Good Monday morning.

I would like to start on this Memorial Day honoring and mourning the nearly 700,000 American troops who have died in battle since the Revolutionary War and the over 500,000 men and women who have died from non-combat-related causes while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

As Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.”

It is my hope that you are spending this extended weekend with the people who you love and in pursuit of the things that make you happy. Here at the Frazier, one of the things that we love most is this Commonwealth of Kentucky. It is who we are and what we do. Please enjoy this short video highlighting the Frazier as the place where the world meets Kentucky.

With that, we would like to invite you to the museum’s biggest fundraiser of the year, Summer Beer Fest at Frazier, on July 27. For a very limited time, we are selling 4-packs of tickets for just $150. That’s a $50 discount on general admission tickets. We are celebrating our Kentucky brewers from all around the Commonwealth this year, so bring three of your favorite beer afficionados and come thirsty!

In today’s issue of Frazier Weekly, Amanda Briede follows the Kentucky RUX program to Campbellsville, Simon Meiners shares unique sites to visit in ten different Kentucky counties, and Steve Rockhold celebrates abstract expressionist painter Bob Thompson of Elizabethtown.

We look forward to seeing many of you Thursday evening at our Silas House program!

Andy Treinen
President & CEO
Frazier History Museum

This Week in the Museum

How to Hike, Bike, and Paddle in Jefferson County this Week

Amongst Louisville’s bevy of Memorial Day activities—the solemn remembrances, the familial and communal gatherings around the grill, even the outlet sales of dubious taste—the one I always look forward to the most is the Mayor’s Hike Bike & Paddle. Well, I usually look forward to it. This year’s Memorial Day Mayor’s Hike Bike & Paddle has been cancelled. Ostensibly, this is to focus resources on the Labor Day HB&P, which will continue as planned, but we can surmise that a concession was made to allow Jack Harlow’s Gazebo Festival to occupy Waterfront Park. I’m a little disappointed, sure, but Gazebo Fest is a welcome addition to Louisville’s festival calendar, and we are ultimately benefiting from a wider variety of events downtown. The mayor’s call to get outside and move will be missed this weekend, but you are all still encouraged to hike, bike, or paddle without the fanfare. Louisville has a healthy mix of bicycle routes, hiking trails, and navigable waterways for everyone to enjoy. If you plan to explore these options, and I hope you do, please exercise smart safety precautions and consider these recommendations.

Nearby hiking trails cover any distance and any level of difficulty you could wish for. My family’s favorite hiking spots are at Jefferson Memorial Forest, but there are great trails all over Jefferson County. Berhnheim Arboretum and Research Forest has more than forty miles of trails, and their forest giant sculptures are a must-see. Across the river, Charlestown State Park boasts some magnificent views, waterfalls, and even the remnants of an amusement park from the 1920s. Wherever you go, always pack out everything you bring in. Remember to check for ticks after your hike. Clean your shoes before you begin, because mud on shoes can spread invasive species and damage local ecosystems. Thankfully, most trails will have a boot brushing station at the trail head.

The Louisville Loop is an ambitious project that will eventually connect more than 100 miles of paved biking and walking paths. As of now, it’s about a quarter complete, with my favorite ride being the Park Lands of Floyds Fork. Biking in town is a great option, too, and can be safe as long as you follow a few guidelines. In general, ride in the same direction as car traffic. If your route has a designated bike lane, use it. If riding in a shared lane, stay in the middle, not squeezed to the side. And, of course, always have a helmet and lights when you ride.

On the water, my advice is to only go if you are in the company of, or are yourself an, experienced boater who knows the rules. Especially on the river, the barge traffic and river current are very real dangers. You could, of course, leave all the safety prep to the pros. Kentucky Waterways Alliance is hosting an informational, interactive, and family-friendly cruise on the Belle of Louisville this Friday.

Whatever your preferred activity, be respectful of your surroundings, polite to your fellow nature-lovers, and good stewards of our beautiful city. Enjoy the splendors that surround us—and as you do, remember the sacrifices that were made to protect them.

Kent Klarer
Grant Manager & Writer

Museum Shop: Happy Birthday, Kentucky!

On June 1, 1792, the commonwealth of Kentucky became the fifteenth state in the Union. Happy birthday, Kentucky—we love you to the Jackson Purchase and back! Find cool Kentucky merchandise in the Frazier’s Museum Shop and wear your state pride for all to see.

