The opening chords of Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” came blasting from the radio the other day. Despite being far removed from my own school days, I had to turn it up. There’s a unique kind of excitement this time of year. At the Frazier, we feel it too.

Our big building is growing more alive with activity every day. Summer camps are starting next week, we’re planning family Story Time Tuesdays starting June 8, and tourists hungry for a getaway are choosing Louisville and the Frazier daily.

Perhaps the most exciting thing is our new approach to guest engagement. I’ve recently transitioned from working solely in the Education Department to a position as Curator of Guest Experience. The goal is to bring the same story-based and creative approach we’ve successfully developed for our education audiences to the general public. As part of this project, our team is offering new and engaging tours and interactions in the galleries multiple times a day. These opportunities should be available during anyone’s visit — and we’re excited with the response so far!

On Cool Kentucky tours, you can learn about inventors like Garrett Morgan, colorful Kentuckians like Jim Porter, and even the championship-winning 1970s basketball team the Kentucky Colonels. On Staff Picks tours, our team shines a light on objects with incredible stories to tell, many of which are connected to vibrant figures from the past. We know you’ll leave feeling more connected to the past and satisfied with your visit.

To serve as many people as we can, starting today, the Frazier is open seven days a week through June and July. Stay in touch with us so you know what’s happening. We hope to see you at the first Story Time Tuesday of the summer, June 8 at 11 a.m.!

Mick Sullivan
Curator of Guest Experience
Frazier History Museum

This Week in the Museum

Video: Around the Frazier in Six Pairs of Shoes

For those of you who haven’t made it out for one of our tours yet, here’s a quick look at just a few of the stories you can hear. All of these revolve around the humble shoe.

Mick Sullivan
Curator of Guest Experience

Curator’s Corner: A Brood X Cicada Emergence Year Timeline of Kentucky History

I have been dreading their arrival for years — a constant tickle of a worry at the back of my mind, a quiet flapping of wings.

Now, the Brood X cicadas are here, and the wing flapping isn’t so quiet. I have mildly traumatic memories from the last time they were here: cicadas carelessly flying into my face or getting stuck in my car on the way to theater practice. But this time, mixed with the disgust is a bit of fascination. I discovered that the first written record of Brood X cicadas appeared on May 9, 1715, in a journal entry by Rev. Andreas Sandel, the pastor of Philadelphia’s “Gloria Dei” Swedish Lutheran Church. He writes:

“In this month some singular flies came out of the ground; the English call them locusts. When they left the ground holes could be seen everywhere in the roads and especially in the woods. They were encased in shells, out of which they crawled. It seemed most wonderful how being covered with the shell they were able to burrow their way into the hard ground. When they began to fly they made a particular noise, and being found in great multitudes all over the country, their noise made the cow-bells inaudible in the woods. They were also destructive, making slits in the bark of the trees, where they deposited their worms, which withered their branches. Swine and poultry ate them, but what was more astonishing, when they first appeared some of the people split them open and eat them, holding them to be of the same kind as those said to have been eaten by John the Baptist. These locusts lasted not longer than up to June 10, and disappeared in the woods.”

The first cicadas I saw this year were at George Rogers Clark park during one of my morning dog walks. As I passed the graves of members of Clark’s family, some of the first European settlers in Louisville, I wondered if they had seen the Brood X cicadas, and what else was happening in Kentucky’s history on the years of their emergence.

So, I decided to go through Kentucky’s history and see what was happening every 17 years, beginning with the first year of the Brood X cicada emergence after Kentucky became a state in 1792.

1800. The Red River Meeting House in Logan County hosts the first religious camp meeting in the United States, marking the beginning of the Second Great Awakening. In Jefferson County, the Clark family resides at Mulberry Hill in George Rogers Clark Park, where they would live from 1785 to 1803.

1817. The first commercial steamboat route from Louisville to New Orleans begins.

1834. The Whig Party is organized in opposition to incumbent U.S. President Andrew Jackson under the leadership of Senator Henry Clay from Kentucky.

1851. German Protestant Orphan's Home is founded in Louisville.

1868. The Courier-Journal newspaper begins publication.

1885. Woman Triumphant, a marble statue by Joel Tanner Hart, is installed in the Fayette County Courthouse.

1902. The very first University of Kentucky basketball team, the women’s team, is organized. Its first game would take place the following February.

1919. A race riot occurs in Corbin where a white mob forces the city’s 200 black residents onto a freight train out of town.

1936. Keeneland Race Course opens.

1953. The Louisville Shooting Stars, a minor league hockey team, play in the International Hockey League.

1970. University of Kentucky students burn down the ROTC building in protest against the Kent State shooting deaths by the National Guard and the Vietnam War.

1987. Kentucky Kingdom amusement park opens at the Kentucky Exposition Center.

2004. The Frazier Historical Arms Museum is founded, now known as the Frazier Kentucky History Museum.

2021. Hundreds march in Louisville streets to mark the one year anniversary of Breonna Taylor’s death.

I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly eager to see what will be happening here in Kentucky the next time the Brood X cicadas emerge from their 17-year nap.

