was one of the earliest settlements in Kentucky, becoming a city just 16 years after Kentucky became a state. It now lies less than 20 miles from 34 | February 2024 | TownePost.com

downtown Louisville.

In 1946 a woman named Edith Wood, a Middletown native, graduate of Anchorage High School and Miami University (Ohio), as well as co-founder of Okolona High School, compiled a story to be published.

This story includes 150 years of Middletown history, from the beginning until that point. The book is called “Middletown’s Days and Deeds.”

The 76-year-old book is up for sale on Amazon.

Wood was passionate about Middletown’s history.

She initially started to learn about the town’s history from her father. In the 1930s, as the preface of the book reads, she began to jot down what her father was saying to her regarding their town.

Wood is a relative of Thomas Wood, an emigrant from Virginia in the 1800s who headed a large family line that would lead down multiple generations to Edith Wood. She would then research all the way back to Thomas, to find her roots.

Kentucky pioneers, Wood says in her history book, were the first settlers in and around Middletown, and lived in single log cabins or forts. Windows were made of paper that was then smothered with bear grease.

These original Middletownians also ate a lot of meat such as venison and bear. These people led simple lives and ate simple meals.

Although these people led simple lives, they still spent time curating beautiful, rich buildings, at which architecture enthusiasts would gaze in awe

200 years later.

Most, if not all, people who live in Middletown know about the Middletown Inn. It is located right on Main Street.

Wood describes in her book the history of many historic buildings in Middletown. This inn is a building that many people drive past every day, but they would never know the rich history that it holds if people like Wood had not researched and published their findings.

A man named James S. Spear originally bought the Middletown Inn and another property for $15 from the trustees of Middletown.

The inn had been passed down nine times from 1808 to 1945. The half brick, half log building with 18-inch walls originally had an oak tree in the dining room.

Edith Wood’s father, William Harlan Wood, designed and created the interior of the Methodist Church. Her grandfather, William Benjamin Wood, built the church in 1899.

Harlan Wood apprenticed under his father, and his daughter, Edith, describes the work he did: “Build today, then, strong and sure, with a firm and ample base and ascending, and secure shall tomorrow find its place.”

Situated in the former United Methodist Church on Main Street in historic

Middletown is the Historic Middletown Museum. The museum holds a lot of life from the past, plaques, newspaper clippings, photographs and posters. Every item holds a story.

The City of Middletown and Historic Middletown Inc., who runs the museum, also hold cleanups at the Middletown Cemetery multiple times per year.

Comments from families and friends of those connected to the past, or the people themselves, flood the comments sections of the museum’s Facebook page, as they reminisce on memories in the city.

Within the city is a Historic Preservation

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Commission, a subchapter of the City Commission that contains six appointed chair members. One of those chair members is Commissioner Mark Stigers, who has been in the position since 2016.

According to Middletown’s Code of Ordinances, Chapter 33, the purpose of the Historic Preservation Commission is to effect the goals of preserving the heritage and character of the early town of Middletown, by promoting the educational, cultural and general welfare of the public through preservation and protection of historic buildings, places and areas.

Stigers previously held many roles within the Middletown Fire Department, including firefighter, fire marshal and safety officer.

He retired from the force in November 2013 as the assistant chief. Stigers also serves as mayor pro tem. Stigers has now been involved in Middletown history and preservation for around 10 years.

beginning: “Let the houses as you now know them vanish. Fill their places with trees and an occasional wigwam or log cabin. Watch the Stigers says most people in the city know about the Historic Preservation Commission. bears strolling down Middletown’s Main Street to Beargrass Creek for a drink of its cool, clear water and a meal of bear grass along its banks.”

“We put a little something in the city’s newsletter and website once in a while,” Beargrass Creek was where the main road to Stigers says. “Most of it is just word of Louisville crossed. mouth.” properties, we really watch those.”

Preserving the history of this town of 9,600 people is important. It allows the younger generations of Middletown to have a glimpse back to the past, and for the older generations to remember the memories that this city holds for them.

Historical landmarks like Middletown’s first gas pump, which hasn’t been pumped since 1936, and the Middletown Inn, established in 1798, are here to stay, and serve as a reminder to those who built the town.

Most know Middletown as a bustling city, with restaurants, schools and families. However, in her book, Wood recommends closing our eyes and trying to picture Middletown in the

“What you see from the street, we review and approve,” Stigers says. “The historic

Wood continues in her book: “See the Indians skulking behind trees, waiting to tomahawk white men out to kill bears for molesting their families. For wild animals and Indians were there to meet the brave and hearty eastern pioneers whom they served as both friend and foe.”

Of course, we know that there is history in our town, but until we put on the shoes of those who formed the Middletown we know now, we will never know the full story.

We should appreciate the full story, and those who are trying to preserve it. For some of us, this town raised us, as it did the generations before us.

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