It’s another way for the Frazier History Museum to engage with the community, to mean more to more people, and I can’t tell you how excited we are about it.

We’re introducing our new Stories in Mind program and the team behind it—those who will bring the program to life for seniors in area resident facilities, living into our mission of igniting the human spirit.

We will offer cultural programs in fine arts, theater, music, and storytelling, using historical events and artifacts from the Frazier to engage with seniors.

It couldn’t come at a better time as we emerge from COVID in what has been a very isolating time for all of us.

Our visit last week to The Springs at Stony Brook was a meet and greet at which we got to know residents and staff at one of the places we will serve.

Talk about a history lesson: One ninety-six-year-old resident told us about riding a horse to teach in a one-room schoolhouse in Tennessee back in the day.

Our team has been learning every aspect of the Frazier in order to take our history and stories on the road.

Kevin Bradley is the administrator of the program. He came to the Frazier as an intern and has since transitioned into multiple roles. His passion for history and people makes him perfect for this position.

“This program is near and dear to my heart,” Kevin told me. “I’m excited to bring stories connected to Kentucky history and the Frazier’s collection to a demographic that is sometimes overlooked. Our mission at the Frazier is to ignite the human spirit, and this program sparks creative exploration through sharing stories.”

In addition to Kevin, our facilitators are Susan Reed and Martin Rollins. They are as credentialed as they come to do this meaningful work. Their why for wanting to join the team is already inspiring.

“I am looking forward to sharing the history and collections at the Frazier with a new audience,” Susan said. “The opportunity to both showcase our museum through storytelling and learn from this valuable population is exciting.”

“The appeal of the program for me is that the need is real,” Martin added. “The importance of Stories in Mind as a program cannot be underestimated. This is truly an underserved audience when it comes to the senior population at these sites. Truly it is education in motion to engage and enhance quality of life for these residents.”

We have a story to tell with Stories in Mind, and we can’t wait to get started. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kevin directly at kbradley@fraziermuseum.org.

Also coming in Frazier Weekly, we’ve got a special Sippin’ With Stephen on our Bourbon Limited Members’ Club, we’re gearing up for our Kentucky Rivalries exhibition with new arrivals from Trinity High School, we’ve added more seats to a popular program, and—who knew the Framers were gamers?—we’ve got the hot new board game Citizen.

This Week in the Museum

Sippin’ With Stephen: Bourbon Limited CMO and Unicorn Wrangler Haley Hicky

This month’s Sippin’ With Stephen showcases the new and exclusive Bourbon Limited Members’ Club which ships Bourbon only available to club members directly to their Kentucky residence. My Frazier Museum colleague Haley Hicky is known as the chief marketing officer and “unicorn wrangler” for Bourbon Limited. Haley has an extensive background in the Bourbon industry and brings the knowledge and experience to make this club a must-join for all Bourbon lovers. The bottles will be shipped every two to three months at a cost of $200 per bottle plus tax and shipping cost directly from our distillery partners to your Kentucky residence.

After watching this episode, please feel free to contact Haley at hhicky@fraziermuseum.org with any questions about the club.

From the Collection: Unboxing Trinity Objects for Kentucky Rivalries

Logo for Kentucky Rivalries. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

From archrival teams like the Cats and the Cards to dueling editors, competing caves, and beefing barbecues, Kentucky Rivalries celebrates the most iconic conflicts in the Bluegrass State. As we pregame for this fun new exhibition, which opens to the public Saturday, November 5, we’ve asked manager of collection impact Hayley Rankin—my fellow duPont Manual alum (go Rams!)—to highlight some of the notable objects to be displayed.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

For the past couple of months, our exhibits and collections staff have received many items local schools and institutions have loaned us ahead of our new exhibition, Kentucky Rivalries, opening November 5. An interactive exhibition, Kentucky Rivalries will tell the stories of our state’s fiercest rivalries throughout history and today. This exhibition will especially focus on local and statewide sports rivalries—from the nationally known college rivalry of UK vs. U of L to lesser-known high school rivalries like Butler vs. Pleasure Ridge Park, Paducah Tilghman vs. Mayfield, and Pikeville vs. Paintsville.

In the video below, we take you behind the scenes in our collections storage room to give you an idea of what happens when a new loan arrives. This particular loan comes from Trinity High School, an all-boys Catholic high school in Louisville.

Kentucky Rivalries: Bellarmine vs. Midway in Sprint Football

We all know about the rivalries that are decades old and we even have our own opinion on who is better . . . (*Cards!*) But what about those rivalries that are only in their infancy?

Last summer, Bellarmine University became a founding member of the Midwest Sprint Football League (MSFL).

Sprint football is a non-NCAA sport that adheres to the same rules as regular football with the only exception being a 178-pound weight limit (183 pounds with additional metrics). The weight limitation is designed to make the game both faster-paced and safer. Sprint football evolved on the East Coast with teams such as the University of Pennsylvania, Army, and Navy helping launch the sport in 1934. In its current form, it is organized under the direction of the nine-member Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL), which consists of teams from the eastern US. The addition of the separate Midwest Sprint Football League, with its own by-laws and championships, will represent the largest single-year expansion of the sport in nearly ninety years. Joining Bellarmine in the MSFL will be Calumet College of St. Joseph (Indiana), Fontbonne University (Missouri), Midway University (Kentucky), Quincy University (Illinois), and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (Indiana).

“Sprint football will be new to some fans in the Midwest and Upper South, but it won’t take long for our part of the country to get excited about it,” Fontbonne University president and MSFL Board of Governors founding chair Nancy Blattner, Ph.D., says. “Sprint offers a distinctive and fast-paced approach to playing football at the highest level. Our six-member institutions are working together to provide new opportunities to student-athletes, who will take football in our four-state region in a different and inspiring direction.”

The rivalry was practically written in the stars. Being the only two Kentucky schools in the MSFL, Bellarmine and Midway matchups would also be pegged as the “Battle for the Bourbon Barrel!” In their first-ever game as a program, Bellarmine defeated Midway 17-15 on the road in dramatic fashion on Saturday, September 18. Ben Valle’s 33-yard field goal with 44 seconds remaining propelled the Knights to a win and helped them capture the Bourbon Barrel.

Bellarmine and Midway meet twice in the inaugural MSFL season. The second “Battle for the Bourbon Barrel!” is slated to take place at home this Saturday at 1 p.m. Bellarmine’s home games are played at St. X high school. If you are unable to attend in person, you can always watch home games on the BU Knights Sports Network.

As a graduate of Bellarmine University, I attended our first home game against Fontbonne University at which Bellarmine achieved a 2-0 record, defeating Fontbonne 14-6. I watched history take place among over 2,190 other passionate fans in attendance and another 1,000 tuning into the BU Knights Sports Network. (You might even be able to spot me in the image below!)

When asked about what the addition of sprint football would mean for the community, here’s what Bellarmine’s athletic director and head coach had to say.

“I believe the addition of sprint football will allow local and regional football players the opportunity to continue playing the sport they love and receive a great Bellarmine education,” Bellarmine director of athletics Scott Wiegandt said. “The home games will be another gathering point for our campus community to rally around to support their classmates. As we continue on our path and strategically grow as a department, this addition is another step toward realizing the mission of Bellarmine University.”

“There’s a lot of excitement within the team, and there seems to be a lot of excitement throughout the Bellarmine community,” Bellarmine sprint football head coach Harold Davis added. “We spoke, as a team and coaching staff, about the significance of being a part of the first Bellarmine football game. We talked about controlling our emotions and not letting those get in the way of our responsibilities on the field. It’s been very special for me to be a part of starting this football program.”

Stay up to date on all things Bellarmine sprint football—and GO KNIGHTS!

And if you’re not already a Frazier Museum member, become a member today at the Contributor level or above in order to attend the Member Opening Pep Rally for our upcoming exhibition Kentucky Rivalries, Wednesday, November 2. Please RSVP by Monday, October 24.

More Tickets Made Available for November 15 Kentucky’s Native History Program

Back by popular demand, more tickets are now available for our upcoming Kentucky’s Native History program.

Flyer for Kentucky’s Native History. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

Having sold out our original venue, the smaller Brown-Forman Theatre on the first floor of the Frazier, we’ve decided to move the program to the Frazier’s Great Hall to accommodate the high demand.

This history is so important to us, to the Commonwealth, and obviously to you, judging by the demand for tickets.

Take a look at the experts who will be joining us to present this history. You won’t want to miss it.

I can’t wait to see you on November 15. Be sure to sign up now.

Rachel Platt
Director of Community Engagement

Enjoy the Holidays With Youth and Family Programs at the Frazier

We’re cooking up all kinds of fun at the Frazier this winter!

Graphic for 2022 Winter Break Camp. Credit: Frazier History Museum.

First things first, winter break is right around the corner! We’re thrilled to offer Winter Break Camps by the day this year on December 19–22 and 27–30. Whether you’ve got some things to finish up in the office, need to run your holiday errands, or are looking for something fun to do while family is in town, we hope you can join us!

In Iceland, there is a tradition of Jolabokaflod, or gifting books on Christmas Eve to cozy up with on a chilly winter’s night. It’s a perfect jumping-off point for our winter break camp theme, which is celebrating all things literary! Wrapped Up in Books will feature hands-on lessons that tie literature to history, from Ada Twist to Oliver Twist.

Camps are $55 per day for non-members, $52 per day for family-level members and above. They run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for kindergarten through sixth grade. Doors open at 8:45. We’re also making some exciting changes in our camp routine, from dedicated gallery time each day to morning snacktime (finally!) and weekly mindfulness. You can find out more information and sign up here!

Make sure to save the date for our Holiday Family Day, too! It will be held after our Member Breakfast on December 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and feature lots of fun activities in the galleries.

Center for Nonprofit Excellence to Host Louisville Mayoral Candidate Forum

Graphic for CNPE’s 2022 Louisville Mayoral Candidates Forum.

As election day draws near and we decide who will lead Louisville as Mayor, we have another opportunity to hear from candidates Bill Dieruf and Craig Greenberg. The Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNPE) is hosting a Louisville Mayoral Candidates Forum on the role nonprofits play in our community—today and in the future. The free, virtual event will be held at 6 p.m. on October 19, 2022. Questions will be provided by CNPE Members. Learn more and register here.

Bridging the Divide

Gray Smith on Citizen the Board Game

Democracy isn’t a spectator sport: You have to get off the couch and work at it. You have to vote and be an informed voter.

Those are some of the thoughts of Gray Smith, the co-creator of the board game Citizen. One other important message is to know your power as a citizen: You’ve heard of “We the People,” so own it.

Smith, who works at Louisville Public Media, created this game with a friend and a colleague.

Part of the spark for the game came in 1974 when Smith was among the last tourists to visit the Nixon White House. The President resigned the evening of their visit, and Smith was curious about the forces at work to make a President quit.

The game, which took years to create, has undergone several iterations. You’ll hear all about that in our interview, and you’ll also learn how to play.

At a time when civics aren’t taught in many classrooms, at a time when political divides are greater than ever, it may be perfect timing for Citizen.

Rachel Platt
Director of Community Engagement

Museum Store: Citizen (117th Congress Edition)

We are proud to stock Citizen: the Game of American Crusaders, Innovators, and Mediators. Boost your civic knowledge and have fun doing it! This strategy game, created in Louisville, has players navigate the turbulent world of US politics while trying to pass their cause through the 117th Congress.

Stories in Mind, Unboxing Trinity Artifacts for Kentucky Rivalries, More Tickets Made Available for Kentucky’s Native History, and More

Spooky Saturday, Maggie and Brian Harlow on Their Son Jack Hosting SNL, Alumni on Male-Manual Football Rivalry, 1893–Present, and More

Teaching Kentucky's Native History, Mental Health Awareness Program Tonight, New Miss America Dress in Cool Kentucky, and More