Happy Thanksgiving week, y’all!

“The turkey. The sweet potatoes. The stuffing. The pumpkin pie. Is there anything else we all can agree so vehemently about?”—Nora Ephron

As I take account of the annual calendar of holidays in my world, I have noticed a shuffling of my favorites. Now, in my mid-fifties, with two daughters who are away most of the year chasing their dreams, Thanksgiving has become my undisputed favorite. The family reunites, and the focus is simple. Let’s spend the quality time we have together gathering around this table or that, grateful and celebrating for the blessings of each other. That’s more than enough to keep both my heart and my glass far more than just half-full.

Here at the Frazier, I’m grateful for a passionate team that just keeps delivering. The latest example of that came in the form of recent awards won at the Kentucky Travel Industry Association Conference and Louisville Tourism’s ROSE (Recognition of Service Excellence) Awards. I am thankful that the Frazier won both a Gold and an Award of Distinction for our 120: Cool KY Counties exhibit in the category of overall marketing campaign at KTIA. I’m also proud to celebrate two more ROSE award nominees on the Frazier staff. You can read more about them below.

While you’re planning your family activities for the week, I hope you consider a trip to the Frazier to experience both 120 and our exciting new Lights on Main exhibition, which is now on view throughout the museum in partnership with our friends at I Would Rather Be Reading. The Museum Shop will be open on Black Friday and every day other than Thanksgiving. There is no better place to secure Kentucky-themed gifts and premium Bourbon. Come join the party!

Also this week, Amanda Briede takes us back to 1920 in Louisville, Leslie Anderson previews our Very Merry Night with Maker’s Mark, Kent Klarer is moving to the Education Department, and Simon Meiners continues his tour through the Commonwealth.

I hope you enjoy.

Andy Treinen
President & CEO
Frazier History Museum

This Week in the Museum

Curator’s Corner: Illustration of Louisville’s Haymarket on Thanksgiving, c. 1920

In honor of Thanksgiving, I’d like to share a piece from our collection that I think truly captures the energy of preparing for this food-centered holiday: a print of an illustration by A. J. Van Leshout depicting the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving shoppers at Louisville’s Haymarket. Though we do not know the exact date of this piece, we know that Van Leshout came to Louisville in 1914 and worked as the artist and cartoonist for the Courier Journal and the Louisville Times. In 1921, he became head of the Louisville School of Art.

This piece depicts an outdoor market with Thanksgiving turkeys hanging at a stall, shoppers picking fruits and vegetables, and wagons and cars on a busy Jefferson Street. The market shown is Louisville’s Haymarket, formerly located on the block bordered by Jefferson, Liberty, Floyd and Brook streets. The market was established in 1891 on the site of Louisville’s earlier rail station, the Louisville and Frankfort Railroad. Like farmer’s markets of today, the market gave farmers and vendors a place to sell their produce directly to consumers and grocers. Many of the early vendors at Haymarket were Italian and Lebanese immigrants. Permanent stalls were built for the market in the 1920s, but the market went into decline in the 1940s as chain grocery stores became more popular. The market closed in 1962.

Like the Louisvillians depicted in this illustration, I hope you are able to find all the ingredients you need during this busy week of grocery shopping! Have a great and delicious Thanksgiving!

Amanda Briede
Sr. Curator of Exhibitions

Countdown to Christmas: Leslie’s Staff Pick in the Museum Shop

One of my favorite products in the shop is this Tom Turkey decanter—a must-have for your Thanksgiving feast. He looks so refined as a centerpiece, and he can be used for many a Thanksgivings to come. The decanter comes full of Bourbon, so you will be ready to go to your holiday event. My colleague and fellow Bourbon aficionado, Kevin Bradley, reports that the Tom Turkey he bought years ago is a beloved decoration year after year throughout the holiday season. I will be taking home my own Tom Turkey decanter this year to share with my family. Get yours while it’s still in stock!

Bottom line: he’s cute, he’s full of booze, and no one else in your family has one yet!

And don’t forget: the Frazier will be closed this Thursday for Thanksgiving. However, we’ll be open this weekend—so celebrate Black Friday and Small Business Saturday by shopping at the Frazier’s Museum Shop!

