As we count down to the Kentucky Derby with our focus on thoroughbreds and that rich history, I’m going to challenge you to saddle up for another chapter involving horses in the Commonwealth.

Horses and mules, really. And the mostly women who spent time navigating them through tough terrain in Appalachia to deliver books to Kentuckians who were cut off during the Great Depression. Literacy was an issue, and these women delivered and were aptly named “book ladies” and “packhorse librarians.” We’re going to celebrate them with a special program on May 18 here at the Frazier.

One of those women was fifteen-year-old Irene Crisp Stegall, whose daughter Janice will join us to honor her late mother and others. Janice sent me a painting she did of her mother from an old photo. There weren’t many book ladies, only about 200—each of whom was paid $28 a month for their services.

Janice will bring that painting, pictures, and all the memories she can share to keep this history alive.

Bestselling author and Kentuckian Kim Michele Richardson has taken up the cause, not just with her books, but also her efforts to champion a historical marker in their name. It is a real treat and honor to have Kim join us and help lead this discussion. Click here to get your ticket to celebrate women who cared about their neighbors, education, and learning.

Also in this edition of Frazier Weekly, Sippin’ with Stephen gets some expert help on batching your own mint juleps for Derby parties, some winning picks on fascinators from our Museum Shop, Art O Mat comes to the Frazier, and famed historian Tom Owen receives another award!

This Week in the Museum

Sippin’ with Stephen: Mint Juleps with Louisville Tourism’s Stacey Yates and Jessica Dillree

As the official starting point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, the Frazier History Museum shares stories of the people, places, and producers of the Kentucky Bourbon industry. To learn more, visit our Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center or tour our Spirit of Kentucky® exhibition.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

This month is my annual shout out to the Official Cocktail of the Kentucky Derby, the Mint Julep. Two friends of the Frazier and Sippin with’ Stephen—Stacey Yates and Jessica Dillree from Louisville Tourism as well as the Bourbon and Biscuits YouTube channel—return to the show to help make your Derby party perfect. Jessica shows viewers how to create a batched Mint Julep cocktail for your Derby party. Stacey demonstrates how to lay out the perfect presentation for your Derby party that will really set the tone for your soiree.

And don’t forget: the Frazier History Museum offers Craft Your Own Mint Julep Classes every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 3 p.m., now through Derby Day, for only $24!

May all your bets be winners and all your Juleps be as good as the ones we made for this video. Cheers!

Churchill Downs’s Thurby to Feature Cool Kentucky Music, ear X-tacy, and More!

Churchill Downs in partnership with the Frazier History Museum is set to celebrate the spirit of the Bluegrass State at Thurby presented by Old Forester on Thursday, May 1! It’ll be a full day of racing, live entertainment, and Kentucky experiences—featuring the sights, sounds, and stories that define Kentucky’s rich heritage.

Here’s the best part: Churchill Downs is bringing Frazier’s Cool Kentucky exhibition to Thurby!

Live performances will showcase the rich and diverse musical heritage of Kentucky, featuring artists represented in the Frazier’s 120: Cool KY Counties exhibit: Phoebe White (Laurel County), the award-winning “yodeling cowgirl”; and Venezuelan-American pop artist Asly Toro (Jefferson County). In Churchill Downs’ premium dining rooms, guests will enjoy the handcrafted Native American flute music of Fred Nez Keams (Mercer County), blending art, culture and storytelling.

Guests can also explore immersive experiences, including the “ear X-tacy” Legacy activation by local artist Bri Bowers, which will feature the 120: Cool KY Counties playlist, Mirror Ball activation by Omega Mirror Products, and tributes to local legends Tori Murden McClure and John Timmons.

Thurby gates open at 10:30 a.m. with the first race at 12:45 p.m.

Learn more and get your tickets at kentuckyderby.com/thurby.

We hope to see you there!

Museum Shop: Get Race Day Ready!

