We’re feeling fall here in the Education Department. There’s an unapparent clarity to the autumn air, the sun slants differently late in the day, and maple trees are blushing red.

It’s time for a Spooky Saturday Family Day!

2023 Spooky Saturday flyer. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

On October 21, join us for an afternoon of autumn-themed fun. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., drop in for family-friendly art activities, special guests, spooky museum tours, performances, music, and more. It will all be more silly than scary. Costumes are encouraged, and we’ll provide some treats.

Admission is free for members, or included with museum admission (free for kids four and under, $12 for kids ages five to seventeen, $14 for adults).

We’re putting the finishing touches on the schedule:

David Dominé tells stories from his Victorian Ghost Walk tour of Old Louisville, 11 a.m.
Spooky museum tour #1, 11:30 a.m.
Registrar and manager of collections engagement leads “Dish with Tish,” a behind-the-scenes look at some special on-theme objects from our collections, 12:30 p.m.
A short puppet variety show and puppet-making activity, 1 p.m.
Spooky museum tour #2, 2 p.m.

I highly encourage you to catch Tish Boyer’s presentation at 12:30. Tish is passionate about sharing the museum’s collection—not only the artifacts that are on display, but the full collection, which can all-too-often remain hidden away. I know she’s got some faves, some deep cuts, and some great new acquisitions. Here’s your chance to see them.

In today’s Frazier Weekly, Tish Boyer gives a sneak-peak of the items she’ll be presenting at Spooky Saturday. Dave Bob Gaspar sets the stage for our October 26 program with Lexington Brewing & Distilling. Rachel Platt plugs Thursday’s program with Kentucky storyteller Byron Crawford. Mick Sullivan and Simon Meiners shine a light on the oldest surviving Civil War monument. Dakota Wilson examines three sets of Stewart Collection miniatures. Megan Schanie teases a history-through-poetry Teacher PD. Casey Harden announces the Frazier’s partnership with wayfinding app GoodMaps. And Amanda Briede collaborates with a U of L class.

Huzzah!

This Week in the Museum

Spooky Saturday to Feature Dish with Tish on Mourning Objects

This Saturday is Spooky Saturday! The Frazier looks forward to this family day as it gives us the opportunity to highlight spooky stories in our exhibitions, lead family-friendly activities, and host our guest speaker David Dominé, who does Old Louisville ghost tours.

You can also look forward to a weekend edition of Dish with Tish!

On Spooky Saturday, I will bring out items from our collection that look at mourning practices of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. We will talk about not only what was appropriate for mourning but also fashionable. We’ll explore how some of these practices changed over time and even some of the ways mourning practices in Kentucky differed from those in Europe. So come on down—there will be a little something for everyone!

Pictured above is one such piece: a black mourning cape, c. 1880s. This is one of serval pieces we will bring up from our vault Saturday to give guests an up-close look at our topic.

Be sure to visit us this Saturday, October 21, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Museum Shop: G-g-g-g-ghost Stories and Spooky Books!

Spooky books sold in the Frazier’s Museum Shop and online. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

There’s something undeniably enchanting about reading spooky stories during the Halloween season. At the Museum Shop, we’ve carefully curated a collection of spine-tingling Kentucky ghost tales that will give you goosebumps while immersing you in the rich history of our haunted state. You can explore our favorites online or, for an even more immersive experience, visit our Museum and Shop.

Dave Bob Gaspar on History of Lexington Brewing & Distilling

Join us for a night with Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., the only brewery-distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®! National brand manager Dave Bob Gaspar will go over the history, process, and product of this historic brewery-distillery revived in 1999 by Irish biochemist Pearse Lyons. The tasting lineup includes six Bourbons, whiskeys, and beers. What better way to ring in the season than with a pumpkin ale and an imperial milk stout? A toast to autumn! For more on the founding and revival of Lexington Brewing & Distilling, here’s Dave Bob.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co.—the only brewery and distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®—was revitalized by our founder, Dr. Pearse Lyons, in 1999. He was a visionary Irish entrepreneur and scientist with a masters in brewing and distilling and a Ph.D. in yeast fermentation. Today, his son Dr. Mark Lyons—who represents the seventh generation of the Lyons family to work in brewing, distilling, and the cooperage industry—continues his father’s legacy. Originally established as the first new distillery in Lexington following the repeal of Prohibition, Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. joined the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® in 2012, making it the seventh distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®. It also has what are now the oldest Kentucky Single Malt Stocks in the world in barrels at fifteen years of age.

