History Burgoo

Lunch conversation reveals unexpected oral history connection!

As a new staff member working with the oral history collections here at KHS, I recently got to experience an exciting coincidence that encapsulated Kentucky’s long-held commitment to documenting and preserving the stories of our commonwealth.

KHS director Kent Whitworth invited new staff and interns to join the executive board for their January board meeting lunch.  We were encouraged to mingle, and always being up for meeting new people, I sat down next to a friendly looking mustachioed man.  I introduced myself and asked his name and he told me he was Mike Mullins, executive director of the Hindman Settlement School.  Being a city girl (I live in Louisville) I only recently learned a bit about Hindman and asked Mr. Mullins if he knew James Still.  “Yeah, I knew him.  We had Thanksgiving dinner together every year for the last 32 years before he died.”   As we discussed his work at the historic settlement school one of the new interns, Jamie Holt, approached our table and asked if we minded if he sat down.  I had met Jamie a few days previously in the digital lab where we convert cassette tape recordings to digital files and I introduced the two.  As they chatted, they soon discovered they had something in common—oral history.

Jamie is finishing his degree from Alice Lloyd College with a semester-long Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU) internship with the Special Collections and Library team. Part of his work involves digitizing and uploading oral history interviews to the KHS digital collections website, as well as creating catalog records for some of our 9,000 interviews.   This task complements Jamie’s efforts in the library at Alice Lloyd where he and former AIKCU/KHS intern (and fellow Alice Lloyd student) Justin Maynard are working on the initial effort to digitize the nearly three thousand oral histories collected during the Appalachian Oral History Project (AOHP).  Founded in 1970, the AOHP ranks as the earliest large-scale oral history project conducted in Kentucky.  Sarah Milligan, administrator of the Kentucky Oral History Commission at KHS, has been advising Alice Lloyd on the digitization process and now supervises Jamie’s work with oral history during his time at KHS.   

Well, it turns out that prior to working as executive director at Hindman, Mr. Mullins taught classes at Alice Lloyd College and when Mr. Mullins heard about Jamie’s work on the AOHP he shared that he had actually recorded some of the original interviews and also directed his students in conducting interviews as part of their curriculum.  He told us about his favorite interviews from the project, those of Verna Mae Slone, quilter and doll maker among other things or as Mr. Mullins called her “Grandma Moses of the Mountains.”  Ms. Slone condensed her interviews into a book about her life in Appalachia called What I Want to Tell, a memoir she wrote for her family members, the first of six books she would write.  Mullins recounted the progression that Ms. Slone’s book took from hand-typed personal memories stapled together and passed out at family gatherings, to published work, and how proud he was when he opened up the newspaper on the beach one morning on vacation and saw Ms. Slone’s picture looking back at him.

As the desserts arrived, Mr. Mullins expressed appreciation to Jamie for the work he has done to preserve these invaluable histories of Kentucky’s heritage and I realized I was witnessing the progress of the oral history tradition in our commonwealth.  Mr. Mullins worked in the pioneering days to establish the value of oral history documentation and Jamie works today to help preserve and present these histories in the digital age.  I’m happy that digital technology has allowed me to capture and present this  auspicious meeting to you.

--Heather Fox, project archivist for Pass the Word: The Guide to Oral History in Kentucky

Are These YOUR Kentucky Ancestors? – New Blog Series Coming Soon!

If you’ve followed any of our recent posts about the winter season activities in the library, I’m sure you’ve noticed that we are not only covering ground fast, but are encountering some wonderful gems along the way! So, you might also wonder; "What is all this processing for? Don’t you already know what is in the library?" Of course we do, but as technology changed over the years, things were not always processed in a manner that made it easy for our catalog system to find items once we took things online - which means you, our patron, could not find them either without quite a bit of digging through paper finding aids, or spotty catalog search results! Tweaking our collection descriptions will allow the catalog to find more items related to your research and/or Family History!