Curator’s Corner: Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange (RUX) in Campbellsville

I am so excited to be able to tell you I was selected for the 2024–25 cohort of the Kentucky Rural-Urban Exchange program. RUX works to bridge divides and build connections among Kentuckians by meeting people, exploring place, and cultivating partnerships through annual weekend intensives and other programs. For two weekends over the next two years, I will attend weekend intensives with others from all over the Commonwealth. I was one of forty-eight Kentuckians selected for the cohort that includes leaders in the arts, agriculture, community development, education, government, health, and business and represents all regions of Kentucky, including Allen, Barren, Bell, Breckinridge, Calloway, Casey, Daviess, Fayette, Franklin, Graves, Jefferson, Kenton, Laurel, Lawrence, Madison, McCracken, Montgomery, Ohio, Perry, Rockcastle, Rowan, Taylor, and Warren counties.

My first intensive was held just a few weekends ago in Campbellsville, Taylor County. We stayed in dorms at Campbellsville University and explored picturesque sites, ate delicious food, and met incredible community members. It was a whirlwind weekend with all kinds of activities packed in tight. Honestly, it was pretty overwhelming for me, an introvert, to be so far out of my comfort zone. Despite my nervousness, I met so many incredible people from across the Commonwealth: like Mohammad, a Palestinian organizer in Covington; Robert, who was just elected president of the Bell County Historical Society; Ellie, who runs the Capital City Museum in Frankfort; Rachel, who works with the Monuments Workshop in Lexington; and Dee, who works with the Southeast Kentucky African American Museum and Cultural Center in Hazard. I met incredible Louisvillians too, like Priya, a fellow rock climber; Crystal, who is on the advisory board for Louisville Public Media; and Jody, who owns Beargrass Thunder nursery.

Of all the places we visited, my favorite was Clay Hill Memorial Forest. This forest is an educational and research woodland managed by Campbellsville University. We took a hike through the trees, met animal ambassadors, listened to frogs in the darkness, and looked for moths. I also learned that Clay Hill was one of the largest plantations in Kentucky. RUX alumni are working to uncover and share the hidden histories of enslaved people on the plantation. Shaelyn Bishop and Bernard Clay along with research assistant Zoë Scott formed the EPoCH (Enslaved People of Clay Hill) Legacy Project to continue this work. For me, Clay Hill was the perfect intersection of my love of nature and history, and an interesting example of how the two can work together in one location.

Another highlight of the weekend was Kentucky-themed trivia at East First Brewery, an event they hosted just because RUX was in town. With categories like Kentucky trivia and Kentucky history, you probably won’t be surprised to know that my team won! Several of the answers were actually stories we wrote about for our 120: Cool KY Counties exhibit. In fact, the story for Taylor County about Campbellsville Industries was one of the questions! It was really meaningful to me to be able to visit and learn more about one of Kentucky’s 120 cool counties. Below is the story about Campbellsville Industries just in case you need it the next time you play bar trivia!

Amanda Briede
Sr. Curator of Exhibitions

Highlights of 120: Taylor County: Steeple People

In each issue of Frazier Weekly, we bring you a text story or video featured in our 120: Cool KY Counties exhibit, which opened March 15.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

Before being incorporated in 1955, Campbellsville Industries started out as a work-study program for students attending Campbellsville College (modern-day Campbellsville University). The school was associated with the Southern Baptist church. Students earned tuition money by building church pews, pulpits, and other items.

When a church asked the shop manager about a steeple, he set out to build one that was lightweight and low maintenance. Aluminum turned out to be the perfect material for their signature prefabricated steeples. Churches have been turning to Campbellsville Industries ever since. They have installed pieces at nearly 21,000 locations around the world, earning them the nickname “the Steeple People.”

Campbellsville Industries does not limit themselves to steeples alone. They have assisted in the restoration of historic buildings throughout the United States. They have built clock towers for several court houses. Today, Campbellsville Industries prides themselves on preserving the architectural heritage of America.

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 May, we’re sharing sites in these counties: Grant, Graves, Grayson, Green, Greenup, Hancock, Hardin, Harlan, Harrison, and Hart. I extend a special thank you to Kentucky Historical Society, whose Historical Marker Program has been a brilliant resource for this list!