Every emptied barrel is sustainably upcycled from the distillery to the brewery to produce world-class beer and spirits. The life of our barrel starts with our award-winning small batch Town Branch Kentucky Straight Bourbon at 90 proof. When matured, those freshly decanted barrels are filled with our Kentucky Irish Red Ale. After months of aging, it becomes our famous Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale. The third use of those very same freshly decanted barrels will be filled with our Town Branch Kentucky Single Malt spirit distilled on our Duel Copper pot stills hand made in Scotland and aged for a minimum of 7 years. When matured, those emptied barrels will be sent to our amazing sister distillery, Pearse Lyons Distillery at St. James Church in Dublin, Ireland, located in the Liberties just a stone’s throw away from Guinness. With a breathtaking view lies our Vendome copper pot still handmade in Louisville, Kentucky, inside of St. James Church. Lastly, that barrel will be used to age our various award-winning Irish whiskies.

Join us to experience the Life of the Barrel and taste through our barrel aged craft beers, our Town Branch spirits, and our Irish whiskies.

To find out more about our distillery and brewery firsthand, purchase your ticket to this one-of-a-kind event.

Last Chance for Tickets to an Evening with Byron Crawford

No one knows Kentucky and its people quite like Byron Crawford. And certainly no one can tell a story quite like Byron Crawford. That’s why there will be no other evening quite like October 19 when he comes to the Frazier for The Back Page: An Evening with Byron Crawford. We will talk about this new book and his storied career that spans decades with radio, television, the Courier Journal, and Kentucky Living magazine. We have special guests, including Byron’s son Eric, who will talk about his impact on Kentucky and certainly on them. Buy tickets now to be part of his story at the Frazier.

Frazier+ Video of the Week: Bloedner Monument

Now the Frazier fits in your pocket! Curated by the museum’s education team, the mobile app Frazier+ provides engaging and educational Kentucky history content—free of charge. Users can explore the museum’s collection of videos, photos, and texts to either heighten their in-person experience or learn from the comfort of their couch or classroom. The free app is available for download for Android and iOS devices through the App Store and Google Play.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

We had a wonderful evening partnering for Cave Hill Cemetery’s Cocktails on the Lawn event October 3. Both of our sites share much common history—and one of the strongest ties is the Bloedner Monument, which stood at Cave Hill before arriving at the Frazier for safety against the elements in 2010.

As the oldest surviving monument to the Civil War, the Bloedner has an amazing story. But what’s perhaps most notable is that the text on the monument is written in a foreign language—in honor of immigrants who died fighting for the American constitution.

Here’s Simon Meiners to tell you more.

Object in Focus: Selected Stewart Historic Miniatures Sets

During your visits to the Frazier, you are bound to have noticed hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny little objects watching over you as you wade through the interesting stories the museum has to offer. These little objects silently standing on watch are just a small part of the Charles W. Stewart Historic Miniatures Collection.

As an intern working alongside the collections department at the Frazier, I have become very familiar with the Stewart Historic Miniatures Collection. My task for this internship is to evaluate, document, and ensure the proper storage and care of many of the thousands of soldiers in the museum’s collection. Throughout this internship, I have cataloged over 400 sets of soldiers and physically held well over 5,000 pieces—which is not even half of the collection!

Having become very familiar with the toy soldiers—which I swear talk to me sometimes—many different sets stand out as my favorites.

Having a background as a marching band member in high school and college, I especially fell in love with this set from W. Britains, an English toy manufacturer, which depicts the Salvation Army Band. The band includes many brass instrument players, two drummers, and an officer with a flag leading the march.

Many of the military sets created by toy manufacturers depict numerous famous battles that have been fought throughout history. Given the nature of toy soldiers and their intention for play, sets allow for the holder to devise their own battles with their own outcomes. This set by Berliner Zinnfiguren, a toy manufacturer from Berlin, Germany, depicts French soldiers charging into battle alongside officers and a French flag. Sets like this are fascinating as they show movement and action and bring your imagination to life.