Our favorite horse race is just around the corner, and we’ve got the perfect accessory to top it off your look! Browse our collection of fascinators online or stop by the museum to explore the selection in our shop.

Cheers to a Great Cause: Sponsor the 2025 Frazier Summer Beer Fest!

Frazier Summer Beer Fest is back and better than ever—and we’re inviting you to be a part of the fun!

Join us as a sponsor for one of Louisville’s most popular summer festivals, where more than 1,500 guests come together to sip, sample, and celebrate the best craft brews from across the region—all in support of the Frazier’s mission to bring history to life through storytelling, exhibitions, and educational programming.

Why Sponsor?

· Brand visibility. As a Beer Fest sponsor, your brand will be featured in event signage, social media promotions, our e-newsletter, on-site activations, and more—putting your business in front of an enthusiastic and engaged crowd.

· Enjoy a good time for a great cause. This isn’t just another beer fest. It’s a high-energy fundraiser that supports museum access, educational programming for Kentucky students, and the preservation of our shared stories.

· Fun, festive, and unforgettable. With live music, food trucks, outdoor games, and dozens of breweries represented, Frazier Summer Beer Fest is a can’t-miss experience for craft beer lovers—and a perfect way to align your business with community spirit and summertime fun.

Whether you’re a small business, a museum lover, or a company that loves to support local culture, we’d love to raise a glass with you. Let’s make summer 2025 memorable—together.

Email me at landerson@fraziermuseum.org to learn more and secure your sponsorship today. Learn more about Frazier Summer Beer Fest or purchase tickets on our web page.

Art O Mat Brings Pocket-Sized Art Surprises to the Frazier Museum

Local artist Beverly Raley poses with an Art O Mat machine.

The city of Louisville is getting its second Art O Mat machine! Come celebrate the official debut of the Art O Mat at the Frazier Museum on Saturday, April 26, from 3 to 5 p.m. Beverly will be on hand, and the first twenty guests to make a purchase will receive a free gift. Come for the art. Stay for the surprise!—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

The Frazier History Museum is thrilled to announce the arrival of an Art O Mat machine—an old-school cigarette vending machine reimagined to distribute original, handcrafted art for just $10 per artwork. Thanks to the passion and creative energy of local artist Beverly Raley, this machine is set to bring a new kind of fun to Main Street.

Beverly first discovered an Art O Mat while visiting Las Vegas. Brightly painted and filled with mystery, the machine offered a unique thrill: a gamble with guaranteed reward. “I knew I would love whatever I got,” Beverly recalls. “The excitement of getting local art at an affordable price lured me in.”

Inspired, she brought the concept back to Louisville. Her first machine, painted lilac, has been a hit at Mellwood Art Center since August 2024. Seeing how well it was received, Beverly knew another neighborhood could benefit from a little creative magic. That led her to purchase a second machine!

Now stationed at the Frazier Museum, the new Art O Mat is filled with mini masterpieces from Beverly and her talented circle of Louisville-based artists. From nature- and food-inspired clay trinkets to wood-burned necklaces, needle-felt keychains, acrylic wall art, and bead-and-feather creations, each piece is a cool surprise.

Each of the twenty-two slots in the machine offers a brief description, but the fun is in the mystery—you never know exactly what you’ll get.

Join us this Saturday, April 26, 3–5 p.m., for the grand opening!

Mindy Johnson
VP of Operation

Frazier’s Volleyball Team Diggin’ History Debuts at Baxter Jack’s!

After weeks of anticipation, and a couple of weather delays, the Frazier’s first volleyball team finally hit the sand at Baxter Jack’s.

Our team, appropriately named Diggin’ History, really dug deep! Despite several of us admitting we hadn’t served a volleyball since middle school PE, no one hesitated to jump, dive, or get a little sandy.

We saw some excellent serving from our Adam Thomas and his lovely girlfriend Emma. Turns out our resident tall guy, Simon Meiners, can teleport from one side of the court to the other in the blink of an eye! We had an impressive off-the-net save by Nicole Clay—and some brilliantly scheduled timeouts from our ringer, Heidi Janes!