William Arnold Log Cabin. (38°38’09.2”N, 84°33’43.6”W) In 1989, William Arnold’s log cabin was moved a few hundred feet to this site in Williamstown, Grant County, and furnished with Grant County items. Born in East Jersey, Arnold (1750s–1836) had served in the Revolutionary War before settling the Kentucky frontier in 1783. In 1820, he was sworn in as the first Grant County Sheriff.

Fancy Farm. (36°47’53.7”N, 88°47’24.6”W) Founded c. 1829 by Catholic settlers, the town of Fancy Farm, Graves County, developed around St. Jerome’s Church. In 1881, the church hosted its first annual picnic. The picnic has since become a tourist attraction known for its lively speeches by politicians from all around Kentucky and the 19,000 pounds of barbecue served.

Green Bros. Mill. (37°35’22.0”N, 86°33’06.7”W) In 1823, Willis Green II built a sawmill and gristmill at present-day Falls of Rough, Grayson County. By 1891, the mill employed 200 workers and shipped cattle, hogs, poultry, Shetland ponies, cotton, and lumber by train. The mill closed in 1965 and collapsed on August 14, 2016. The general store and the manor house remain standing.

Elijah Creel House. (37°15’28.1”N, 85°29’56.9”W) In 1820, Elijah Creel (1789–1833) built this house on a large tobacco farm in Greensburg, Green County. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln would appoint Elijah’s Greensburg-native son, Reuben, the US consul to Mexico. In 1909, Mexican President Jose Diaz would appoint Reuben’s son, Enrique, the ambassador to the United States.

Shannoah. (38°42’49.1”N, 83°01’26.8”W) From the 1730s to 1758, Shannoah, or Lower Shawneetown, occupied parts of Ohio and present-day South Portsmouth, Greenup County. In 1751, an eyewitness estimated its population to be 1,200. It was a hub for international diplomacy between Native Americans and Europeans and a terminus on the deerskin trading network.

Thompson Ferry. (37°58’31.4”N, 86°50’29.8”W) In 1804, Daniel Lewis established a river ferry at this site in Lewisport, Hancock County, that Hugh Thompson would later operate. In 1827, Abraham Lincoln was charged with illegally ferrying passengers on the river here. He was later acquitted. Some biographers claim Lincoln, at age seven, had crossed with his family here in 1816.

US Bullion Depository. (37°58’19.1”N, 85°58’55.8”W) In 1936, the US Bullion Depository was built outside Fort Knox in West Point, Hardin County. Today, it holds over half the federal government’s gold. During WWII, a cache of historic documents—including originals of the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address—were stored beneath the vault.

Pine Mountain Settlement School. (36°56’55.5”N, 83°11’01.7”W) In 1913, Katherine Pettit and Ethel de Long Zande opened Pine Mountain Settlement School “for the children of the Kentucky mountains” near Bledsoe, Harlan County. Situated on 800 acres, the campus features twenty-six historic buildings, cottages, greenhouses, a library, a chapel, trails, and forests rich in biodiversity.

Walking Dead Mural. (38°23’18.7”N, 84°17’46.8”W) In July 2016, Sergio Odeith painted a mural of Walking Dead characters Rick, Carl, Michonne, and Daryl surveying for zombies on the side of the Rohs Opera House in Cynthiana, Harrison County. Robin Kirkpatrick set the opening of his Walking Dead comic book series (2003–19)—inspiration for the TV show (2010–22)—in his native Cynthiana.

Rowletts Station. (37°14’48.8”N, 85°53’26.1”W) On December 17, 1861, soldiers from the Thirty-Second Indiana Infantry Regiment—a unit comprised of German immigrants—defeated a larger force of Confederate soldiers and Texas Rangers while protecting a Union railroad at Rowletts Station, Hart County. The monument survivor August Bloedner carved is on display at the Frazier.

Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist

20th Anniversary Photo: Bloedner Monument Delivery, 2010

In honor of Memorial Day, we look back at the delivery of one of the most significant objects at the Frazier: the Bloedner Monument, the oldest surviving American Civil War monument. It commemorates the troops of the Thirty-Second Indiana Infantry Regiment troops who died at the Battle of Rowletts Station in Hart County, Kentucky, on December 17, 1861. Carved by Private August Bloedner, who survived the action, the monument belongs to the US Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration. It remains on display at the Frazier on a long-term loan.

Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist

Legacy of Hardin County’s Figurative Abstractionist Bob Thompson

Thursday marks the anniversary of the death of Louisville-born artist Bob Thompson (1937–66). If you aren’t familiar with his name, you aren’t alone. And while it’s common for a painter’s acclaim to blossom long after their death, it appears that nowhere near enough of us in the Commonwealth are aware of the indelible mark our fellow Kentuckian left on modern art. To be frank, I don’t remember how I stumbled across Mr. Thompson’s work. I’m suspicious it involved procrastination and a Wikipedia rabbit hole. However the discovery happened, not only was I mesmerized by his work, I was amazed by the prolific nature of his career.

Born in 1936 in Louisville, Thompson moved with his family to Elizabethtown where he lived until his father’s unexpected death. After the loss, Thompson’s mother sent him to live with his older sister and her husband in Boston, hoping the change of scenery would help him recover. Thompson eventually enrolled as a pre-med student at Boston College, but quickly grew bored with the program. This was a pivotal moment as his brother-in-law, remembering Thompson’s enjoyment of art as a child, encouraged him to use art to battle depression. He would return to the University of Louisville to enter an art program.

Study at U of L led to a summer in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where two art schools and a community of up-and-coming artists helped shape his style. He returned to Louisville for the fall semester of 1958–59, his senior year, with a focus on Italian Renaissance (eventually leading to his abstract recreations of classic works). Thompson would drop out of school that same fall and head to New York, reuniting with constituents from Provincetown to form an important new wave of the New York art scene.

What came next was a meteoric rise for the young painter, both in New York, Europe, and exhibitions throughout the US. Thompson was a figurative painter, often using abstract human and animal shapes to explore themes of life, death, and religion in vibrant colors. But he wasn’t simply an abstract expressionist. He created a unique style, contrary to much of the purveying art scene of his time, earning him the original label of “figurative abstractionist.” The level of acclaim he achieved—for any artist, but especially for a Black artist of his era—is remarkable, as was his incredible output of work. Thompson is credited with over 1,000 paintings in his eight-year career, which ended with his untimely death in 1966. Among numerous museums throughout the world, his works are currently featured at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in DC, the Met in NYC, Studio Museum in Harlem, the Whitney Museum, Museum of Modern Art, and Museum of Contemporary Art in LA. You can also see Thompson’s Self-Portrait in the Studio on display locally at the Speed Museum.

This article in brief simply can’t do the man justice. I encourage you to do a Google search for “Bob Thompson museum” to enjoy the critical acclaim for his work from the 2021–22 museum tour of his This House is Mine collection. Thompson, our fellow Kentuckian, is genuinely one of the most important American painters in history.

Steve Rockhold
Manager of Events

Father’s Day Program to Feature Frazier’s Knob Creek Single Barrel Bourbon

We’ve put a lot of love and care into planning the Frazier’s June 11 program Father’s Day with Fred & Freddie Noe from James B. Beam Distillery—and I couldn’t be more excited. A Father’s Day program with the Noes is so cool for so many reasons! When it came time for the barrel pick on February 19, I couldn’t be more excited. It was an amazing process sipping through our options and finding the best single barrel of Knob Creek I’ve ever tasted. When our tasting was over, and we decided on a winner, it was revealed that our barrel wasn’t an ordinary barrel. It was ten years old to the day! It’s truly a birthday Bourbon. Meanwhile, the Frazier is celebrating its 20th anniversary. A barrel pick at James B. Beam Distillery is a very cool experience, but getting a great Bourbon with a unique story simply makes it amazing. Come check out Father’s Day with Fred & Freddie Noe of James B. Beam Distillery on Tuesday, June 11, and pick up our Knob Creek Single Barrel on this special day.

Greg Schoenbaechler
Sr. Marketing Manager

Bridging the Divide

Frazier’s Journey Walking Tour Fully Booked; Audio Tour Available Online

We will take about fifty people on The Journey Walking Tour on Saturday, June 8. We’ll stop at several sites to help tell the story of the Underground Railroad and its ties to Kentuckiana. We’ll also learn about the heroic story of Thornton and Lucie Blackburn, freedom seekers who would flee bondage in Louisville and eventually make their way to Canada. Our tours are sold out for that day, but you can listen to our audio tour in the comfort of your home. You can also download it and visit the sites yourself with friends and family. The Frazier is so proud to help tell the unsung stories of the Underground Railroad.

