History Burgoo

Goodbye KHS, hello bike commute!

Today is my last day at KHS. I was hired in September 2011 as project archivist to manage development of an online database and resource guide to Kentucky oral histories called Pass the Word. Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and supported by the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation, the website will provide a centralized portal that allows people to search across the collections of all participating institutions and find out where to get access to interviews and collections they’re looking for. A search for “family farms,” for example, might point you to KHS, WKU and EKU. The website includes handy links that take you directly to contact information for the folks who maintain the collections at their institutions.

The Kentucky Oral History Commission, formalized as a state agency in 1980, has funded many thousands of the interviews found in repositories across the state. In preparation for reaching out to potential participants in the website, I surveyed the archives of the Kentucky Oral History Commission and identified over 450 oral history projects created by almost 80 institutions and individuals who have received grants from the commission.

Not only did my job appeal to the archivist in me, it also appealed to the extrovert in me. I was able to connect with colleagues across departments at KHS, at state government and throughout the state. I worked with the KHS design studio to create a graphic for the title of the site. I worked with the Commonwealth Office of Technology to hammer out technical requirements and capabilities. The director of the museum staff gave me tips on writing a request for proposal. I gathered an advisory board of librarians, archivists and others responsible for caring for the state’s oral histories and consulted with them along the way.

I also got to work on the reference desk in the library, an aspect of being a archivist that I really enjoy. Despite the occasional reference frenzy, I enjoy helping people find information about their family history and talking to them about their search. You never know who you might meet, too. One day I had the pleasure of talking to a scientist who it turned out is responsible for engineering the inner lining of cans of SPAM! He was traveling through Kentucky from another state looking for one of his ancestors.

During my time here at KHS I’ve also been able to develop skills and connect with Kentucky’s history. I co-presented a workshop on using oral history in the classroom. I learned how to write a request for proposal. I helped out during National History Day. I attended talks presented by research fellows. I attended a lecture on John Jacob Niles. I ate lunch in the staff kitchen with the historians and listened to stories about the Frankfort ghosts and Civil War submarines. Not only has the intellectual engagement appealed to me, but who doesn’t love a good ghost story?

We have just completed development of Pass the Word and expect to launch sometime in August. Not only will you find collections information there, but also the latest news about what’s going on in oral history in Kentucky and across the nation. I encourage you to keep an eye out for the announcement of the official the Pass the Word launch.

I am leaving this grant-funded position (and a sixty-minute commute) for a permanent position in an archival repository just six minutes from my house. I am excited to leave the driving behind, but I’ll be leaving friends behind, too. I’d like to take this opportunity to publicly thank all of the KHS staff for welcoming me and sharing their expertise. It’s been an interesting and educational experience.

 

--Heather Fox

Kentucky Olympian holds record for 60 years

We here at KHS are getting into the Olympic spirit! If you are, too, check out this piece of Kentucky’s Olympic history. KHS has eight medals in the collections from the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium that were awarded to Willis A. Lee, a Kentuckian born in Natlee in Owen County. 

Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee in 1945.
KHS Digital Collections FF1.211.1

Lee was a noted marksman that participated in 14 events as part of the U.S. shooting team. Lee won five gold medals, one silver and one bronze. The eighth medal in the collection is a participation medal. Lee and his teammate Lloyd Spooner each won seven medals during the games — a record for medals won during a single Olympiad.  The men held this record until 1980 when the Russian gymnast Alexander Dityatin won eight.

 For the 1920 Olympics, the gold medals were not actually made out of gold. They were made of vermeil, a combination of sterling silver, gold and other precious metals. In the case of the medals in the KHS collections, “gold” medals now appear to be silver since silver was the base metal for the pieces.

Pictured here is one of Lee's gold medals from the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games. On the front is a nude male holding a palm frond, representing a victorious athlete with the palm of victory. Behind him is an angel blowing a horn, representing Fame. On the back is the monument of Antwerp in front of a port with ships' masts and a church spire, with the coat of arms of the city at the bottom.