Although we didn’t grab the win this time, I see one in our near future. This team is ready for the season! ’Til next time . . .

Bridging the Divide

It’s Back! Frazier Hosts this Year’s License to Vote Art Contest

After fourteen years, the License to Vote Art Contest is back and the top winners have been selected for elementary, middle, and high school in Jefferson County.

The contest is part of a voter outreach initiative within the Jefferson County Clerk’s office. How exciting it is to see young people grasp the significance of voting through their artistic abilities.

I was lucky enough to be on the Board of Directors with the finale held at the Frazier History Museum last week. It was a room full of students, parents, loved ones, teachers, educators, and civic leaders excited about voting! And prizes!

Congrats to all the finalists who participated, and to the three big winners in their respective category.

Those overall winners were Phloe Duque from Luhr Elementary, Marshall Nicholson from Walden School, and Alyssa Gibbs who attends Mercy Academy.

If you’d like to see the winning artworks for yourself, they will be on display at the Revelry Art Boutique and Gallery.

Here’s to future generations exercising their right to vote!

History All Around Us

Frazier Joins Effort to Clean Up Post-Flood Debris on Louisville’s Waterfront

Growing up, I had to earn my right to complain—I wasn’t allowed to whine about food unless I had helped make it; no tattling on my brothers unless I had tried to resolve the issue first; a boring afternoon only warranted objection if I had come up with the boring plan myself.

As an adult, I reflect on that lesson from my childhood often. Whenever I feel compelled to complain, and I am human so it happens from time to time, I have to ask myself what I’ve done to help and whether I have earned that complaint. The answer is often: No, Kent, you haven’t done a thing so quit bellyaching. But last week many of my colleagues and friends who work downtown met at the waterfront to do something.

Recent flooding left the waterfront a bit of a mess, and Rebecca Fleischaker at Louisville Downtown Partnership isn’t one to leave a mess, so she organized a cleanup effort. Lots of folks downtown must have been raised the same way I was, because the volunteers showed up ready to work. The team, led by Waterfront Park, equipped us with gloves, buckets, and grabbers then set us to task picking up the debris and litter that the river had dropped on our streets. The Frazier was well represented, of course, alongside Baird, Louisville Ballet, Belle of Louisville Riverboats, and a slew of other downtown businesses, all with smiles on, toiling away for hours. Maybe we were all there just to earn our right to complain about trash downtown. More likely, though, none of us will breathe a bad word about it. Now that we’ve helped a little, we’ll probably just keep helping.

Congratulations to Famed Louisville Historian Tom Owen!

The Frazier History Museum was thrilled to be part of a chorus recommending Tom Owen for the Louisville Career of Service Distinguished Faculty Award at the University of Louisville.

Last week, he officially received the award and we are smiling along with him.

Dr. Owen has worked as an archivist and a historian at U of L for more than fifty years. He is the keeper of knowledge, and the go-to person for historical information about the U of L campus and the city of Louisville.

In our letter of recommendation, we began by saying: There is one universal truth in Louisville. If you have a question about the city’s history, who do you call? Tom Owen.

We have celebrated him here at the Frazier for his servant’s heart as well as his devotion to our community and its important history.

If you’ve ever been with Tom, you walk away more curious and smarter.

He is the keeper of where we have been and where we are going and can offer meaningful context every step of the way.

Thank you, Tom, and congratulations.

And don’t worry, folks—he’s not retiring. As U of L says, he’s still going strong.

Pack Horse Librarians Program, Churchill Downs’s Cool Kentucky Thurby, Frazier Gets Art O Mat Machine, and More

Frazier at Thurby!, 250 Free Cool Kentucky Silkscreen Prints, New Exhibition Documenting Kentucky Opens, and More

Historic Flooding, Owsley Brown Frazier Impact Award, Bourbon-Burying Wedding Tradition, and More