On June 8, at 11 a.m., our partners IDEAS xLab will unveil a new (Un)Known Project installation featuring over twenty sets of footprints from Black Louisville elders, including activists, educators, and civil rights leaders.

It is free and open to the public, but they would like you to RSVP.

Both our tours and their unveiling are events sponsored by the Louisville Metro Government Juneteenth Jubilee Commission.

Rachel Platt
VP of Mission

History All Around Us

Kentucky Civic Seal: Bringing Applied Civics to Kentucky Classrooms

Whether it’s voting or volunteering, we all need to examine what we are doing to be civic-minded. Agree? We sure do at the Frazier History Museum. It’s why we are part of a coalition concentrating on how to increase civic engagement among young people in Kentucky. One person leading that charge is Carly Muetterties, founder of the Kentucky Civic Education Coalition, of which the Frazier is a part. Keep reading to learn more about the coalition and its partnership with Kentucky’s Secretary of State.—Rachel Platt, VP of Mission

“The practice of democracy is not passed down through the gene pool. It must be taught and learned anew by each generation.”—Sandra Day O’Connor

It’s no secret that our communities are facing a civic crisis, plagued by hyper-partisanship, antagonism, and isolation (despite the interconnections technology affords). While schools have long been identified as the laboratories of democracy, the current moment makes clear that this responsibility has not been met—demonstrating the need for a new approach to preparing young people for the challenges facing our world.

If schools are central in preparing students for democratic civic life, then how may we better create learning environments where students can practice informed, engaged, and civil citizenship?

The Kentucky Civic Seal Program is a step towards that vision. The Kentucky Civic Seal Program—created in partnership with Kentucky’s Secretary of State’s office and the Kentucky Civic Education Coalition (Kentucky Council for the Social Studies)—aims to begin the work towards addressing the challenge before us by elevating the importance of informed civic engagement, but also by having students be the drivers of their own learning.

The Seal recognizes students at all educational levels (elementary, middle, high schools) who demonstrate excellence by applying their learning to real-world issues, demonstrate commitment to democratic principles, participate in civic spaces, and reflect on their own civic roles. The program comprises four core criteria:

1. Civic Engagement Project: Students create or engage in projects addressing real-world issues, allowing them to apply classroom learning to community concerns and develop civic skills.

2. Government and Democratic Principles: Students demonstrate knowledge of government structures and democratic principles through coursework, assessments, and real-world applications.

3. Information Literacy: Students practice finding, evaluating, and using credible sources, essential for navigating today’s information-rich environment.

4. Self-Reflection: Students reflect on their civic growth, enhancing their understanding of themselves as active citizens and building resiliency.

Over the past school year, we had several classrooms pilot the program, each demonstrating its own unique flavor of civic engagement. Going into 2024–25, earning the Seal will be available to all Kentucky students and schools.

This work is a powerful step towards empowering students to become informed, engaged citizens, essential for sustaining democracy and our shared communities. As John Dewey emphasized, “democracy has to be born anew every generation, and education is its midwife.”

For more information, visit kycivicseal.org.

Carly Muetterties
Founder, Kentucky Civic Education Coalition
Guest Contributor

John Y. Brown and Ellie Brown-Moore Hometown Heroes Banner Unveiled

A Hometown Heroes banner celebrating Gov. John Y. Brown Jr. and his wife Eleanor “Ellie” Brown-Moore was unveiled in downtown Louisville on Wednesday. Brown was co-owner of Kentucky Fried Chicken, 1964–71, and served as governor of Kentucky, 1979–83. In 1973, he became majority owner of the ABA’s Kentucky Colonels basketball team. Brown-Moore, the first chairwoman of the board of the Kentucky Colonels, organized an all-women board of directors who broke ticket sales records for the team. A large collection of original artifacts from the Kentucky Colonels, including uniforms, shoes, apparel, and stat sheets, is on display in the Frazier’s Cool Kentucky exhibition.

Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist