kernel: Jesus to Heal Jefferson Street Building Damaged by Fire

More after the jump...

NoD: McCreary County from Mile Marker 0

US 27 at the Tennessee State Line - McCreary County, Ky.

On a recent trip to Tennessee, I found myself eschewing the interstate in favor of Highway 27. From the Tennessee border, one crosses through McCreary, Pulaski, Lincoln, Garrard and Jessamine counties and the trip marked my first venture into McCreary County.

When not travelling by interstate, a state line can be a fascinating place. A noticeable line in the asphalt marks where one transportation's work ends and another begins. 'Unbridled' signage encourages entrance to Kentucky while the "McCreary County" and "Mile 0" signs are mere statements of fact. But the broader picture is grand. At the state line, Kentucky's state flower - goldenrod - grows. A cigarette store in Kentucky sits only feet from Tennessee, but offers our neighbors to the south a great discount on tobacco due to our lower taxes on the product. But Rocky Top isn't short changed as they host a liquor store a mere 15 yards from dry McCreary County.

NoD: Rural Carriage House

Carriage House - Madison County, Ky.

When driving through Madison County earlier this year, I was struck by the number of "destinations" along U.S. 25 south of Richmond. Historic markers abound, a military complex is imposing, and this abandoned carriage house stands as a reminder of days gone.

NoD: Pikeville College began in today's City Hall

City Hall - Pikeville, Ky.

In 1887, three men rode into the hills of eastern Kentucky as members of the Ebenezer Presbytery, now part of the Presbyterian Church, USA. These men - Dr. W.C. Condit of Ashland, Dr. Samuel B. Alderson of Maysville, and Dr. James Hendricks of Flemingsburg - were concerned that "some of America's finest people were being neglected both in educational and spiritual development." After several trips into the area and upon the urging of the people, it was determined that Pikeville (then a community of about 300 people) should be the situs for an educational facility.

EV: Resting Place of Henry Clay (Lexington Cemetery, Part VII)

Tomb of Henry Clay - Lexington, Ky.

When most people think of the Lexington Cemetery, they probably immediately think of the Henry Clay monument. And for good reason. It dominates the skyline of this area of Lexington. Though, as a curious aside, it's really tough to see the monument from the cemetery below. It takes up an entire section (Section M) of the cemetery and is surrounded by a dense group of cherry trees.

When Henry Clay died in June of 1852, the ensuing ten days of memorials and mourning were national news. The day after he was buried, a group met at the courthouse in Lexington to begin planning "a national monument of historic proportions." They certainly achieved their goal.

The monument was completed in 1861, but because of the Civil War, Clay's body was not laid to rest there until 1864, when both he and his wife's bodies were placed there. The monument stands on a small hill, and Clay faces east, towards his home - Ashland.

Curiously, the monument has had a rather rough time over the years. In 1909, a storm knocked the head off the statute, necessitating a new statue to be built at the cost of $10,000. Then in 1910, the replacement statue was struck by lighting and lost its right hand and leg. The statue was once again repaired for another $10,000.

By the time the 1970s rolled around, the statue was a mess, as technically, there was no group responsible for its upkeep. The Cemetery had long ago deeded the land to the Henry Clay Monument Association, a group that no longer existed. To remedy this issue, the orphan monument was vested to the city by the Fayette Circuit Court. The monument saw a complete restoration at the hands of the city in 1976. The city transferred ownership to the Lexington Cemetery in 1999.

NoD: "The Man Who Moved A Mountain"

William Hambley, "The Man Who Moved a Mountain" - Pikeville, Ky.

From 1973 until 1987, over eighteen million cubic yards of earth was moved in a project known as the Pikeville Cut-Through. It was the largest earth moving project ever undertaken in the United States and only the second largest in the western hemisphere, paling only to the Panama Canal project.

But this isn't about the project, it is about the man behind the project. A man who loved Pikeville, but who didn't like how dusty she was. So he decided to take action.

walkLEX: Northside Neighborhood Association Celebrates Its Golden Anniversary

263 North Broadway - Lexington, Ky.

Last week on one of my walking lunches, I couldn't help but notice a few brightly colored flags in front of several houses in the area around Third Street just west of Broadway. It was not until Friday that I discovered that the flags marked sites on the  Northside Neighborhood Association walking tour in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the association. Of course, the neighborhood and its homes have existed for a much longer period.

When Lexington was originally platted, the area was divided into five acre lots. But by the 1810s, Lexington was beginning to grow northward toward what is now Transylvania University. In 1830, Transylvania University relocated its campus across Third Street to its present location and Lexington continued to grow in her direction. The Northside Neighborhood is expansive - reaching from Newtown Pike to Limestone and from Church Street to north of Seventh. Because of its geographic diversity, Northside also includes a broad variety of socioeconomic classes, architectural styles and historical communities within its bounds.

walkLEX: Clyde Carpenter's Carriage House

The Bluegrass Trust for Historic Preservation hosts a monthly deTour to a local historic site that has been well-preserved and restored - the group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Details are always available on the Kaintuckeean Calendar and on Facebook! In September 2011, the deTour group visited three carriage houses; this is the second installment with the first having been the Hunt-Morgan House Carriage House and the second the Maria Dudley Carriage House. More pictures from this deTour are available on flickr.

Clyde Carpenter Carriage House - Lexington, Ky.

Every time I pass down Lexington's New Street, a one block path between North Mill and North Broadway, I am taken away to the narrow, history-filled streets of Boston, Mass. The narrow street, nestled between a busy road and beautiful Gratz Park, has a variety of architectural styles -- all relatively traditional -- that are perfectly scaled to the street's width. Adaptive reuse and infill are the common themes on this one-block stretch.

But the greatest example of adaptive reuse here, and arguably one of the best examples of adaptive reuse in the city, is the carriage house-turned-residence at 340 New Street. When architect Clyde Carpenter first envisioned turning the carriage house into a home in 1966, he entered through the main door to find an actively used garage. In his living room, a vehicle sat. In the loft, there remained hay and grain.

walkLEX: Maria Dudley Carriage House

The Bluegrass Trust for Historic Preservation hosts a monthly deTour to a local historic site that has been well-preserved and restored - the group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Details are always available on the Kaintuckeean Calendar and on Facebook! In September 2011, the deTour group visited three carriage houses; this is the second installment with the first having been the Hunt-Morgan House Carriage House. More pictures from this deTour are available on flickr.

Maria Dudley Carriage House - Lexington, Ky.

Built contemporaneously with the Maria Dudley House in 1879, the carriage house at 215 North Mill Street has been and continues to be beautifully converted into a usable garage and cottage. A stable stall door in the rear of the garage hearkens back to the structure's prior use, though the carriage house now ably stores vehicles and its upper floor is being remodeled into a very usable living space or possibly an apartment.

walkLEX: Hunt-Morgan Carriage House

The Bluegrass Trust for Historic Preservation hosts a monthly deTour to a local historic site that has been well-preserved and restored - the group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Details are always available on the Kaintuckeean Calendar and on Facebook! In September 2011, the deTour group visited three carriage houses; this is the first installment. More pictures from this deTour are available on flickr.

Carriage House behind the Hunt-Morgan House - Lexington, Ky.

Behind the stately Hopemont on North Mill Street is the home's carriage house. A carriage house, like the carriage, is a relic of centuries past. Today's automobile and garage were preceded by horse-drawn carriages and these carriages (and their noble steeds) required protection from the elements. And unlike today's two-car garages, a carriage house was never attached to the residence it served (even without carbon monoxide issues!).

EV: Confederate Memorials (Lexington Cemetery, Part VI)

Ladies Confederate Memorial - Lexington, Ky.

When the Civil War concluded, battlefield were littered with Kentucky soldiers who had lost their lives on both sides of the conflict. Some of the fallen were buried in the Lexington Cemetery. In total, 102 Confederate soldiers were buried in the Lexington Cemetery during the conflict. The Confederate plots, which are separated from the fallen Union by a small paved drive, were turned over to the Confederate Veterans Association in June of 1891 for the token payment of one dollar. In February of 1892, the CVA bought the adjacent 510 square feet for $50, and eventually the CVA purchased an additional two lots totaling 853 square feet.

The Confederate lot is highlighted by two sites on the National Historic Register.

kernel: 9/11 Memoriam

Lexington Christian Academy - Lexington, Ky.

After 9/11, country musicians quickly wrote new songs. Some embraced a militaristic perspective, suggesting that the "American Way" was "putting a boot in your ass." (Toby Keith). Others recognized the importance of the moment - like Pearl Harbor or the JFK assassinations for earlier generations - where all would remember where they were "when the world stopped turning, that September Day." (Alan Jackson).

NoD: The Graves of Seven Who Fell in 'The Masterful Retreat'

Unmarked Grave - Elliott County, Ky.

Momma always instructed us not to "cut off the hand that feeds you." This old maxim shouldn't be forgotten in life or in battle.

The Cumberland Gap was a strategic link through the Appalachians during the Civil War and control of it was a constant struggle. After the battle of Ivy Mountain, Union troops became increasingly bold in southeastern Kentucky. By the middle of 1862, General George W. Morgan saw his opportunity to take the Cumberland Gap. To do so, however, he (and his men and their artillery) had to cross very rugged terrain. The end result was a loss of their supply line.

EV - Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Ky.

Buffalo Trace Distillery - Frankfort, Ky.

A few months ago, I was lucky enough to attend a wedding at the Buffalo Trace Distillery, (allegedly) the oldest operating distillery site in the country. Located in Frankfort, the site is on the National Historic Register as the George T. Stagg Distillery. Distilling began on this site sometime before 1773, on the site of an old trail (the Alanant-O-Wamiowee) where Buffalo reportedly crossed the Kentucky River. These Buffalo trails or "Buffalo Trace" were used by early pioneers.

NoD: Battle of Ivy Mountain

Ivy Mountain Memorial - Floyd County, Ky.

In the fall of 1861, General William Tecumseh Sherman, then the head of the Department of the Cumberland, heard rumors that a concentration of Confederate troops was amassing at Prestonsburg. In response, Sherman ordered Brig. Gen William O. "Bull" Nelson from his station at Maysville who was joined by Louisa-based Colonel Joshua Sill in driving Confederate forces south through Hazel Green and West Liberty.

Always short on supplies, Big Sandy Valley Confederates were also running short on ammunition in Prestonsburg. Under the direction of Capt. Andrew Jackson May, the men fell back on November 5, 1861, toward Piketon (n/k/a Pikeville). In Pikeville, the majority of the region's Confederates were stationed under Col. John S. Williamson.

EV: Lexington National Cemetery (Lexington Cemetery, pt. V)

As I mentioned in an earlier post, there are three national historic sites within the Lexington Cemetery. The largest of these is the Lexington National Cemetery. It is one of eight national cemeteries in the state.

walkLEX: Prayer Garden in the City

The Prayer Garden at Central Christian Church - Lexington, Ky.

I immediately thought of the first verse and chorus of C. Austin Miles' 1912 hymn, I Come to the Garden Alone, when I walked into the prayer garden nestled outside Lexington's Central Christian Church:

I come to the garden alone / while the dew is still on the roses / And the voice I hear falling on my ear / The Son of God discloses / And He walks with me, and He talks with me / And He tells me I am His own / And the joy we share as we tarry there / None other has ever known.

The entire concept of a prayer garden -- a quiet, outside place designed entirely for reflection and contemplative thought -- is one of my favorite church design features. Of course, a well-designed park can also provide a reflective and contemplative place to tarry.

NoD: Prater's Fort, Pioneer Village and a History Remembered in Salyersville

Prater's Fort - Salyersville, Ky.

Despite being one of America's poorest counties, Magoffin County has not forgotten her rich history. The county's historical society is incredibly active from its location in the old Salyersville post office on Church Street.

Adjacent to the historical society's offices is a recreated pioneer village with fifteen authentic log buildings that have been collected from around the county and rebuilt at the site. Inside the structures, period furniture, post office cages, and other historic memoriabilia tell the tale of Magoffin County's settlers.

kernel: College Football kickoff is Kentucky-centric

UK takes the field against WKU, Sept. 2010 - Lexington, Ky.

In only a few hours, the 2011 edition of college football will kick off in Louisville's Papa John's Stadium. The Louisville Cardinals will host the Murray State Racers at 6:00. Then at 9:15 the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers will host the University of Kentucky Wildcats at Nashville's LP Field. College football is (thank God) upon us! (picture of Big Red after the jump!)

EV: The Big Four Bridge

The Big Four Bridge from Waterfront Park - Louisville, Ky.

The Big Four Bridge was for a long time an old abandoned rail bridge on the east end of downtown Louisville. The Big Four gets its name from the Big Four railroad - the nickname for the now defunct Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad. For years, the bridge sat in the middle of the river, with both the Indiana and Kentucky approaches having been removed in 1969 and sold for scrap after the railroad fell into disuse.