What a wonderful week to choose to be grateful. It always strikes me this time of year how that simple choice, to focus on gratitude, makes us happy. I believe it was author Douglas Wood who said, “We cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.”

I am thankful for many things on this Monday morning, but I’ll start with you. The unadorned fact that there are now well over 40,000 subscribers to the Virtual Frazier Magazine each week is staggering. It’s a credit to our incredible team who works every week to deliver interesting, interactive, and inspiring content about the Commonwealth of Kentucky to our subscribers. We are where the world meets Kentucky.

This week, you’ll learn about a hobby and possible holiday hiking activity from our curator, Amanda Briede. Vickie Yates Brown Glisson then takes on Louisville’s most famous dish, the Hot Brown: Yes, Brown writes about the Brown Hotel’s Hot Brown! Shelby Durbin introduces you to the Great Louisville Hunt, Rachel Platt serves up her museum store staff pick, and we get a guest contribution from Dare to Care’s new president, Vincent James, who offers volunteer opportunities for the holidays.

But we begin with the Frazier’s annual video evidence that gratitude is riches. I hope you enjoy!

This Week in the Museum

Curator’s Corner: Hiking in the Red River Gorge

Natural amphitheater on Indian Staircase Trail

If you find yourself with a little extra time this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I recommend getting outside and exploring some of the incredible places featured in the “Natural Kentucky” section of Cool Kentucky. My favorite place to explore is the Red River Gorge, which is currently covered in fall colors, so I thought I would share with you a few of my favorite hiking trails for all experience levels. Of course, don’t forget to stop by Miguel’s while you’re there for some delicious pizza and a cold Ale-8!

Easy: Natural Bridge Original Trail

View of Natural Bridge from the Original Trail

Distance: 1.1 miles total
Type: Out and Back
Elevation Change: 400 feet

When I go to new National Parks or other hiking areas, I often find that the popular trails are popular for a reason. Many of the most incredible sites are often a short, well-maintained hike away, and Natural Bridge at the Red River Gorge is no exception. Though there are about 400 feet of elevation change in this trail, there are plenty of places to stop and rest. Once you make it to Natural Bridge, consider continuing a bit onto Laurel Ridge Trail for spectacular views of Natural Bridge from the top of the ridgeline. If you want to see Natural Bridge without the hike up, a Skylift is available for $15.90 for an adult round-trip ticket and $12.75 for a child’s round-trip ticket.

Medium: Auxier Ridge Trail to Courthouse Rock Trail

View of Cathedral Rock from Auxier Ridge Trail

Distance: 4.4 miles
Type: Loop
Elevation Change: 908 feet

The Auxier Ridge Trail follows along a narrow ridge providing incredible views of ridgelines and valleys typical of the Red River Gorge. At the end of the trail, you will be able to see views of Courthouse Rock, Haystack Rock, Raven Rock, and Double Arch. Go back the way you came for a bit of an easier hike or go down the wooden steps at the end of the trail to connect with Courthouse Rock Trail. This trail allows for a closer look at Courthouse Rock and loops back toward the parking lot through the valley, with an elevation change of 908 feet.

Difficult: Indian Staircase Trail

Distance: 3.1 miles
Type: Loop
Elevation Change: 643 feet

The Indian Staircase trail is my absolute favorite in the Red River Gorge, featuring ridgeline views, a natural amphitheater, a natural rock arch, and hiking through the valley along the cliffs. But, as my friend Jennifer said on our last visit, “Never let your rock-climbing friends choose the hike.” This trail also features rock scrambling and a climb up a steep “staircase” of footholds worn into the sandstone by salt peter miners in the early 1800s. I personally feel the staircase climb can be more mentally than physically challenging, but if you are comfortable with heights, the climb is fun and well-worth the views at the top.

One More Chance to See Along the Way Forth

Graphic for *Along the Way Forth: Unraveling Dominion*

Just as there are many ways to explore the past, there are many ways to interpret what you learn. For me, it's always inspiring when a musician throws their energy, creativity, and focus behind a project that brings moments from the past to the here and now, especially when they help us see ways the past is still informing our world today.

This is the last weekend at the Frazier to see Along the Way Forth: Unraveling Dominion, a multimedia production composer Rachel Grimes produced as a companion to The Way Forth, a folk opera she released in 2019. Viewers will see compelling documentary footage related to her search for information about Dolly, an enslaved woman traveling with Daniel Boone, and her descendants, many of whom led incredible lives. Additionally, the production includes a selection from the folk opera set with interpretive imagery and featuring musical performances by Teddy Abrams, members of the Louisville Orchestra, Nathan Salsburg, Jecorey Arthur, and more.

