History

Once upon a time, the banks of the Ohio River provided an ideal location where amusement parks thrived  - the area simply known as Kentuckiana!

Picnic grounds flourished and steamboat travel was abundant at the coast the Ohio River known as Kentuckiana. Popular amusement parks such as Glenwood Park, Rose Island, White City, Fontaine Ferry, and Kiddieland welcomed visitors as early as 1902, and the more successful parks continued to operate well into the 1960s. Visitors to these parks enjoyed steamboat excursions, live music, rides, games, picnics, sporting events, and more. These parks were not only for amusement seekers but also for keen businessmen like David Rose, who purchased Fern Grove in 1923 and renamed the park Rose Island. Transportation businesses thrived, with steamboats like the Idlewild (now the Belle of Louisville) providing regular transportation to the parks along the Ohio River. In addition to an increase in river traffic, companies like the New Albany Traction Company purchased the area that would become Glenwood Park from the well-known Beharrel family, of New Albany, Indiana, and provided rail transportation to their park.

Take a journey through Muhlenberg county's rich history, hometown to the Everly Brothers and Warren Oates, in this this fascinating visual tribute.

Muhlenberg County has been famous for its record-setting coal production since 1890. But as the county grew and the coal piled higher, another kind of energy began to flow from the depths of the mines. Songs like ""Sixteen Tons"" and ""Paradise"" spotlighted the lives of the bent and bowed coal miners and put the county on the map. With the addition of the world's largest power plant and the world's largest coal shovel, tourism increased as visitors came to see the hometowns of the famous Everly Brothers, James Best, Warren Oates, and Merle Travis. The Duncan Cultural Center and Museum, a gift from Hamilton Duncan, is a beautiful gathering place where people today can enjoy music and art and learn about Muhlenberg's coal legacy and rich history.

Nasrullah arrived in Kentucky in 1950 and forever changed the modern American thoroughbred.

Bred in royalty by the Aga Kahn, Nasrullah's journey from Europe to America was one of glorious victories and grand potential. He was the first horse to lead both the American and English sire lists, which led to a legendary line of descendants that includes nine U.S. champions, three Hall of Famers and ninety-eight stake winners like Bold Ruler, Noor and Nashua. Nasrullah is even grandsire of the famed Secretariat. Ride along with author Melanie Greene as she recounts the compelling history of a truly remarkable horse that is sure to take any equestrian fan beyond the bluegrass.

Lexington documents the history and evolutoin of this city nestled in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region.

Situated in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region, Lexington is known as a cultural center throughout the state. The city, with its strong sense of history, education, and commerce, has undergone dramatic change, making way for development and progress with each new decade.

A Hidden Gem in Kentucky.

Eighteen miles outside Louisville lies the picturesque town of Pewee Valley. The town was originally founded on a land grant around 1800 and later named after the Eastern Wood Pewee, which, according to an elaborate legend, exuberantly proclaimed the creation of an Eden east of Louisville. Residents of and visitors to this fairy-tale suburb have included tycoons, politicians, painters, photographers, poets and novelists. Among them was Annie Fellows Johnston, who used Pewee Valley as the setting for her famed “Little Colonel” books, which Shirley Temple brought to the big screen in 1935. A preserve of rural manors and picturesque cottages, Pewee survived Civil War, the Depression and developers’ bulldozers. David Russell reveals this storied history.

Images of America: The Land Before Fort Knox illuminates the past while images bring to light people and places of yesterday.

Located south of the Ohio River and Louisville, Kentucky, the Fort Knox military installation is the location for the training of U.S. Army Armor and Cavalry forces. Known as the home of Mounted Warfare, Fort Knox is also the location of the U.S. Treasury Department Gold Vault that opened in February 1937. Fort Knox covers 178 square miles and spans parts of Hardin, Meade, and Bullitt Counties. The area was once home to Thomas Lincoln, father of the nation's martyred 16th president, as well as the burial place of Abraham Lincoln's grandmother, Bathsheba Lincoln. Images of America: The Land Before Fort Knox illuminates the past while images bring to light people and places of yesterday.

From its inception as a teaching college in 1906, Eastern Kentucky University has provided more than a century of educational opportunity.