 

Front

Back

Willis A. Lee went on to command naval troops during World War II and was awarded the Naval Cross for his command during the naval battle at Guadalcanal. Lee was promoted in 1944 and put in charge of the battleships of the Pacific Fleet. He was a Vice Admiral in the Navy at the time of his death in 1945.

To see more of Lee's Olympic medals visit the KHS Objects Catalog or visit the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History in person now through August 11! Open Wednesdays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Thursdays 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

 

Are These YOUR Kentucky Ancestors: Woodford County?

Let me introduce you to Martinette (Nettie) Viley Witherspoon of Woodford County. Mrs. Witherspoon left behind a wonderful collection that not only gives us a glimpse into her world during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, but also provides us with an exemplary representation of family history research in its most aesthetic form. 

 Mrs. Witherspoon was born to Catherine Jane Martin and Warren Viley on January 28^th, 1851 in Woodford County. She later married Lister Witherspoon on December 8th, 1869. Since her earliest scrapbook comes from her youth in the 1860s in the form of an autograph book, let’s call her “Nettie” from now on. We can learn quite a lot about Nettie from the many things she left behind: From diaries and photographs to autograph books and legal contracts, Nettie also outlined her love of genealogy in the form of a huge scrapbook filled to the brim with hand-drawn/colored genealogy charts and family histories. Due to Nettie’s wide range of social encounters, detailed in her diaries, anyone with family ties to Woodford County may want to stop by the Martin F. Schmidt Research Library to take a closer look! The collection is called the Viley Family Papers and is housed under the MSS #97M01.  

 Here are a few highlights from Nettie’s family collection:

 Her amazing genealogy scrapbook and journal – covering a wide range of family histories, personal memories about loved ones and lineages that stretch back into pre-17^th century European lines.

Mementos – Funeral cards, calling cards, photographs and clippings about favorite subjects or historical figures.

Hand made sheet music journal – Full of various songs and production notes, including the “Java March” with crazy notes to fit its name!

Daily journals from the first part of the 20^th century – detailing visits from local neighbors and friends in the Central Kentucky area. She also describes weather, the tobacco industry, some family drama, relationship issues, health condition/surgeries and travel adventures.

Some of the surnames included in her collection are: Alexander, Ashbrook, Bachman, *Ball, Barnett, Bassett, *Bernard, Black, Blackburn, Bowler, Bradley, Breckinridge, Bright, Brodhead, Brown, Buffington, Bullock, Burck, Burke, Campbell, Carter, Clark, Cooper, Crawford, Davenport, Davis,*Douglas, Downman, Dunn, Estill, Gaines, Garrett, Green, *Guerrant, *Hale/Heales, Hall, Hawkins, Holman, Holt, Howland, Hume, Johnson, Kerr, Lehman, Martin, McKee, McKinivan, McKown, McLeod, Milward, Morris, Nuckols, Offutt, O’Rear, Payne, Pearce, Pearson, Rankins, *Rodes, Shropshire, *Smith, Stedman, *Thomson, *Trabue, *Travers, Turner, *Viley, Walker, Wallace, *Warner, Warren, Williams, Wingate, *Witherspoon. (*names have a prominent place in her lineage scrapbook) 

 So come on Woodford Countians - stop by and explore the Viley Family Papers - I'm sure Nettie would have been very glad you did!

--Cheri Daniels, Senior Librarian/Reference Specialist

My Summer with the Churchill Weavers Collection

I started my internship this summer without much prior knowledge of handling artifacts. I did, however, have a strong interest in textiles, which was only fueled more during my time with the Churchill Weavers collection. Obtained by KHS in 2007, this massive collection consists of numerous items owned and produced by the Churchill Weavers company. David Carroll Churchill and his wife Eleanor founded the company in Berea, Kentucky in 1922. David Carroll created many of the innovative new looms used by Churchill Weavers, and Eleanor was responsible for designing patterns for the products. After almost a century of manufacturing and a handful of owners, the company closed its doors. Among the items found in the collection are woven textiles, looms, tools, and sales records.

I’ve spent my days working with the company’s large inventory of woven products. I have handled only a fraction of the thousands of pieces found in the collection, including baby blankets, couch throws, and scarves. The items range from scraps and material samples to finished products.

The first thing that amazed me about the collection (after the sheer volume of it) was the quality of the materials – both the nature of their preservation and the craftsmanship involved in their original production. These are items kept with the express purpose of maintaining a record of the items manufactured by the Churchill Weavers. The colors are still vibrant and the weave structures, even those of the most delicate scarves, remain intact. I love how they experimented with color combinations, weaving styles, and materials. Sometimes, too, among the textiles, we’ll find short notes – snippets of information in handwritten scribbles that help to illuminate how the company operated.

I’ve enjoyed having a chance to help make this impressive collection available to the public. With the help of volunteers and under the supervision of Jennifer Spence (KHS’s Churchill Weavers project assistant), I’ve had an amazing opportunity to participate in the meticulous process of cataloging and photographing the pieces, which will allow people to access the items online in the KHS digital archives. By carefully re-housing the textiles in large, acid-free containers, the collection will continue to remain intact for future generations. Although I’ve only been able to work with a small portion of the Churchill Weavers collection, I am glad to have made a contribution to maintaining Kentucky’s handcraft heritage, and I hope to continue working with the collection in the future.

---Cassandra White-Fredette, graduate student in art history at the University of Kentucky

Explore KY History Socially with Facebook and Our Upcoming App

The latest edition of the Kentucky Historical Society’s Chronicle is out and you may have noticed an article about upcoming digital elements. One of those is Explore KY History, a new mobile application due out in late summer with content centered around the historical markers you’ve seen along Kentucky’s roadways.

Explore KY History takes our historical markers and provides more content and context to make the story come alive. Each marker is tied to the others in a narrative tour that can be brought up right on your cell phone.

Before the app is released, there are still lots of things to get ready, and lots of ways for you to help us bring history to everyone in Kentucky, online and on the road!

Check In on Facebook

Help the Kentucky Historical Society connect socially with our historical markers. If you come across a historical marker, use your smart phone to create a check-in on Facebook so visitors can connect to each other from across the Commonwealth! Make sure to let us know that you’ve checked in by posting directly to our Facebook page.

Post Pictures

Post pictures of the marker and its historic location to your Facebook page and tag the Kentucky Historical Society. This will share your historical marker pictures with your friends and our fans at the same time. Make sure to let us know if we can reuse your photos in the new app! Soon, you’ll also be able to submit content and stories to be linked to the markers in the app itself. We're always looking for great content from Kentuckians and local historians to give the historic context more depth!

Get GPS Coordinates

The Kentucky Historical Marker Program was started in 1949, way before navigating with GPS in your car was even a consideration! Help us make our historical markers more accessible by grabbing the GPS coordinates the next time you visit a marker and then posting it to our Facebook page. You can get GPS coordinates by using your compass app on your iPhone, or another GPS navigator in your car or on your phone.

This week, Kentucky's State Parks have a lot of great opportunities for Fourth of July fun. While you're out and about enjoying the festivities, stop by and visit our historical markers. Check out this post for a full listing of parks events and the historic markers that you can find in the area. Post pictures, coordinates and great check-ins while enjoying the Fourth of July holiday!

Great! But How do you Create a Check-In?

Creating a check-in is simple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go to your Facebook app and search for the KY Historical Marker you're checking in at. If the search returns no results, click the "Add..." button to add the place as a spot to check in at.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After naming it as a KY Historical Marker, you need to select a category. Choose Community & Government > Public Places & Attractions > Historical Place

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then just click "Add" and the rest of Kentucky will have a new place to check in and share socially!