Leslie Anderson
Membership & Partnership Manager

Join Us Next Week for Maker’s Mark Cocktails, Wax Dipping, and More

Our holiday Bourbon program with Maker’s Mark Distillery is only a week away! If you haven’t gotten your tickets, now is the time to do it! There’s nothing better to do on December 4 than share the holiday love and joy with one of our favorite distilleries. Maker’s is a legend, and you do not want to miss this legendary night.

There will be plenty of appetizers to go around, a lovely welcome cocktail made with Maker’s Bourbon and their locally produced honey, as well as an experiential cocktail hour where you can get crafty with Maker’s wax dipping and take home your own Maker’s swag bag. If you need to find the perfect Christmas present for your Bourbon-loving uncle, cousin, friend, or dad, you will want to secure a bottle or two of our Frazier barrel selection. The taste is spicy with hints of chocolate—perfect for a cold winter night, a cozy fire, and friends.

Get tickets today!

Leslie Anderson
Membership & Partnership Manager

Lights on Main Preview Party was a Smashing Success

Thanks to everyone who came to the Frazier Thursday evening for our Lights on Main Preview Party! Mrs. Claus and the Stocking Stuffers had guests rocking around the (nearly one hundred) Christmas trees. Peach Cobbler Factory, the Misfit Lou, RK Bluegrass, and Bearno’s served delicious food, while Noble Funk, Monk’s Road, and O. H. Ingram topped off the tasting cups. The Pose 502 photo booth captured everyone’s best side, to boot!

Proceeds from ticket sales supported the Frazier and I Would Rather Be Reading, the two nonprofits who’ve teamed up to make Lights on Main an annual tradition in Louisville. We thank you for your support!

Up next: join us Thursday, December 5, for Late Night Thursday: Kentucky Christmas, Y’all! From 5 to 8 p.m., guests can enjoy our Kentucky-themed Christmas experience: Bearno’s will sell pizza; Buzzard’s Roost and Kentucky Peerless will offer specialty cocktails and tastings; and homegrown folk music act the Buzzard Rock String Band will perform. Plus, Blair Thomas Hess and Cameron M. Ludwick, authors of Kentucky, Y’all, will sell and sign copies of their books.

We hope to see you here!

Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist

Mahonia Tree Voted Most Unique Tree at Lights on Main

Need a little green in your life?

We have plenty of green at the Frazier with nearly 100 Christmas trees on display, but there’s one in particular that takes green to the next level and was voted “Most Unique” of all the trees.

And it makes sense.

Mahonia, a plant nursery, pottery, and décor store at 822 East Market Street, is the sponsor of the tree, and it shows in all its blooming ways.

Congrats, Mahonia! And thanks to our panel of judges who selected the six winners, a task that couldn’t have been easy.

We’ll feature each of the six winners in Frazier Weekly in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Come take a look for yourself!

Rachel Platt
VP of Mission

Frazier’s Kent Klarer to Design and Lead Camps and Youth Programs!

It’s finally chilly outside. We’ve got frost on our windshields in the morning and winter coats hung by the door. Schools are preparing for their winter holidays, which means parents are preparing for their kids’ holiday breaks. As a parent myself . . . I know. Winter break already?! Wasn’t Halloween just last week? Well, no. Halloween was more than three weeks ago, and you’ve only got four weeks left until school is out.

Fret not, though, dear mothers and fathers. The Frazier is here for you with another seasonal camp. On December 30, December 31, January 2, and January 3, kids in grades 1–5 can come In from the Cold at the museum to learn about history’s coolest stories. From cold cases like Amelia Earhart’s disappearance to winter sports and even a Civil War snowball fight, Winter Break Camp at the Frazier will be the hottest spot for kids when the temperature drops. Registration is open now and there are still spots available.

Eagle-eyed Frazier Weekly readers may peek at the by-line, recognize my name or face, then wonder, “Isn’t he the grant writer? Why is he telling me about camps?” Yes, since joining the Frazier last year, I have been the museum’s Grant Manager and Writer—but in truth, I’m an educator. I have taught elementary music, directed middle and high school bands, taught classroom music in the College of Education at U of L, and spent seven years with the Louisville Leopard Percussionists as an instructor and Executive Director.