 Ok, enough with the boring details – but what does all that MEAN?! The long and short of it is: we are re-discovering some amazing details about our collection that shed new light on Kentucky families. Many of you come to our research library with one purpose in mind – finding your family’s Kentucky history. As you conduct your research, I’m sure you’re familiar with the microfilm room, the vertical files and the published indexes/histories. When most of those records were printed or photographed for microfilm/publication, they were all gathered into one place – usually from local Court House collections – and filmed to create as complete a representation of that county’s history as was possible at the time. However, as we have all learned the hard way, those records can have all sorts of problems with them: Counties didn’t record some events in the early years, some counties had devastating fires that destroyed decades worth of records, and sometimes the quality of the paper/writing has deteriorated to a point of illegibility.

 This is where supplemental information can greatly enhance your research or fill in missing pieces! Your ancestors may have left a paper trail that extends beyond the scope of formal record keeping, in the form of photos, letters, personal transactions, organizational memberships, family Bibles or even store ledgers! Don’t forget, our ancestors were social beings just like us and were involved in groups, businesses and other social activities that produced letters and records. The key to finding these types of records for your research is by expanding your search to include special collections/archival records, which is mostly made up of “primary sources” and rare publications. These items, unless re-published at a later date, will not be found in the regular stacks of our library, nor even in the microfilm room. They can only be found by searching our online catalog and then requesting the items at our reference desk. Our staff will be more than happy to retrieve these unique pieces of history for you to explore here in the library.

 As we process more things this winter, we are bound to find more links to your Kentucky families, which can then be found by you as you explore our Collections Catalog. Remember, it is free for anyone to use from home – at any time of the year! We also have the Digital Collections and Objects Catalogs available that hold images of some of these unique items. After you have explored these three free catalogs for items relating to your family or research subject, keep checking back! We are busy adding more content to these catalogs and continue to enjoy these months of new discoveries as we open a new folder or box and meet someone new from Kentucky’s past!  

 As I wrap up this post, I would like to introduce you to a new blog series that can be found here regularly: Are These YOUR Kentucky Ancestors? Each Kentucky County has its own unique records, resources and original documents/photos that help to enrich its overall story. A few times each month, we will feature a new original source, publication, document, or photo from a different County that specifically mentions Kentucky families by name. Along with the wonderful re-discoveries from around our state, we hope to provide some background on the item presented or some tips on how to use this in your research. If any of the featured items add to your Kentucky Family’s story, let us know! Don’t forget! If you see something you want to explore in person, come visit our library when it is open to the public each 2^nd Saturday of the month, or during regular season hours when they resume on March 13^th! Stay tuned, you won’t want to miss what we find!

--Cheri Daniels

Confessions of a Costumed Interpreter

Historic Locust Grove is a Regency style home built around 1792 in Louisville, Kentucky. Home to the Croghan family, this National Historic Landmark welcomed three presidents, the famed members of the Lewis and Clark expedition, and General George Rogers Clark. Owned by William Croghan (a surveyor and one of the wealthiest men in Kentucky) and his wife Lucy Clark Croghan (the sister of George
Rogers Clark and William Clark), Locust Grove was a major gathering place in Kentucky. Today, Historic Locust Grove hosts many events including: 18th Century Market Faire, Antique Fair, 18th Century Thunder Revolutionary War Encampment, patriotic picnics, lecture series, KJHS club, and an opportunity for visitors to tour the home and experience the magic of an 1800’s Christmas celebration.

On December 9-10, 2011 I participated in Candlelight Christmas at Locust Grove. Candlelight is a popular event at Locust Grove, during the second week of each December, where visitors connect with history through costumed interpreters (CI) like me! The house is decorated in Regency Style Christmas splendor while visitors participate through dancing, playing card games such as Whist, and conversing with the interpreters.

About three and a half years ago, my best friend introduced me to the world of costumed interpreting opportunities at Historic Locust Grove. To prepare for my CI role, I attend monthly meetings to learn from other interpreters and guest speakers. The group also learns current events of the early 1800’s, clothing styles, children’s activities, food preparation and presentation, day to day activities, and conversation points to use to engage visitors in enjoyable topics. Select members also participate in rehearsals of Regency period dances. Through the CI meetings I have made friends my age, and have met seasoned interpreters who have amazing storytelling talent and a passion for history.

When I began costumed interpreting I portrayed Eliza Croghan, the youngest daughter of William and Lucy Croghan of Locust Grove. However, she was only eight years old and I had recently turned 14 years old and grew six inches, which squashed the believability of me being a little girl. I was then given the character of Ann “Nany” Clark. Nany was the youngest daughter of Jonathan and Sarah Clark, the wealthiest family in Kentucky and the niece of George Rogers and William Clark.

To research my new character I discussed my “family” with the other interpreters, and researched and shared my new knowledge from the internet and meetings with local historians, on the CI blog. My favorite parts of the CI learning process are researching clothing styles and the dancing practices. Due to my recent growth spurt, a new dress was in order. I purchased authentic period fabric at the Jane Austen Festival (hosted annually at Locust Grove) and a friend sewed the dress for me in Regency style. To complete my transformation, my mom fixed my hair in “the latest Regency fashion,” and I wore my great-grandmother’s cameo necklace, which is almost a hundred years old, strung on a beautiful ribbon.

The final touches were placed around the grounds, the halls were “decked” with holly and greenery, the luminaries were lit, showing the way to the house, and the cold air urged the visitors toward the music and candlelight filled house. A large crowd of my family, friends, and members of my KJHS group arrived to enjoy an evening of history and treats from 1809. I spent most of the night dancing with short breaks to “introduce” myself to the guests. Both evenings went by so quickly and were full of music, dancing, and storytelling. Now, I can’t wait for next year!

Written by Clare Egan (KJHS Board Historian)

a.k.a. Nany Clark

For more information on Historic Locust Grove and costumed interpreting go to www.locustgrove.org or call (502)897-9845.

For more information on the Kentucky Junior Historical Society contact Cheryl Caskey at cheryl.caskey@ky.gov.

Winter Season Weeks 2 and 3

Well, we had a few holidays so we merged our accomplishments into one blog.  Hope you don't mind.  We have been cataloging like madhatters.  Our microfilm cataloging crew has knocked out 13 counties without knocking out or down each other. Carroll county gave us fits, but check it out online.  We are proud as peacocks!

Carroll County in the Online Catalog

 

Our maunscripts cataloging crew (same group as our microfilming crew) has cataloged over 250 collections.  Among our favorites are the Virginia Louise Hart Memory Book and a recipe book from 1858.  The Memory Book (SC 679) documents the senior year of high school for a young female graduate from Paducah High School, class of 1921.  We have all taken to chanting the senior year cheer:

Hail! Sleet! Thunder! Rain!

Get out of the way of the gravy train!

Hoot! Hoot! Seniors!

The book is full of calling cards, newspaper clippings, play programs and photos, but one page that sticks out as the most colorful showcases scraps of fabric cut from dresses worn by Virginia during her senior year.

 

Another page which earns an award for the most unique and possibly the most romantic highlights the tokens of affection given to Virginia by her male classmates in the form of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum wrappers.

 

 

We are thinking of taking on Virginia's senior class motto as our Seasonal mission statement:

"We build the ladder in which we climb."

 

Another item that had us drooling was the Elmore family recipe book (SC 808).  Besides recipes for several pies and cakes, this slim little volume had a recipe for a wine laud.  We don't know what a laud is used for but the three ingredients melted together are sugar, butter and wine.  Perhaps someone can try this out at their New Year's Eve party and tell us how it turns out!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the staff of the Special Collections and Library. 

Winter Season Week 1

The Special Collections and Library team started off the Winter Season with a party for the Governor, complete with cookies and punch.  Well, really, the Governor was having the Inauguration reception here at the Thomas D. Clark Center for History and the SC&L staff watched from the windows above Commonwealth Hall.  We did not have too many researchers on Tuesday, mostly lots of folks taking the opportunity to look around.  They got to see the SC&L team hard at work cataloging manuscripts.