Dedicated to high-quality instruction, service, and scholarship, Eastern is a student-centered comprehensive public university located in Richmond, Kentucky. This volume covers the second 50 years of the regional university that has gradually shifted focus from teacher education to a more expansive curriculum including public health, law enforcement, business, and the liberal arts.Eastern Kentucky University: 1957-2006illustrates the university's growth through more than 200 images from the school archives that capture the building of a university, athletic competition, academics, and student life.

Images of America: Bardstown is an educational and entertaining volume that will delight residents, visitors, and lovers of history everywhere.

A visitor to Bardstown today can view as many as 300 buildings listed on the National Register and marvel at their age and condition, but the original state of many of these landmarks has long since been altered or forgotten.

Fire destroyed many buildings during the late 1800s, and commercial progress in the 1900s prompted the demolition of more than 100 of the area's homes and businesses. In this remarkable new volume, the search of public and private collections for photos of local landmarks and events has resulted in the lost puzzle pieces needed to complete the history of Bardstown's physical heritage. In 190 rare photographs, Bardstown reveals the people and places who have contributed to its growth and gives readers the opportunity to witness the changes that have occurred throughout the history of this close-knit, Southern community.

Images in this collection include recently discovered photographs of the tragic Shepherdsville Train Wreck of 1917; the effects of Prohibitionn on a community with 12 distilleries; the changing faces of My Old Kentucky Home (the inspiration for Kentucky's state song); and unique views of the fires that destroyed Heaven Hill Distillery and the Talbott Tavern.

Ludlow depicts the gripping history of this small Kentucky town.

Disproportionate to its small size, Ludlow's history is undeniably spacious. Situated along the Ohio River, Ludlow is located in the northernmost region of Kentucky, south of Cincinnati. Although not officially incorporated until 1864, Ludlow had been established much earlier by a handful of affluent families. As an alternative to chaotic city life, Ludlow offered residents vast land and tranquil surroundings where they could build their estates. Shortly thereafter, however, the late 19th century would bring the railroad to Ludlow, sparking dramatic growth and expansion of the city. Images of America: Ludlow displays a spectrum of photographs, from the hardworking faces of the Cincinnati Southern Railroad to the lively happenings at the Lagoon Amusement Park. Opening in 1895, the amusement park provided over two decades of entertainment and leisure activities for the community. Extensively photographed, it now endows us with striking images featured in a unique chapter. Additional views of businesses, churches, schools, and citizens give further glimpses of early life in Ludlow. Several historic family homesteads are displayed, including Elmwood Hall, the city's earliest known permanent residence.

A kidnapping, a brutal murder, an international manhunt, and a diabolical priest… This is the true story of the murder of eight-year-old Alma Kellner.

On a bitterly cold day in December of 1909, young Alma Kellner simply disappeared from the altar of St. John's Church in Louisville. Her body was found four months later near the site of the church, and news of the murder rocked the city. The manhunt for the suspect Louisville police Captain John Carney eleven thousand miles across the country, and even to South America, to return the killer to justice. While a man was tried and convicted to life in prison for the crime, suspicion lingers that the true culprit was the murderous and maniacal Catholic priest Hans Schmidt, the only priest to have ever been executed in the United States. Author Shawn M. Herron details the fascinating story of a tragedy that still remains a source of mystery to this day.

Long associated with fine Thoroughbred horses, Kentucky's Bluegrass region is also home to America's oldest indigenous breed: the American Saddlebred horse.

A composite of several breeds, the Saddlebred was developed by 18th century colonists who sought a good looking, sensible, adaptable, and comfortable animal to ride and drive. These traits made it the mainstay of the Confederate cavalry during the Civil War and the choice mount of many generals on both sides. As the Industrial Revolution replaced the need for working horsepower, the Saddlebred evolved naturally into recreational activities. Affectionately known as ""peacock of the show ring,"" the Saddlebred's beauty, expression, and athleticism epitomize the essence of a show horse. In many ways, the breed's history parallels that of America and unfolds in pictures in Kentucky's Saddlebred Heritage.

Old Friends provides a dignified retirement to Thoroughbreds whose racing and breeding careers have come to an end. Hear their stories in this heartwarming book.

Like many before him in the Bluegrass State, Michael Blowen, a former Boston Globeentertainment writer, fell in love with horses, specifically Thoroughbreds. The reality beyond the racetracks, he knew, was that each day a Thoroughbred was in the spotlight, for some of these distinguished athletes, their days were numbered.

For that reason, he dreamed of finding a way to give them a dignified retirement after they completed their rigorous racing careers. When he opened the Thoroughbred retirement farm Old Friendsin Kentucky in 2003, he never dreamed his idea would grow so big, so fast. Today, Old Friendsis home to more than 130 horses, many of them stallions, as well as geldings, mares and one loveable miniature horse named Little Silver Charm.

Join journalist and horse lover Rick Capone for the story of Old Friendsand the horses that call the farm home.

Filled with tales of infamous duels, cheating congressmen, and much more, Wicked Lexington, Kentucky offers the first collection the city's rowdy and ruckus history .

Despite its illustrious beginnings as the "Athens of the west," Lexington has always had a darker side lurking just beneath its glossy sheen. It didn't take long for the first intellectual hub west of the Alleghenies to quickly morph into a city with the same scandalous inclinations as neighboring Louisville and Cincinnati. From Belle Brezing's infamous brothel of the late 1800s, frequented by some of the city's most prominent businessmen, and once pardoned by the governor, to historic sports scandals of the 1900s, local author Fiona Young-Brown tracks Lexington's penchant for misdeeds from founding to modern times.

This fascinating photographic history tells the story of Campbellsville, a town in Taylor county with a rich history.

Taylor County became the 100th county in the commonwealth of Kentucky when it was created on March 1, 1848. The county was named after Zachary Taylor, who gained fame as a general in the Mexican War and eventually became president of the United States. The town of Campbellsville, founded in 1817, was selected to serve as the county's seat of government. Throughout its history, the growth of Campbellsville and Taylor County has been marked by both boom periods and years of severe trials and tribulations. Despite the difficulties faced by the residents of Taylor County, its citizens have always shown admirable grit and determination in improving the circumstances of their families and community. Today the county features a diversified economic base that serves a population of 24,069. Of that number, 11,010 reside within Campbellsville's borders.

A pictorial history of Garrard County's everyday people going about their lives ... and so much more!

Nestled in the bluegrass region of central Kentucky, Garrard County traces its pioneer beginnings to the mid-1770s. Officially founded in 1797, the county remains predominantly rural to this day. Its citizens are patriotic, service-oriented, and proud of their communities and ancestors. In this volume, county resident Rita Mackin Fox has gathered more than 200 photographs, focusing primarily on residents on the farm, in towns and at school, work, worship and play. Each image will bring back memories or provide a glimpse of what life was like for earlier residents.

Fox also pays tribute to some notable people and events, including Kentucky Mountain Boy Bradley Kincaid, Carrie A. Nation, possible Uncle Tom's Cabin connections and a visit by a former king of England. This volume also contains images that show the formation of Herrington Lake, now a major recreation and tourism area.

Maysville, Kentucky, and the seven counties surrounding it are represented in this book. Sitting beside the swift currents of the Ohio River about 60 miles east of Cincinnati, Ohio, Maysville was established in 1787 by Simon Kenton and Daniel Boone and was originally named Limestone, later to be named Maysville. A shipping port for bourbon, wrought iron, and tobacco in the early years, it later became both a manufacturing hub and an agricultural community known as the world’s finest tobacco market. Today, Maysville’s Gateway Museum, just a few blocks from the iconic Simon Kenton Bridge, preserves the story of how the town became “the gateway to the south.” Rosemary Clooney, US Supreme Court associate justice Stanley Reed, and many other prominent people are from this area. Some older businesses that helped this town grow have closed, but others like the Pogue Distillery, Caproni’s Restaurant, and Wald Manufacturing live on as this town continues to thrive.

Tom Roberson was born in Mayslick, Kentucky, and grew up in Maysville. Most images came from the author’s 40-year hobby of collecting early-1900s historical postcards. Roberson is a retired residential builder and is always on the hunt for new images to add to his collection. 

Madison County, Kentucky highlights the progress of the area over the 20th century, including the bustling railroad stations and lines that crossed the county and played an integral role in the local economy.

Take a fascinating journey through the history of Carroll County, Kentucky with more than 200 vintage photographs and anecdotes from the locals who experienced it.

In 1794, the town of Port Williamwas established at the confluence of the Kentuckyand Ohio Riversjust two years after that portion of Virginia known as Kentucky Countyofficially became the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

In 1838, officials carved Carroll County out of portions of Gallatin and Trimble Counties and renamed the town Carrollton in honor of Charles Carroll, the last surviving man to have signed the Declaration of Independence. Over the years, Carrollton became well known for solid wood furniture and bourbon whiskey, and in the 1900s it became one of the top marketplaces for burley tobacco. For decades, Carrollton and Ghent, a city to the east, were common stops for steamboats and river barge traffic. Though still mostly agricultural, the county, halfway between Cincinnati and Louisville, is home to several steel and chemical plants, as well as General Butler State Resort Park.

Images of America: Carroll Countywas compiled by Phyllis Codling McLaughlin, a former editor of the News-Democrat, Carrollton's weekly paper published since 1868.

Hickman County was known to early French explorers as the ""Iron Banks,"" to Chickasaw Indians as ""the Dark and Bloody Land"" or ""Happy Hunting Ground.""

It was, to early settlers, ""the Promised Land,"" and finally to one and all who live here as ""God's Country"" or ""home."" Organized in 1822, Hickman County was named for Capt. Paschal Hickman, a hero of the War of 1812. From gently rolling knolls, abrupt hills, and deep ravines, to the rich bottomlands next to the river, all can be found in this 225-square-mile county. Visitors and residents enjoy camping and touring the Civil War museum at the Columbus-Belmont State Park, the beautiful scenery from the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River, hiking at Murphy's Pond, or walking back in history at the Hickman County Museum.

Explore the fascinating history of Owensboro, Kentucky through its rich postcard heritage.

Postcard History Series: Owensborois a window into our past, offering a fascinating pictorial view of this city and some surrounding areas in earlier, simpler times of Sunday afternoon picnics in Chautauqua Parkand May Dayparades down Main Street.

Refreshing the long forgotten and illustrating the legendary, this book reveals details about the rich social tapestry unique to this thriving rivertown community. Captured in these precious pages are the faces, places, buildings, and buggies of Owensboro's past. This is a place where much is the same but little remains of our grandparents' day.

Author Terry Blake shares a sample of his vast postcard collection, previously seen by only a very lucky few. With the help of David Edds Jr., Blake details the historical significance of each panel, providing entertainment and enlightenment to eager readers.

Louisville's African-American community dates back to the early 1800s. Before the 1850s, many Black churches such as the Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church were founded in the area.

Prominent African Americans, including Whitney M. Young, Woodford Porter, Frank Stanley, and Calvin Winstead, became Louisville's pioneer families in modern business and politics. Within the pages of this volume are many of the families who worked to become institution builders and leaders--in Louisville and around the world. African-American Life in Louisville covers the period from the late nineteenth century to the 1960s and focuses on the people and places in the Greater Louisville area, including Shelbyville. Author Bruce Tyler, Associate Professor of History at the University of Kentucky, Louisville, has created this unique collection of vintage photographs as a tribute to his community.

After the American Civil War, many African Americans found a new life in ""River Town,"" later to become a major city in Kentucky.

Louisville became a historic marker for freed men and women of color who bought acres of land or leased shotgun cottages and lots from whites to begin their new emancipated life. Smoketown is the only neighborhood in the city of Louisville with such continuous presence. By 1866, Smoketown was settled by these freemen, and by 1871 the first public building, the Eastern Colored School, was erected. By the 1950 census, 10,653 people lived in Smoketown, and other historic black neighborhoods--such as Petersburg/Newburg, Parkland, California, Russell, Berrytown, Griffytown, and Black Hill in Old Louisville--were thriving. As these new neighborhoods sprang up, another historic event was taking place: in 1875, the first Kentucky Derby convened, and 13 of the 15 jockeys were black. Such astounding history embraces this city, and Images of America: Louisville's Historic Black Neighborhoods relives its magnificent and rich narrative.

Vintage and historical postcards document the fascinating history of South Central Kentucky.

Postcards from the early twentieth century reveal much about America's past, portraying almost every subject imaginable and offering modern readers a snapshot glimpse of life in days gone by. The collection within these pages explores the history of Adair, Barren, Green, Hart, and Taylor Counties, documenting the people and places, the lifestyles and landmarks of the South Central region of the Bluegrass State. From the evolution of transportation in Kentucky to such varied activities as wheat threshing, molasses production, and even ""moonshining,"" the images captured on these cards are of great social and historical significance. Rare glimpses of churches, schools, hotels, and businesses that no longer stand make this a must-see for present-day residents of the area.

This volume's nostalgic photographs and recent snapshots highlight Georgetown's worlds of academia, athletics, student life, and religious activity.

The mighty columns of historic Giddings Hall reflect the rich traditions of Georgetown College. With ties stretching back to 1787, Georgetown College offers a liberal arts education ""providing students with a climate for achievement with a Christian context."" As the first Baptist college west of the Alleghenies, the school survived not only the turmoil of war but also a devastating fire in the midst of economic depression. Because of the faith and endurance of dedicated trustees, faculty, and local citizens, Georgetown College developed into an institution that celebrates a legacy of scholarship and Christian principles.

A variety of vintage images of long-forgotten treasures are included in this book. Some of the rare snapshots show the Interurban, which ran between Paris and Lexington; the Paris Opera House; early stores; church buildings and church groups; as well as many early schools. While time has changed many of the physical sites pictured in this volume, some-like the Cane Ridge Meeting House and the Bourbon County Courthouse-live on. Also showcased are the many people who contributed to the unique character of Bourbon County and its towns and hamlets, including renowned author John Fox Jr., Confederate soldiers, African-American church deacons, and lots of "everyday folks."

Discover the ghostly, and sometimes ghastly, characteristics of death in Kentucky.   

Author Keven McQueen dissects some of Kentucky's more bizarre aspects of death, pulled directly from the history pages. Discover the reaper's creative side, meet the disgusting ghosts of Louisville and find out more than you wanted to know about old-fashioned embalming techniques. You will find it quite engrossing and just plain gross.

Step back in time and view photographs from the milestones of history of Harrodsburg.

Harrodsburg is the oldest permanent settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains and was founded in 1774 by James Harrod. Images of America: Harrodsburg covers the city limits from the late 1770s to the early 1960s and provides over 220 images from the Armstrong Collection, the Harrodsburg Historical Society, the Mercer County Public Library, and the Kentucky Historical Society. Within these pages, experience and explore Harrodsburg during the pivotal era at the beginning of the great commonwealth--from the settlement of Old Fort Harrod to the ""Saratoga of the West"" mineral springs and spas. Follow the growth, hard times, and recovery of Harrodsburg, including government and growing businesses, advancements in education, the rise of religious institutions, and local and visiting celebrities. These well-preserved photographs from entrepreneurs, grand openings, and expert news reporting allow the reader to step back in time.

On May 4, 1968, Dancer's Image crossed the finish line at Churchill Downs to win the 94th Kentucky Derby. Over forty years later, questions still linger over the origins of the substance and the turmoil it created.

Yet the jubilation ended three days later for the owner, the jockey and the trainers who propelled the celebrated thoroughbred to victory. Amid a firestorm of controversy, Dancer's Image was disqualified after blood tests revealed the presence of a widely used anti-inflammatory drug with a dubious legal status. Veteran turf writer and noted equine law expert Milt Toby gives the first in-depth look at the only disqualification in Derby history and how the Run for the Roses was changed forever.

A pioneer, a Soldier and a Visionary

In 1774, James Harrod founded the oldest, permanent English settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains. Establishing Harrodsburg was a symbolic act declaring the Kentucky frontier open for settlement. Harrod was a soldier and pioneer who was instrumental in exploration of the area. His settlement domesticated an area considered wild and untamed and has continued for more than 200 years. Author Bobbi Dawn Rightmyer details the beginning of this historic city and life of the man who founded it.