Visit a State Park and Explore KY History

This weekend, Kentucky State Parks has a lot of great opportunities for Fourth of July fun. While you're out and about enjoying the festivities, stop by and visit our historical markers, then post your pictures, coordinates and check-ins to Facebook! Don't know how to create a check-in? Read more about it on this History Burgoo post and stay tuned to learn more about the Kentucky Historical Society’s Explore KY History mobile app so you can take tours of historical markers no matter where you are or what adventure you're having online or on the road.

Below is just a sampling of some Independence Day history opportunities across the state! Don't see historical markers in your county? It doesn't mean they aren't there; we’ve just posted a few. Check out the full database of historical markers online and visit the Kentucky State Parks website for a complete listing of all their Fourth of July events!

Barren River Lake State Resort Park, Lucas

It’s a blast at Barren River Lake State Resort Park’s annual Fireworks Celebration on July 4, sponsored by The Friends of Barren River Lake and Park. The park will have plenty of patriotic fun crafts and games starting at 10 a.m., including the annual Float Your Boat contest at 7 p.m. The band Steel Country will perform at 5 p.m., followed by the fireworks display at dark. Call 1-800-325-0057.

Historical Markers in Barren County include:

• Bear Wallow, US 31-E at Hart Co. line, Bear Wallow
• Bell's Tavern, Public Park, KY 70, Cave City
• Cave City Raid, Public Park, KY 70, Cave City
• Diamond Caverns, 1900 Mammoth Cave Pkwy., Park City
• First Presbyterian Church, 200 E. Washington St., Glasgow

Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park, Buckhorn

The park will set up a tent and sell hamburgers, hot dogs, drinks and other items from 3-9:30 p.m. near the beach. Games will be available from 2-8:30 p.m. and musician Michael Dwayne will perform from 6-10 p.m. near the beach house. A spectacular show of fireworks will take place over the lake at dark. The park will also offer a special buffet July 4, from 5-9 p.m. (Adults $12.99 (plus beverage, tax and gratuity). Children 5 and under eat free.) Fireworks are sponsored by Hazard/Perry County Tourism and the city of Buckhorn. Call 1-800-325-0058.

Historical Markers in Perry County include:

• Founder of Hazard, Hazard, Courthouse lawn, KY 7, 15
• Mountain Missionary, N. Main St., Hazard, KY 7, 15
• Murdoch of Buckhorn, Buckhorn, KY 28
• Salt Works, 17 mi. S. of Hazard, KY 7

 

Fort Boonesborough State Resort Park, Richmond

Guests are invited to take part July 7 in a charitable event co-sponsored by the park and C.A.R.S. (Children Are Really Special). The Drive & Dive In Cruise will be 5-10 p.m. The park invites all classics – street rods, pro street, muscle cars, late model Camaros, Challengers, Corvettes, classic trucks, rat rods, modified and import vehicles! Bikes are also welcome! Enjoy the evening with live music, food, inflatable bounces for the kids, Levi Jackson pool will be open free to the C.A.R.S. spectators. Call 606-330-2130.

Historical Markers in Madison County include:

• Divine Elm, Ft. Boonesborough State Park near camping area, off KY 388
• Sycamore Hollow, Ft. Boonesborough State Park near picnic shelter, off KY 388
• Cassius Marcellus Clay, Entrance to Richmond Cemetery, US 25 & KY 52
• Civil War Field Hospital, Approx. 4 mi. S. of Richmond, US 421
• Daniel Boone's Trace, "Ft. Estill Hill" near 1526 Berea Rd., Richmond

 

Exploring Kentucky's history is a great way to celebrate the Fourth of July. Visit the Kentucky State Parks website to find festivities in your area, and search the Kentucky Historical Society's Historical Marker database to find history happening right where you live.

Have a happy and safe Independence Day!