So what did we accomplish in our first week?  Well let me tell you!  We cataloged 183 small manuscript collections, 20 large manuscript collections and 17 oversize collections.  One of my favorite discoveries was a trio of hotel registers from around central Kentucky covering the time period of the Goebel assassination. Apparently, the investigators collected these registers in the hopes that they would show the activities of the assassins.  On a side note, how many people remember actually signing into a hotel register?

Another highlight was SC 574 the George Delph account ledger, which has marginally interesting account information on a dry goods enterprise in Nicholas County.  It was later used, however, as a scrapbook by an unknown collector who decorated its pages with cut out images of fashion plates, political cartoons and product labels.  You can look forward to digital images appearing in the Digital Collection soon.

We also got together late Friday afternoon with our colleagues at the Kentucky Department of LIbrary and Archives to show them what we would be doing this Winter Season.  Since they will be answering lots of questions about our activities, we thought we would invite them in for a tour.

Not to be outdone, our Oral History staff met with 10 young women as part of the Staging Voices program with the Kentucky Commission on Women.  These high school students are learning how to create a theater piece using oral history as the raw material for their inspiration.  They will be doing 6 or 7 interviews with women who have served as advocates for women or who have effected change in the lives of other women. The students came in on Saturday to learn how to use the equipment and to do a practice interview with Sheila Mason Burton, who inarguably has done much for women in Kentucky.

Well, it is time to get to work.  Stay tuned for our next update on Tuesday December 27!  Merry Christmas everyone!

Behind the scenes at the opening of "The Makings of a Master: Kentucky Folk Art Apprenticeships"

        I’ve had some interesting assignments in the two and a half years I’ve been a volunteer at the Kentucky Historical Society. One of the most enjoyable was spending an evening with Bobby Osborne and the Rocky Top X-Press.

        Since I’m a bluegrass music fan it wasn’t a hard decision when the call came for volunteers to help with the September 15th opening of ”The Makings of a Master: Kentucky Folk Art Apprenticeships” exhibition and the concert to mark the Bill Monroe centennial.

     Bob Gates, director of the Kentucky Folklife Program, surprised me with the assignment of looking after the musicians -- showing them where the food and soft drinks were and making sure they could get in and out of the locked doors to their tour bus.

     What a nice group of guys!

     When I informed Bobby Osborne about the cold sweet tea in the “green room” (the education rooms off the main lobby), he told me how he had gone off tea while fighting as a Marine in Korea. He said he had gotten too many cups of lukewarm tea when what he really wanted was something cold. 

     Bobby passed on the food and tea, but other members of the band dug into the fried chicken box suppers.

     While waiting with the band members until time to go onstage, I spotted a small electronic device clipped to the neck of Joe Miller’s guitar. Miller explained that the digital readout allowed him to tune his guitar, even when the rest of the band was playing. Bobby Osborne Jr. also had one on his five-string bass.

     It was a great concert! One of the highlights was the appearance with Osborne and the X-Press by Cory May, a young musician from Kentucky.

     I had a chance to talk to Cory early in the evening. It’s easy to tell he’s very passionate about his music. His talent and long hours of practice were evident when he played both guitar and mandolin and sang with Osborne and his band.

     "The Makings of a Master: Kentucky Folk Art Apprenticeships" will be open at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History through December 10 and will then tour the state through 2014.

     The next concert in the Folklife series will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, and feature the Reel World String Band, Carla Gover and Jeri Katherine Howell. The exhibition and concert are free with admission to the Kentucky Historical Society.

     I’m looking forward to it!

-Jim Gill, KHS volunteer since 2009. Jim also blogs at Searchin' for Kinfolk.

All photos by the Kentucky Folklife Program.

Come visit the KHS Library for Thursday night programs!

In September, we started some new Thursday night programs to go along with our “Getting to Know the Library” session which is offered the first Thursday of each month at 5:30.  Now that October is here, we wanted to remind everyone of these opportunities to learn more about the library and research materials that are available.  Registration is not required for any of these programs, so you’re welcome to just show up at the Library at 5:30 on Thursdays.

 

Here’s the rundown on our programs:

•  1^st Thursday of each month, 5:30-6:30 – “Getting to Know the Library”

A Library staff member will lead interested patrons on a tour of the Martin F. Schmidt Research Library and answer questions about the resources we have available.