2:00 – 2:35 p.m.
Sunday, November 28

Brown-Forman Theatre
First Floor, Frazier History Museum
Included with Admission (Free for Frazier Members)

The Great Louisville Hunt for the Holiday Season

Graphic for the Great Louisville Hunt

The holidays are quickly approaching, which means many of us are looking for festive ways to celebrate. Well, look no further than the Great Louisville Hunt, created by the Frazier Education team!

The Great Louisville Hunt is an audio tour that leads you to several fascinating spots in Downtown Louisville, all while sharing stories that correspond to each location on the route. There are seven stops altogether, and the total driving distance is around eleven miles.

Additionally, you can easily tailor the experience to fit the pace of your group. Many of these locations are nice spots to walk around and explore. You certainly don’t have to stay in your car the whole time! (Unless you want to.)

Shelby poses by the statue *The Thinker* at the University of Louisville, September 4, 2021

The cost is $35 per family or group ($30 if you’re a Frazier member, or FREE for families with children attending Title I Schools in Kentucky or Southern Indiana!) and includes the audio tour and a supplemental booklet to help you investigate each location. The booklet and audio tour are sent to your email. However, you can stop by the Frazier and request a physical copy of the booklet, as well.

Whether you’re a guest who is visiting town for the first time or a local history lover, the Great Louisville Hunt is a wonderful tool to use to delve into the stories that shaped the city we know today.

If you are interested in learning more or purchasing the audio tour, click here.

Also, I did a social media takeover while on the Great Louisville Hunt route! If you would like to watch, follow our main Instagram account @frazierhistorymuseum and visit the Great Lou Hunt story highlight on our page!

Have fun and happy holidays, explorers!

Museum Store: Shop ‘Til You Drop!

Holiday decorations in the Frazier’s Museum Store, November 18, 2021

Thanksgiving weekend marks the official start of holiday shopping season with Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Museum Store Sunday. We are celebrating the shopping season with a chance for you to win a $25 gift card! Enter when you visit November 26 to 28, and we will hold drawings for four winners on Monday, November 29. We’ll announce the winners on social media.

Save the Date: Giving Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Logo of Giving Tuesday

Once you’ve eaten your weight in turkey, survived the crowds of Black Friday, and charged through Cyber Monday, please consider Giving Tuesday. A day of generosity and giving, Giving Tuesday is a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

The last eighteen months have been challenging for so many of our neighbors, local businesses, and organizations that help, educate, and inspire. To support our community, the Frazier provided free membership to over 23,000 of our neighbors. We’d like to now ask you to consider spending November 30 giving to others, whether it’s a helping hand, a kind word or gesture, or a financial gift helping a group or organization that would greatly benefit from your generosity.

If you value the Frazier and the resources we provide to our community, we hope you will consider showing your support with a small gift on November 30. If half of our new members chipped in $5, that would collectively be over $50,000 and would make a huge impact on the outreach, educational programming, and stories we can share. Even if you don’t give to the Frazier, we hope you will support a neighbor in need, or another group or business that could use your help.

Louisville has always been generous: We understand that when we help one, we help all. Please show your support on Giving Tuesday, November 30.

Member Appreciation Day, November 26 – 28

Members like you make our work here possible! You support us all year long through your membership to the museum. Remember that support this holiday season and continue to shop local.

Have you visited our Museum Store? If not, you are in for a treat! If you have…we like your taste. Come in, say hi, and indulge in a selection of what our great state has to offer.

So many wonderful puns, thought-provoking works of literature, curious gadgets and gizmos, and beautiful artworks are waiting for you.

Every day, we celebrate Kentucky. But now, it’s time to celebrate you — the people of Kentucky!

Member Appreciation Day

November 26 – 28
(Normal business hours apply.)

Members* receive an additional 10% discount** in the Museum Store!

*Additional discount only applicable for Contributor-level members and above.
**Exclusions apply.

Want to become a member in order to spark your curiosity? Memberships can be purchased online, in person, or over the phone. Give us a call at (502) 753-5663.

History All Around Us

History of the Brown Hotel’s World-famous Hot Brown

English grill with old bar in the Brown Hotel, 1920s. Credit: the Brown Hotel.

Some of us enjoy the Thanksgiving leftovers almost as much as the meal itself, particularly when it is a turkey sandwich as delicious and decadent as a Kentucky Hot Brown. The Hot Brown has become a culinary icon since it was developed in 1926 by Fred K. Schmidt, the chef of the Brown Hotel, a Louisville landmark.