Now, I am thrilled to join the Education team here at the Frazier as Senior Manager of Youth Programs and Education Advancement. Part of my new role will be designing and leading camps, and although I will be around and involved with Winter Break Camp, the credit for this one goes to my friend Nicole Clay and the rest of the Education department. I hope you and your families can join us for this camp, as well as our Lights on Main Free Family Day and the three Late Night Thursdays in December, to play some games, hear some stories, and stay warm with me and the rest of the team.

Kent Klarer
Sr. Manager of Youth Programs & Education Advancement

Congrats to our ROSE Awards Finalists Hayley Harlow and Donna Beckner!

We love our team here at the Frazier and always say we are a team of shining stars! And how lovely that two of our team members were recognized for it as finalists at the ROSE Awards this past week at the Palace Theatre. It is Louisville Tourism’s annual gala featuring the recognition of service excellence awards.

Our Donna Beckner was a finalist in the Behind the Scenes category. She is our Accounting and Operations Specialist. As we said in our description of Donna: She is the heart and soul of our team, consistently going above and beyond with an infectious “can do” attitude. Her leadership at events and her ability to make everyone feel valued highlight her dedication.

Our Hayley Harlow was a finalist in the Rising Star category. She is our Senior Manager of Fundraising. As we said in our description of Hayley: Her wisdom and poise make her a natural leader. She flawlessly organized the Frazier’s first gala, implemented a new donor system, and excelled in fundraising events, energizing volunteers, and driving success.

How fun to honor both Donna and Hayley, and all the ROSE Awards finalists and winners, for making Louisville a better place. Congrats to all.

Rachel Platt
VP of Mission

As part of our 120: Cool KY Counties exhibit, we’re curating a list of 120 unique sites to visit: one site in each county! In 2024, once a month, we’ll share sites in ten counties, completing the list in December. For November, we’re sharing sites in these counties: Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Scott, Shelby, Simpson, Spencer, Taylor, and Todd. I extend a special thank you to Kentucky Historical Society, whose Historical Marker Program has been a brilliant resource for this list!

Blue Licks Battlefield. (38°25’59.0”N, 83°59’34.6”W) On August 19, 1782—ten months after Yorktown—a group of Kentucky settlers encountered British, Canadian, Shawnee, and Wyandotte forces at the Blue Licks crossing point of the Kentucky River in present-day Robertson County. The disorganized fight descended into hand-to-hand combat, leaving about seventy Kentuckians dead.

Skaggs Trace. (37°14’32.4”N, 84°13’11.3”W) Named for long hunter Henry Skaggs, the Skaggs Trace from Hazel Patch to Crab Orchard crosses this point in Livingston, Rockcastle County. In the 1760s–70s, pioneers such as John Floyd, Benjamin Logan, and William Whitley used it to travel Kentucky. Daniel Boone crossed the Rockcastle River near here in 1775 in blazing Boone's Trace.

Rowan County War. (38°10’53.7”N, 83°26’00.4”W) On June 22, 1887, the Martin-Tolliver feud ended when Craig Tolliver was killed in a gunfight with a hundred-strong posse outside the Cottage Hotel here in Morehead, Rowan County. The feud had begun in 1884 with a tightly contested race for sheriff. The next three years of murders and lawlessness culminated in the bloody day.

Creelsboro Natural Arch. (36°53’04.5”N, 85°14’11.4”W) Some 300 million years ago, the grinding of the Cumberland River and Jim Creek on solid limestone formed a sixty-foot-tall natural arch in what is now Creelsboro, Russell County. Native Americans and early settlers used the arch, also called the Rockhouse, as a shelter against the elements. Today, a hiking trail passes through it.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky. (38°15’40.5”N, 84°31’52.1”W) On May 26, 1988, the first vehicle rolled off the production line at the Toyota plant in Georgetown, Scott County. Since then, 14 million more vehicles have followed. TMMK is Toyota’s largest vehicle manufacturing plant in the world, capable of producing 550,000 vehicles and more than 600,000 engines annually.

Site of John Shannon’s Tavern. (38°09’53.6”N, 85°01’20.8”W) On October 28, 1809, explorer William Clark read a newspaper report that his former expedition partner Meriwether Lewis has committed suicide. That night, while staying at a tavern just west of this site in what is now Graefenburg, Shelby County, Clark wrote a letter to his brother about the distressing news.

Cash-Carter Wedding Site. (36°43’21.9”N, 86°34’44.5”W) On March 1, 1968, country music stars Johnny Cash and June Carter were married at the Franklin First Methodist Church in Franklin, Simpson County. Cash had proposed to Carter on stage in Ontario, Canda, on February 22. The couple had traveled to Kentucky so they could purchase a license and marry on the same day.

Felix Grundy Stidger House Remnants. (38°01’46.5”N, 85°20’57.1”W) Union spy Felix Grundy Stidger (1836–1908) lived at a saddlebag-plan log house here in Taylorsville, Spencer County. During the Civil War, he foiled a plot by the Knights of the Golden Circle to firebomb northern cities and free Confederate prisoners. His testimony helped secure convictions of many “Copperheads.”

Hiestand House. (37°20’59.3”N, 85°22’30.9”W) In 1823, Jacob Hiestand built this stone house in Campbellsville, Taylor County. The plantation included a spring house, a meat house, a distillery, and log servant quarters. Although the Hiestands used traditional German colors of red, blue, and green to trim the house, the floor plan is Scot-Irish. In 1988, the house was relocated one half mile.

Jefferson Davis Monument. (36°50’31.7”N, 87°18’01.0”W) Built in 1923, the Jefferson Davis Monument outside Fairview, Todd County, is the tallest unreinforced concrete structure in the world. The pyramid-topped obelisk stands 351 feet, making it taller than the Statue of Liberty. It marks the birthplace of Jefferson Davis (1808–89), the only president of the Confederate States.

Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist

Bridging the Divide

Celebrating Monumental History at Norton Healthcare

Norton West Louisville Hospital has been open for a couple of weeks now, already making an impact. The greater impact may be the long game of improving health outcomes for a community that has long been underserved. In recognition of that disparity, Norton Healthcare is also paying tribute to pioneer health care providers who were instrumental in offering services despite our Ninth Street Divide and segregation. There’s a monument near the hospital that honors them, and the people who helped with the project say it became a mission that has changed them forever.—Rachel Platt, VP of Mission

During my twenty-one years with Norton Healthcare, I have had the opportunity to work on many rewarding projects. However, none can compare to the Pioneer Gateway Monument now resting at the corner of Twenty-Eighth Street and Garland Avenue on the campus of Norton West Louisville Hospital.

Renee Murphy gathered our team: David Miller, Jen Reynolds, and myself. We were asked to create the messaging and graphics for a monument dedicated to healthcare providers who paved the way when care was not available to people of color west of Ninth Street during the time of legalized segregation in the late 1800s through the early 1900s.

It was difficult to imagine initially. We were given hundreds of documents and images to filter through about those who had knocked down barriers to provide care to communities who were discriminated against. These medical pioneers made healthcare a priority during a time when Black people were regularly persecuted. The challenge was daunting. We wanted to elevate this project to its highest level and give proper distinction to this incredible group of individuals.

As we dove into their stories, the people who rose to the surface began to come to life. We talked of them as if we knew them. We developed our favorites and, emotionally at times, discussed their lives. This was no longer a project but a mission. It became clear that their contributions to health equity were immeasurable. Not only did they provide medical services, they established a hospital and a medical school, they volunteered at times of war, and one even became a police officer. Their vast service was staggering and humbling. Their willingness to put their own needs and, at times, their own safety aside to help others is a lesson that rings true today.

Over the year’s time we worked on this project, it was very emotional as we grew closer and closer to these iconic figures, discovering their strengths and determination. Tears well up inside me every time I look into Dr. Lattimore’s eyes, imagine what Artishia had to overcome, or read “There are more—known and unknown. This monument honors them all.” And when our CEO referred to us as monument builders, the magnitude of its potential effect was overwhelming.

It is so logical to have this entry onto Norton West Louisville Hospital’s campus as our organization embraces an underserved area of our city with open arms. This will and should be the start of a surge of activity west of Ninth Street. Struggles no doubt remain. But each action can create a reaction. I hope that this view into the past can help project us into the future. I am honored to have been a part of it and eternally attached to these amazing pioneers.

Mary Lou Fitzer
Manager, Creative Services - Design, Norton Healthcare
Guest Contributor