Being one of the older and best-kept sets, this set from 1839 that depicts a royal court scene is particularly amazing. This set includes sixty-eight pieces, with soldiers protecting the court, a king and queen, and many attendees in various forms of dancing and bowing. Unlike many sets in the collection, this set has virtually no paint loss or signs of age, which is especially outstanding as the set is nearly 185 years old!

I love working with the Stewart Historic Miniatures Collection because each set tells its own story. Was this set played with by a child 150 years ago? Did a collector have this set on a shelf to admire? Or was this set found in a box one day, never played with or admired until it found a home in the Frazier collection? Whatever the story may be, these tiny toy soldiers give admirers and passersby a miniature window into many military exploits, medieval fantasies, notable figures, and whatever their imagination can create—the opportunities are endless.

Keep an eye out for miniatures spread throughout many galleries in the Frazier, including the Stewart Historic Miniatures Gallery located on the second floor of the museum.

Upcoming Teacher Training to Explore Learning History through Poetry

Community partnerships and collaborations strengthen the Frazier’s ability to continually work towards fulfilling our mission. Teacher professional development sessions are no exception: they allow us to invite another organization or expert to provide a well-rounded, engaging experience for local educators.

In November, we are pleased to work with Reckoning, Inc. to offer a three-hour training utilizing reflective pieces written by 2013 Kentucky Poet Laureate Frank X Walker as a lens for exploring Kentucky’s Civil War history.

Teacher Professional Development
Catch Me if You Can: Poetry as an Access Point to Kentucky’s Civil War History
Saturday, November 4, 2023
9 a.m.–12 p.m.
Cost: FREE for local educators
Registration: Advance reservations are required. Click here to learn more or sign up.

Special thanks to the Louisville Metro Office of Equity for supporting free admission for educators.

Please contact education@fraziermuseum.org with any questions.

Frazier Announces Partnership with Accessibility App GoodMaps

On October 11, the Frazier had the pleasure of hosting a news conference announcing the launch of GoodMaps, an interactive wayfinding map for the visually impaired. This app gives the user control and independence as they navigate throughout many of the attractions in our community. We were honored to participate with several neighbors, including the Kentucky Science Center, the Ali Center, and the Speed Art Museum.

Louisville has been at the forefront of access for the visually impaired for over 160 years. Opened in 1858 and located on Frankfort Avenue, the Printing House for the Blind is still the world’s largest nonprofit organization spearheading accessible learning experiences.

Since 2019, when the Frazier started internal DEAI committees, we have used this lens to better understand both how to tell history and how people interact with our space. Our goal is to make everyone feel welcome in our museum. The Frazier is proud to now be one of the many facilities worldwide using GoodMaps. The app allows us to bridge the divide of inaccessibility.

In partnering with the Frazier and others to promote access, inclusion, and belonging, GoodMaps is helping Louisville become an accessible city.

Bridging the Divide

Curator’s Corner: U of L Public History Class Working on Eliza Tevis Exhibit

Amanda Briede and Casey Harden meet with a University of Louisville public history class, 2023. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

Here at the Frazier, we always welcome the opportunity to work with students who are potentially interested in joining the museum field. A few weeks ago, several of us on the team had the opportunity to meet with Professor Glenn Crothers’s public history class from the University of Louisville. We gave them a tour of Cool Kentucky and The Commonwealth and talked to them about what it’s like to work in the museum field.

The class is working on a small exhibit about Eliza Curtis Hundley Tevis that will be installed on our second floor this December. Eliza Tevis was an enslaved woman who was freed in 1833 and inherited land and money. In 1843, she married a free African American man named Henry Tevis, first settling on a prenuptial agreement to protect her control over her property. Eliza was given enslaved children that had been separated from their families by sales and hired them out to work at area farms. Eliza and her husband bought an additional forty acres of land, located near present-day Newburg Road and Indian Trail, to farm themselves. After the Civil War, the Tevis’s land was sold and rented to other African Americans, eventually becoming the African American community of Petersburg.

We look forward to working with the class to install their project. We will share more updates with you soon!

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