The Brown Hotel, located at the corner of Fourth and Broadway in downtown Louisville, was built by James Graham Brown in 1923. The hotel was a popular destination for dinner dance parties that went well into the wee hours of the morning, drawing over 1,200 guests each evening. Chef Schmidt wanted to offer the hotel’s late-night guests a tasty alternative to the traditional ham and eggs. Thus, the Kentucky Hot Brown was born: an open-faced sandwich of roast turkey, bacon, and tomato served on toasted white bread and smothered in a mornay sauce browned to perfection.

Hot Brown served at the Brown Hotel, January 12, 2018. Credit: the Brown Hotel.

The two slices of bacon were added to the sandwich when one of the servers suggested that the dish needed a little color to offset the white mornay sauce. The chef said to add bacon! An early version of the sandwich was also topped with pimentos to add color and served with peaches. A decade later, the recipe changed: pimentos were omitted and replaced by fresh sliced tomato. Also, over the years, eggs were eliminated from the sauce and heavy cream was used instead. The peaches — well, they did not make the cut long term, either. Otherwise, the recipe is just as it was created almost 100 years ago by Chef Schmidt.

The Hot Brown became so in-demand and iconic that at one time the mornay sauce for the Hot Brown was prepared tableside in the main dining room. Even today, to maintain consistency, the mornay sauce is only prepared by two chefs at the hotel. The recipe has been handed down from executive chef to executive chef along with a few rules. First, the meat for the sandwich must be fresh carved roasted turkey breast. Deli-style sliced turkey is not acceptable for this delectable sandwich. The dish can be taken up a notch if your Thanksgiving turkey is a fresh, not frozen, bird. This is a good opportunity to roast a local farm-raised turkey, such as a Bourbon Red, a breed that was developed in Pennsylvania, taken by early settlers into Kentucky, and named for Bourbon County, Kentucky. Also, it’s important to make the mornay sauce with Pecorino cheese, rather than Parmesan, which is too acidic for the sauce. Lastly, you don’t want to try to pick it up like any other sandwich. The chefs recommend you enjoy the Hot Brown using a knife and fork so that you get a piece of each ingredient in every bite.

Exterior of the Brown Hotel, August 8, 2016. Credit: the Brown Hotel.

Even today, Marc Salmon, vice president of human resources for the hotel, noted that one out of every four calls to the hotel concerns the subject of the Hot Brown. Its appeal is worldwide. The Hot Brown remains one of the most popular items on the hotel’s menu and continues to be featured regularly in magazines and television shows. Consider using the Brown Hotel’s recipe below to turn any leftover turkey from your Thanksgiving feast into a delicious iconic dish.

Recipe for the World-famous Hot Brown

Note: makes two hot browns.

2 oz. whole butter
2 oz. all-purpose flour
8 oz. heavy cream
8 oz. whole milk
½ cup of Pecorino Romano cheese, plus 1 tbsp. for garnish
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
14 oz. sliced roasted turkey breast, sliced thick
4 slices of Texas toast (crust trimmed)
4 slices of crispy bacon
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced in half
Paprika
Parsley

In a two‑quart saucepan, melt butter and slowly whisk in flour until combined and forms a thick paste (roux). Continue to cook roux for two minutes over medium‑low heat, stirring frequently. Whisk heavy cream and whole milk into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer, about 2 – 3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until the mornay sauce is smooth. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.

For each Hot Brown, place two slices of toast with the crusts cut off in an oven-safe dish — one slice is cut in half, corner to corner, to make two triangles and the other slice is left in a square shape — then cover with 7 ounces of turkey. Take the two halves of Roma tomato and two toast points and set them alongside the base of the turkey and toast. Next, pour one half of the mornay sauce to completely cover the dish. Sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano cheese. Place the entire dish under a broiler until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of crispy bacon on top, sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and serve immediately.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Staff Pick

Bourbon Staff Pick: Mick Sullivan on Basil Hayden’s Bourbon

Mick Sullivan holds a bottle of Basil Hayden’s Bourbon, November 17, 2021

The Frazier History Museum is the official starting point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, so it seems only fitting we should lift a glass to the holidays and say cheers. From November 8 through December 27, each issue of Virtual Frazier Magazine will feature a different staff member’s Bourbon pick for the holidays. Keep in mind, not everyone is a Bourbon expert; however, we all have our reasons for what we like, and we’ll share those with you. And yes, every featured product is sold in our Museum Store, so thank you for asking — and buying!

I’m a pretty simple guy — so when it comes to Bourbon, the ideas of scarcity and collectability are largely lost on me. But I do have a nostalgic streak, and Basil Hayden’s Bourbon was the first Bourbon I ever enjoyed. It was with my family after a Thanksgiving dinner. My most recent bottle came as a gift on my fortieth birthday. It tastes as good to me now as it did nineteen years ago. Plus, it’s always available and reasonably priced.