•  2^nd Thursday of each month, 5:30-6:30 – Fold3 Users Group

Interested in learning more about using Fold3 (which was formerly known as Footnote)?  Or are you a frequent user of Fold3 that can share your experiences and knowledge with others?  Beginners, experts, and everyone in between are welcome!

•  3^rd Thursday of each month, 5:30-6:30 – Ancestry and Heritage Quest Users Group

We’ve all heard of Ancestry.com, but what’s the best way to use it?  How do you navigate the thousands of databases they have available?  When do you have to leave the computer and go to the original records?  And what exactly is Heritage Quest?  How can it help with genealogy research?  Both of these sites can be valuable to both beginning and advanced researchers, so come to our Users Group to learn more about using these resources or offer your advice to others!

•  4^th Thursday of each month, 5:30-6:30 – RootsMagic Users Group

Do you use the genealogy software RootsMagic to organize your family tree?  Come to the library to meet fellow RootsMagic users, discuss features of the program and strategies for making the most of this software.

(Use a different genealogy software program?  Contact us at KHSRefdesk@ky.gov about forming additional user groups!)

 

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday nights in the Library!

 

ScanFest is coming to the Library!

Earlier this year, the KHS Library purchased a Bookeye 4 overhead scanner.  Since you may be wondering what that is, I’m going to rely on the old “a picture is worth a thousand words” adage.

 

Basically the Bookeye has the ability to create digital images of our collections by using an overhead camera.  We love this machine, because we can now take digital images of our collections that would be damaged using a traditional flatbed scanner.  Many thanks to the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation and the Kentucky Genealogical Society for providing funding to purchase the Bookeye.

So what is ScanFest?  On two Saturdays in October (Oct . 1 and Oct. 29) we are letting patrons bring in their fragile books (family bibles, diaries, scrapbooks, etc.), along with a USB (flash/thumb) drive and we will provide digital images of their materials -- for free!!

Customers can sign up for 20 minutes sessions by contacting the Library Reference Desk at KHSRefdesk@ky.gov.  To ensure the highest quality scans, there will be a 5 page scan limit per session, but you can sign up for more than one session.  Customers can choose  scan resolutions and formats (JPEG, PDF, TIFF).  Digital images will be in color, and black & white photocopies will also be available for 25 cents each.

Okay, a wrap-up:

• ScanFest will be held on Sat. Oct. 1 and Sat. Oct. 29, from 10 am - 5 pm
• Registration is required for a guaranteed time slot.  Walk-ins will be accommodated as time allows.
• Scanning sessions are limited to 20 minutes & 5 pages of material.  Patrons can sign up for multiple sessions.
• Don’t forget a USB drive!  (We recommend at least 4 GB to make sure that all files will fit on the drive)
• Recommended materials for scanning are fragile and tightly bound books such as family Bibles and scrapbooks.  Manuscripts and photographs are not recommended.

Email us at KHSRefdesk@ky.gov with any questions and to reserve your spot!

An interning folklorist in the field: documenting art cars in Kentucky.

Just before finishing up here hours as an intern here at KHS, Folklife Intern Jenn Jameson visited Louisville to document the unique tradition of art cars.  With fellow folklorist Joseph O'Connell, she shares the end product of a few hours doing fieldwork for the Kentucky Folklife Program.

Each year, Louisville’s Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft (KMAC) stages the Kentucky Art Car Weekend [link: http://www.kentuckyartcarweekend.com], an event that brings together people who have transformed their vehicles into mobile, public artworks.  During the Weekend, participating car artists present these eye-catching vehicles at meet-and-greets in front of the KMAC and in a parade through the city’s Crescent Hill neighborhood.      

2010 marked the event’s 10^th anniversary.  On August 6^th, Kentucky Folklife Program [link: http://folklife.ky.gov] fieldworkers Joseph O’Connell and Jennifer Jameson documented the occasion through photography and sound-recorded interviews.  The following photo essay and audio report present highlights from their fieldwork at the Art Car Weekend for KFP.

 Appearing in the audio report are the voices of C.M. and Grace Kelly Laster of Crofton, Ky.; Sonny Fenwick of New Albany, Ind.; Jen “Cricket” Bidwell of Louisville, Ky.; Tom Maguire of Lexington, Ind.; and Karen Welch, Director of Programming at the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft.

Kentucky Art Car Weekend, Audio Segment

How Will You Observe Patriot Day?

On December 18th, 2001 President Bush signed public law No. 107-89 designating September 11th as Patriot Day, in remembrance of the tragic events that shook our nation on September 11, 2001. Citizens are asked to fly the American flag at half-staff from dawn until dusk. The bill passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 407-0 and passed the US Senate unanimously.

The outpouring of patriotism in our country following the attacks on September 11, 2001 was a strong message to the world. It reflected the strength and resolve of our country’s founders. I once heard that patriotism is the duct tape of democracy. Perhaps that is true. It brings out the best in us when we focus on the big picture and not on our differences. In between those times of tragedy and triumph, some put their patriotism on the back burner. Why can't we be patriotic every day?

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution has chosen to commemorate this tenth anniversary of the attacks on our country by encouraging state societies and local chapters to promote events in their communities to remember the nearly 3,000 who died in the attacks and the many thousands more whose lives were changed forever by the loss of a loved one. The NSDAR has even designed a banner which may be purchased and presented to first responders and others in your community. The objectives of the NSDAR are to promote Education, Historic Preservation, and Patriotism.

The Kentucky Society Daughters of the American Revolution will join with the Kentucky Historical Society on Sunday, September 11th, at 3 o'clock in the Cralle-Day Garden at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, 100 W. Broadway, Frankfort in observance of this Patriot Day. It is fitting that the ceremony will take place in front of the Kentucky Liberty Bell. The Liberty Bell is a symbol of that freedom which was won at places like Lexington and Yorktown, Midway and Normandy, and now is being defended as far away as Iraq and Afghanistan.  It represents a way of life so precious to us, but which others may seek to take away.

So wherever you are on Sunday, take a few minutes out of your day to remember those who were lost and those who grieve and those who bravely stepped forward to defend our country. If you can come to Frankfort, please join us. If not, find a way to show your patriotism and appreciation for the liberty we so often take for granted.

-Leslie Miller, KHS membership coordinator

 

Did you know that the original Liberty Bell was not called by that name until abolitionists adopted it as a symbol in the 1830's? And later the bell was used as a symbol by suffragists who commissioned a replica and had the clapper chained to the bell to symbolize the women's inability to have their voices heard.

The Kentucky Liberty Bell is one of 55 replicas cast in 1950 as part of a US savings bond drive. Each state, the District of Columbia, and two US territories received replicas. Most are displayed at or near the state capital. The Kentucky Liberty Bell, once on display at the Old State Capitol, can now be seen at the Kentucky Historical Society's Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. Come by and see if it inspires you to wave your flag!

 

Inscription on the accompanying plaque:

DEDICATED TO YOU, A FREE CITIZEN IN A FREE LAND

THIS REPRODUCTION OF THE LIBERTY BELL WAS PRESENTED TO THE PEOPLE OF KENTUCKY

BY DIRECTION OF

THE HONORABLE JOHN W. SNYDER

SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY

AS THE INSPIRATIONAL SYMBOL OF THE

UNITED STATES SAVINGS BONDS INDEPENDENCE DRIVE

FROM MAY 15 TO JULY 4, 1950 IT WAS

DISPLAYED IN EVERY PART OF THIS STATE.

 

THE DIMENSIONS AND TONE ARE IDENTICAL

WITH THOSE OF THE ORIGINAL LIBERTY BELL

WHEN IT RANG OUT OUR INDEPENDENCE IN 1776.

IN STANDING BEFORE THIS SYMBOL, YOU

HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEDICATE

YOURSELF, AS DID OUR FOREFATHERS,

TO THE PRINCIPLES OF THE INDIVIDUAL

FREEDOM FOR WHICH OUR NATION STANDS