Good Monday morning,

There is so much Halloween fun to be had in our city, from the Jack O’Lantern Spectacular (celebrating its tenth year!) to Boo at the Zoo and events on the haunted Belle of Louisville.

If you’re looking for family-friendly fun in broad daylight, the Frazier is here to bring you a history-centric Halloween spectacular! We are pulling out all the stops this Saturday, October 29, from the moment we open our doors. You’ll see all kinds of crafts, tours, and activities focusing more on thrills than chills. There is something for everybody, from kid-friendly storytimes to a live reading of “The Raven” by our own Brian West. We’ll have tours of our creepiest artifacts, adorable crafts, and scavenger hunts that will take you to some familiar and unfamiliar haunts around the museum. And there will be two fantastic guests: Mirabel and Anna from the Princesses of Louisville!

Admission for this action-packed day is only $10 or free with your membership. Themed activities run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We hope to see you there!

Mark your calendars for more activities for kids and families as the year comes to a close. Our Holiday Family Day will be taking place on Saturday, December 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.—the same day as our Member Breakfast, so come enjoy the galleries after you attend!

We are also beyond excited for our Winter Break Camps. Registration is open now for by-the-day camps on December 19, 20, 21, and 22, and December 27, 28, 29, and 30. This winter, we’re celebrating anything and everything about books—from Ada Twist to Oliver Twist. Spaces are limited, so sign up today and check one thing off your holiday to-do list!

In today’s issue of Frazier Weekly, our own education intern Lindsea Eggen kicks things off with a sneak preview of some of the more macabre artifacts in our museum. Maggie and Brian Harlow share their thoughts on their son’s historic hosting duties on this week’s episode of SNL and Hayley Rankin and Brian West shed light on the Male-Manual football rivalry of our upcoming Kentucky Rivalries exhibition.

Heather Gotlib
Manager of Youth & Family Programs
Frazier History Museum

This Week in the Museum

Macabre at the Museum: Five Eeriest Artifacts at the Frazier

My name is Lindsea Eggen, and I am a new intern here at the Frazier Museum. I’m a junior at Bellarmine University studying sociology and history with a focus on labor and economic history. One important thing about me is that I love Halloween! So I decided to compile a list of five of our eeriest artifacts and a little bit of their creepy history.

Crown of Thorns, 1852. On display in Cool Kentucky. In 1852, Kentucky sculptor Joel Tanner Hart (1810–77) had an idea to create exact molds of human bodies. His creation, titled the “Crown of Thorns,” was a machine made of dull needles that would tighten around the model until the needles just barely touched the skin. This would create an outline that could then be filled in with clay. All I can say is that I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of one of these!

Casket Wagon, c. 1860s. On display in The Commonwealth. This interesting artifact was used to transport the exhumed bodies of Civil War veterans to the Cave Hill National Cemetery from their previous burials at other cemeteries around the country. Cave Hill National Cemetery in Louisville is now home to 6,100 Union soldiers and 228 Confederate soldiers.

Gallows Rings, 1858, and Champ Ferguson’s Letter, October 17, 1865. On display in The Commonwealth. These gallows rings were hung at the Church Street Prison in Nashville, Tennessee. Champ Ferguson (1821–65), a rogue Confederate guerilla fighter, was hanged on these gallows on October 20, 1865, having been charged with fifty-three counts of murder. The letter, which he wrote to his wife only three days before he was to be executed, details his last concerns and regrets.

Canary Cage, c. 1900. On display in The Commonwealth. Coal mining is a dangerous profession. While unexpected explosions and black lung are coal miners’ primary safety concerns today, in the early twentieth century, carbon monoxide poisoning posed a huge problem. One solution John Scott Haldane (1860–1936) proposed was canaries. Canaries are sentinel animals that inhale significantly more oxygen than humans relative to their size, which meant, Haldane realized, they would also inhale more of any toxic gasses in the air. Miners would bring canaries into the mines in cages, and when the canary became agitated, or even died, miners knew they needed to evacuate ASAP. It was not the best time to be a canary!

Tombstone of General George Rogers Clark, c. 1818.On display in The Commonwealth. George Rogers Clark (1752–1818) was an American General during the Revolutionary War. He became interested in the land surrounding the Ohio River, and even advocated to make Kentucky its own colony, separate from Virginia. After a brief time in France, Clark returned to Louisville, where he stayed until his death.

Lindsea Eggen
Education Intern

Ghost Stories of Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey on the Frazier’s Gracious Table

Some Kentucky distilleries have been on the same property for a hundred years, so it’s no wonder they’re among the most haunted places in the state.

Open and operational since 1775, the Buffalo Trace distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, has been said to have ghosts on its property. In fact, when the team from the TV show Ghost Hunters filmed at Buffalo Trace in 2011, they said they recorded twenty-seven different supernatural beings—the most they had ever seen. Warehouse workers have sworn they saw feet hanging from the rafters on the top floor or heard someone whistling, when there was no one else in the building.

On another occasion, a crew foreman and his men were moving barrels to another warehouse when he heard a voice say, “Get out.” He didn’t see anyone around, so he thought nothing of it. Later, the same voice yelled, “Get out now!” Heeding the second warning, the foreman told his crew to go outside. Soon after, the building collapsed.

And, while Buffalo Trace’s former president, Colonel Albert B. Blanton, passed away at his home on the distillery property, many believe he never left. The previous head of PR once saw a gray face of a man in the upstairs window of his old home, now used as offices, that suddenly disappeared out of sight.

The Old Forester Distillery is located on the former site of the old Galt House Hotel, which has been the site of at least two murders. Distillery staff say ghostly activity is almost a daily occurrence there. One security guard claims to have seen a ghost—an older gentleman, bearded, dressed like a worker—who showed up every day for about a week. Whenever someone encountered the apparition, he failed to appear on security videos.

One of my favorite stories is from Oliva Ripy, granddaughter to Wild Turkey distillery founder T.B. Ripy. She talks about several of the experiences with supernatural beings she had while working at the distillery. You can watch her story and a few others on the Gracious Table in the Spirit of Kentucky® exhibition on the third floor of the museum. It’s a really cool touchscreen resource—and the stories on it are fascinating!

Well, whether or not you believe in ghosts, I can assure you that all of our Kentucky distilleries are FULL of spirits.

Get it? Spirits!

Haley Hickey
Product & Program Manager

Museum Store: Distillery Cats

Fall is the season for spirits, spooks, and scaredy-cats—but if you want to be a distillery cat you can’t be a scaredy-cat. One of our favorite books, Distillery Cats, tells the story of the world’s most spirited mousers and features cocktail recipes and charming illustrations. Copies of the book are available in the Museum Store.

Maggie and Brian Harlow on Their Son Jack Hosting SNL

On Saturday, rapper Jack Harlow will serve as both host and musical guest on SNL. Since the show’s debut in 1975, only a handful of Kentuckians have had the honor to host an episode—including West Irvine’s Harry Dean Stanton (1986), Augusta’s George Clooney (1995), and Louisville’s Jennifer Lawrence (2013). To mark the occasion, we’ve asked Harlow’s parents Maggie and Brian to share a word about what it means for them. Harlow has certainly come a long way since February 12, 2020—the day he made his TV debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. To see the cue card used in that episode, plus a selection of other objects the rapper has loaned us, visit the Musical Kentucky section of our Cool Kentucky exhibition. To see Harlow in concert, you can buy tickets to his recently announced No Place Like Home tour stop at the KFC Yum! Center on December 18.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

Every parent understands the joy of seeing your children be successful in life. Even if your kid, like ours, has global-level success, it brings the same joy. What makes this joy extra sweet for us is the feeling the entire population of Kentucky shares the same joy and pride in Jack’s success. We love the feeling that Jack has become, in some ways, the son of all Kentuckians! We all shaped him and are part of his journey.

Maggie and Brian Harlow
Parents of Jack Harlow
Guest Contributors

From the Collection: Central, Durrett, and Flaget High School Pennants

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 to highlight some of the notable objects to be displayed.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

We are feeling the school spirit as we head into the final stretch of installation for our upcoming exhibition Kentucky Rivalries, which opens to the public on November 5. This exhibition will highlight sports rivalries across the state, from well-known collegiate rivals such as UK vs. U of L to local city and county high school rivalries. The artifacts on display will take you through the decades (and perhaps down memory lane!) with band uniforms, letter sweaters, jerseys, varsity jackets, and more, dating from the early 1900s to present day.

You’ll see vintage felt pennants such as the examples from local high schools shown here, some representing historic schools no longer in existence!

Grab your spirit wear and cheer with us November 5 for the public opening of Kentucky Rivalries!

Hayley Rankin
Manager of Collection Impact

Alumni Brian West and Hayley Rankin on Male-Manual Rivalry, 1893–Present

On Friday night, the Male Bulldogs will host the duPont Manual Crimson for the 140th matchup between the two teams. First held in 1893, the annual Male-Manual football game is the oldest high school football rivalry in the state of Kentucky—and one of the oldest in the country. Per tradition, the winning team gets to take home “The Barrel” and display it until the next year’s game.

When I enrolled at Manual in 2002, fresh off the school’s 2001 victory in “the Old Rivalry,” fourteen-year-old me took for granted that the Barrel would always be in my school’s lobby, beaming with history and heritage. But come November, I saw the Michael Bush–led Bulldogs trounce my Crimsons, 26-0, and custody of the Barrel transfer to my foes in purple on Preston Highway. (Come back, Barrel—I hardly knew ye!)

In advance of the historic game on Friday, we’ve asked two Frazier Weekly contributors—teaching artist Brian West (Male, class of 1996) and manager of collection impact Hayley Rankin (Manual, class of 2014)—to weigh in on the rivalry and what it means to them. Although I’m Team Hayley in this tiff, I’ve got to doff my cap to Brian: He played for Male’s 1993 4A State Championship football team. He’s got that `dog in him!—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

Male Alum Brian West on the Old Rivalry

It warms this alum’s heart to know the football program has returned to prominence in the state. The Bulldogs, led by head coach Chris Wolfe, have been in the championship hunt nearly every year since Wolfe took the reins at Male back in 2010. In his eleven years as head football coach, Wolfe has led Male to the Class 6A State Championship game five times, winning the title two times in 2015 and 2018.

To be frank, Male has been the only school in the state that could hang with the perennial football powers at Trinity and St. X. Since 2007—when the Kentucky High School Athletic Association expanded the number of state football classes from four to six—Male has been one of only two other schools in Kentucky besides the Rocks and Tigers (and the only public school from Louisville) that has won the 6A State Championship.

Naturally, that fills me with a sense of pride. As a state football champion myself, I know that other former Bulldogs players, coaches, and alumni take great pride in the tradition of winning championships and being able to compete with the big boys at X and Trinity.

Another tradition we hold dear is being the best at the Male-Manual rivalry in football.

Sure, Manual has a terrific journalism program, contains top-notch facilities for studio art, and has a track and field program that might rival ours someday. Sure, the school has turned out some pretty classy and smart alums, like my co-workers Hayley Rankin and Simon Meiners.

But, when it comes to the pigskin, the Rams have never really been able to hang with us Bulldogs. The numbers don’t lie! Since the inaugural game in 1893, Male has amassed a record of 88 wins, 45 losses, and only 6 ties against Manual. When I played football at Male (back when Boyz II Men and Salt-N-Pepa were the rage), we always beat Manual in football.

Now, this year may be different. Male has lost some games. Manual seems to be having a good year, losing only one game so far this year and fighting St. X for the district crown. I doubt this year will be different though. Male wins big this Friday!

Cue George Clinton’s “Atomic Dog”!

Ruff! Ruff!

Brian West
Teaching Artist

Manual Alum Hayley Rankin on the Old Rivalry

Around this time eight years ago, I was probably thinking about all of the outfits I was going to wear for Red/White week as I juggled choir rehearsal, AP courses, college application essays, and an acceptable night’s sleep. Growing up with a focus on academics and performing arts, I was never really one for sports, but I loved (and still love) how it brings people together. And Red/White week accomplished this, to say the least.

Starting Monday morning before Friday’s game against Male, the entire student body transformed into a spectacle, donning costumes, decade outfits, all black (for the bulldog’s funeral, of course), and Manual spirit wear. It was visually overwhelming, ridiculous, and incredible. You were lame if you didn’t participate. It didn’t matter what magnet program you belonged to or how much you cared about athletics, everyone came together during Red/White week. But even I, a sports novice, knew that all of this pomp and circumstance revolved solely around one game. One football game played against our arch rival for over a hundred years. I never questioned it, never did a deep dive into the finer points of the history—I just knew we were two of the oldest schools in the city and that Male was the most important school for us to beat. To be better than.

So here I am, eight years later, not having given much thought to this in the in-between, ahead of the 140th football game between duPont Manual and Male. If it weren’t for the Frazier’s Kentucky Rivalries exhibition, another year would likely pass without me giving it much thought.

But it’s not just another year: This year, preparing for Kentucky Rivalries has allowed me to connect with local schools, alumni associations, and artifacts that represent a tradition of school spirit, including at Manual. As I learned more about “the Old Rivalry” from alumni, I became aware that Manual doesn’t have the best track record in terms of winning. In fact, Male has won over twice as many games as we have over the years. This was a surprise to me, not just because it’s no fun to learn you’ve often been the loser, but because that’s not how I remember it. I recalled my days walking through center hall, where the barrel sat atop our trophy cabinet. Was I witness to some rare occurrence? Was my memory muddled after barely a decade? My desire to solve this anomaly led me to game records where I expected to find at least one or two victories within my time, but instead, I discovered just how accurate my memory was. In the fall of 2010, my freshman year, the Crimsons won the barrel back from Male after years of passing it back and forth. In 2011, the barrel remained at Manual. And again, in 2012. And again, in 2013. I couldn’t believe it—four years in a row stands out for Manual along our timeline.

Even more remarkable, after my class departed in 2014, the barrel was lost once again to Male, beginning a seven-year winning streak they still possess. The superstitious might say that certainly wasn’t a coincidence and that my graduating class is a good luck charm, but I would credit the talent of our football team and coaches. The final scores from those games indicate how fierce the rivalry truly is, each time winning by just a touchdown or field goal: 21-14 (2010), 23-14 (2011), 24-14 (2012), and 32-29 (2013). It’s clear we fought hard to secure victory all four years, hearkening back to our trade school forebears who were determined to prove they were just as good as the intellectual elite in purple and gold. I hope the Manual football team can prevail this Friday and prevent seven years from turning into eight, especially as they are doing well this season with a 7-1 record, but I will stand up and cheer regardless of the outcome.

So here I am, proudly digging out the few t-shirts I saved from high school, red and black, that declare “Crimson Crazies” and “Manual” to return to the stadium to see, just in case, if the spirit of the Class of 2014 indeed makes a difference.

Go Crimsons!

Hayley Rankin
Manager of Collection Impact

Promo Code for $10 Off Membership Now Through Halloween

Become a member today and join us for our Member Exclusive Opening Pep Rally! (Remember to RSVP today!) Let us help you get that pep rally spirit with a discount!

Use promo code: SCHOOLSPIRIT* for $10 off your membership!

Promo expires October 31, 2022.

*Only applicable to Contributor level memberships and above.

Hurry, this offer expires October 31, 2022.

Avoid missing out and become a member now!

Have questions? Call us at (502) 753-5663.

Amanda Egan
Membership & Database Administrator

Hopping Into Shakespeare With Rabbit Hole Founder Kaveh Zamanian

There are some people who just draw you in. For me, one of those people is Rabbit Hole founder and CEO Kaveh Zamanian. He’s a philosopher, a riverboat gambler, an innovator, and an artist all wrapped into one. He’s a man who finds his way through collaboration but is driven by confident purpose. He’s also my guest for our next Bourbon program this Wednesday night, Hopping Into Shakespeare With Rabbit Hole.

Sure, we’ll have an outstanding welcome cocktail and tastings culminating in an incredible Barrel Selection chosen by Kaveh and our team at the Frazier—but it’s the conversation I’m most looking forward to. All topics are on the table, including the love story that brought Kaveh to Louisville. Yes, we’re going down the Rabbit Hole, and I hope to see you here.

Andy Treinen
President & CEO

Results of 2022 Summer Beer Fest at Frazier Attendees Survey

On September 1, we sent a seven-question survey to everyone who attended our August 6 Summer Beer Fest at Frazier. Our goal was to get feedback we could use to make next year’s beer fest an even better event! So, as a gesture of transparency, we thought we’d share our findings with you, our Frazier Weekly readers.

1) How did you hear about it? Attendees heard about the beer fest through word of mouth, friends, family, coworkers, social media, Frazier Weekly, email lists, radio ads, Facebook groups, and many other sources.

2) What hurdles would keep you from returning? Many said price hikes, bad weather, and scheduling conflicts would pose a challenge.

3) What beers or beverages would you like to see added? Some folks want to see more Kentucky beers; others just want to see their own favorite beer styles and products represented—e.g., porters, Hefeweizens, and cask-conditioned ales.

4) What was your favorite part? Attendees loved being outside on Main Street—they couldn’t say enough positive things about it. Others enjoyed the beer selection, the food trucks, and socializing.

5) Was it easy to get in and out of the event? Much to our delight, one hundred percent of respondents agreed that it was easy to get in and out of the event.

6) Do you plan to return next year? If we lump the half dozen “probably” respondents in with the unambiguous “yes” folks, then one hundred percent of respondents—barring some unforeseen conflict—plan to return in 2023.

7) What would you do to improve next year’s beer fest? Question seven proved very fruitful. Attendees reported they would like to see: more food trucks and snack options, including free pretzels, free peanuts, vegetarian options, and vegan options; live music (note: we had live music at this year’s beer fest, but one set was cancelled due to rain), more spacing/seating in General Admission and VIP areas, VIP vendors set up earlier, more beer vendors, Bourbon vendors, more handwashing and sanitizing stations, dump buckets with water to rinse, handheld maps and lists of vendors so attendees can mark their reactions to specific products, upgraded VIP experiences, childcare, a better or more intuitive layout, more engagement with Frazier exhibitions and objects, no VIP section, no smoking, hotel discounts (note: we did offer these!), and more. But over a dozen respondents reported they wouldn’t improve anything!

Thank you for everyone who took the time to respond. We value your feedback!

Finally, we promised if you filled out and submitted a survey we’d enter your name in a drawing. Our randomly selected winner is Sharon Frank! Her prize is two free VIP tickets to 2023 Summer Beer Fest at Frazier. Congratulations, Sharon!

Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist

History All Around Us

Centre College Honors Glass Artist Stephen Powell With Campus Landmark

If you talk to glass artists, most roads lead back to one mentor, and that’s Stephen Rolfe Powell.

It holds true for glass artist Ché Rhodes who created an installation here at the Frazier: He attended Centre College and studied with the famed glassmaker.

So did Brook Forrest White Jr., the owner of Flame Run Gallery here in Louisville, who by the way created the Cool Kentucky sign for the Frazier History Museum.

Powell founded the hot glass program at Centre.

After Powell’s death in 2019, White wanted to honor his mentor with a “larger-than-life” tribute, and that memorial was dedicated recently during homecoming weekend at Centre.

The landmark includes a twenty-five-foot sculpture, a garden, a walking path, artistic benches, and a small amphitheater that will serve as an outdoor classroom.

Louisville artist Dave Caudill helped craft the steel for the sculpture, the shape of which reflects that of some of Powell’s signature works.

The vice president for development and alumni engagement at Centre College was quoted as saying: “Stephen influenced so many lives through his work and this memorial stands in tribute to his indelible legacy.”

Teachers and professors become our mentors, and we never forget.

Well done, Stephen Powell and Brook Forrest White Jr.

Rachel Platt
Director of Community Engagement