Mick Sullivan
Curator of Guest Experience

Holiday Staff Pick: Rachel Platt on Reindeer and Bourbon T-shirt

Rachel Platt poses with a Reindeer and Bourbon t-shirt, November 3, 2021

We take great pride in the Frazier’s Museum Store, which has unique offerings that celebrate our state, our heritage, Frazier exhibitions, and so much more. It may be the perfect place to do your holiday shopping, and we are here to help you. From November 8 through December 20, each issue of Virtual Frazier Magazine will feature a different staff member highlighting their favorite items sold in the store.

I am always on the hunt for fun and unique gifts, and this t-shirt we sell in the store caught my eye right away. I started sending fun Bourbon socks to my son’s roommate from law school in Wyoming, and even a couple of Kentucky Bourbon Trail® t-shirts from our store. I think he likes Bourbon, but loves the fun gifts! Even though they have graduated, I will keep the tradition alive by sending him this shirt. My sons may get one as well, but shhhhh, it’s a secret!

Rachel Platt
Director of Community Engagement

Bridging the Divide

A Brief History of Dare to Care

On Thanksgiving Eve in 1969, nine-year-old Bobby Ellis died of malnutrition in his Louisville home. Our community was stunned but resolute. Folks from across the entire community took to the streets. Their rallying cry, “Dare to Care,” and their commitment remains their legacy. What happened to Bobby could not, and would not, happen again. The community members pooled their resources. One offered an empty church basement. Another offered a used pickup truck. Many offered boxes and cans. Others offered monetary support and the gift of time. Dare to Care was born.

For more than fifty years, Dare to Care has proudly served our community by providing food and hope to families like Bobby’s. Since our founding, we have evolved to meet the changing needs of individuals who need our help and have grown to distribute more than 25 million pounds of groceries (or meals) throughout Kentuckiana each year.

Today, we provide healthy food to individuals facing hunger in a way that best meets their needs. While this goal is straightforward, the execution is complex due to the nuanced nature of food insecurity. For every neighbor and friend who lacks enough food, there also exist unique circumstances from which their hunger originates.

This holiday season, we invite you to support our critical work of feeding our neighbors and addressing the root causes of hunger. Supply chain issues in our changing economy are increasing the cost of bringing in and handling donated food. For every $1 we receive, we can provide enough groceries for three meals to the one in seven neighbors who faces food insecurity. You can learn more on our website.

With the effects of the pandemic lingering, volunteers are needed at Dare to Care and with our 200 nonprofit partners who are working daily to provide direct service to our neighbors. You can learn more and sign up at daretocare.org/donate/donate-time.

We cannot do this work alone, and we are grateful the community remains committed to ensuring every neighbor is nourished by supporting Dare to Care.

Bailey Griffin on Bath Wonderland Coat Drive

There is a young girl who has caught our attention at the Frazier: nine-year-old Bailey Griffin, who has started her own business called Bath Wonderland. Yes, Bailey has her own business, one that sells all natural-made soaps. And now, for the third year, Bailey is helping others with a coat drive. We are so impressed that we want to share the information as she tries to bridge divides where she sees them. We want to share some questions about the coat drive Bailey’s mom, Brittiney Griffin, asked her, as well as Bailey’s answers.

What initially made you start the coat drive?

I started my coat drive because there was a kid in school that needed a coat and we bought him one. Then one day, as we were driving, I saw a man that didn't have a coat and it was cold outside, so I thought about how many other people didn't have one or a good one. I thought that we can collect coats and give them to people.

So why do you continue your mission?

When we give out the coats, there are a lot of houseless people that need them! They always say thank you, you are so sweet! And I like it when they call me sweet!

How long do you plan to keep this going?

As long as it takes. When I get twenty-five years old, when I get thirty-five years old… maybe I'll stop in my forties.

If you can send a message to people to help with your coat drive, what would you say to them?

First off, thank you for donating and or considering donating! And please donate new or used coats. (And if they don't donate, they are sweet as well!!)

Bailey Griffin
Founder, Bath Wonderland
Guest Contributor

Red River Gorge Hiking Trails, History of the Brown Hotel’s Hot Brown, Bailey Griffin’s Bath Wonderland Coat Drive, and More

1861 Balloon Flight Over Kentucky, Five Artifacts From Beecher Terrace, Anti-torture Activist Sister Dianna Ortiz, and More

Playlist of Louisville Music, 1924 – 2020; Edgardo Mansilla on Americana, 190th Anniversary of Presentation Academy, and More