Amanda Briede
Curator

Museum Store: Dippin’ Dots

Growing up, I learned of Dippin’ Dots from my older brother. He came home from a school trip one day raving about these awesome little frozen balls of ice cream. I was immediately intrigued and demanded to get some. Then he broke the news to me that he believed they were only sold at amusement parks or fairs and they were not in stores (this was in the early 2000s). My little heart was devastated.

These mesmerizing treats remained in the back of my head until years later when I ventured to an amusement park and saw the sign for Dippin’ Dots. It was as if I was in a desert and seeing an oasis. Is this a mirage? Am I finally going to get to try to these amazing treats that my brother had told me about so long ago? It was not a mirage: they were real, and I was instantly hooked.

It was not until our curatorial team started researching for our Cool Kentucky exhibition that I learned they were invented here in my own home state! I could not have been prouder to say I am from the same state as Dippin’ Dots. In 1988, Curt Jones, an education teacher turned research microbiologist, was working with freezing cattle feed in small chunks. His knowledge of cryogenic technology led to an awe-inspiring moment when he began experimenting with ice cream instead of cattle feed. His creation was a success, and he started marketing the product to amusement parks. Today, we can enjoy this beaded treat at many different locations, including our very own Frazier Museum gift shop!

We are already experiencing some summer heat, so come on down to the museum gift shop and try you one. We have lots of flavor options ranging from chocolate to cotton candy. If you can’t decide, just ask me! I have tried them all, but I have to say banana split is my personal favorite.

Heidi Janes
Manager of Visitor Services

Cool Kentucky: Post-it Notes in the “Hall of Unsung Kentuckians”

Note: Spencer Silver (1941 – 2021), the research chemist for 3M who is credited with inventing the particular adhesive used on Post-it Notes, passed away this month at the age of 80. Click the link to learn more about him and his career.

Did you know Post-it Notes are made over yonder in Cynthiana, Kentucky? That’s why we offer museum visitors blank Post-it Notes: so they can give us ideas and feedback on our Cool Kentucky exhibition. In return, that’s exactly what they give us — and then some!

We collect the notes every Monday morning and curate on the fly: the doodles of pistols, random scribbles, wonderful smiley faces, and images that are, well, scatological in nature make their way to the nearest recycle bin. But mixed in with those “Lexi was here” and “poop” notes are some absolute gems, many of which provide great ideas.

“Cage the Elephant has won 2 Grammys and are from Bowling Green.” You might be surprised how much we learn from you all about how much cooler Kentucky is than we’d thought!

“Native American history exhibit please!” You are in luck, anonymous guest! Our forthcoming permanent exhibition on the second floor will devote a great deal to the history of Native cultures here in what became Kentucky.

We save the good ideas and flattery for posterity and an ego boost. We save the less-than-flattering critiques, too — we all have room to grow, and we think it’s important to listen! We also save the notes we find funny and interesting. After all, Kentucky did not get cool because its citizenry is dull. Here are some of our favorites:

“You know its cold outside when you go outside and its cold.” Well, that is some plain-spoken Kentucky wisdom, right there!

“KFC has 60000 chicken I like their biscuits.” To be honest, we have not investigated this statement thoroughly — although we suspect the number is low. The biscuits are certainly tasty, though!

“Queens of history: Elizabeth I & II, Catherine the Great. There’s probably more but the public education system failed me.” That’s okay. We all have gaps in our knowledge.

One of the reasons we are here is to help fill those gaps! Keep on visiting — and reading the text panels! — and you will learn something (although ‘round these parts, you are not likely to learn much about the royalty of far-off lands).

We also get greetings from visitors who hail from outside Kentucky. These notes are special because they mean folks from around the world are experiencing a little bit of that Kentucky hospitality.

“Kentucky has the nicest people, kind heart & hospitable!!” The exclamation points had hearts as dots. Awwww!

“Who knew that B-ball was so huge here! K. Ehring, Cape Cod.” Basketballs are regulation-size here, K. Maybe go easy on the Kentucky Bourbon.

“Hello from San Diego, CA!” We know what you’re thinking: Ron Burgundy, perhaps?

“Saludos! Desde Ciudad de Mexico — Jaime.” Gracias, Jaime. Por favor, vuelve pronto.

The notes that folks leave us on the little yellow squares of paper do not go unnoticed. We read them and enjoy them, and yes, we save them. So, if you come to see us in person, please grab a pencil and doodle something, tell us a joke, tell us something we don’t know, or, heck, correct us on something we got wrong! Share a short Kentucky story, or a favorite place, or just tell someone you love them. In the Hall of Unsung Kentuckians, there is a place for you to Post-it.

John Witzke
Exhibits Manager

Top Five Reasons to Choose the Frazier’s Summer Camps

Who doesn’t love a top five list? They’re 1. easy to read, 2. eye-catching, 3. full of good information, 4. concise, and 5. often humorous! See what I did there?

Now that I have your attention, here are the top five reasons to choose the Frazier’s Summer Camps!

1. History is fascinating. Junior history buffs always love coming to camp at the Frazier, but history doesn’t have to be your thing for you to love our camps. We know history comes alive for kids when it reflects the world they live in, which is why we focus on stories of extraordinary people whose stories may have been left out of the history books.

2. History camp is active! Kids get up and moving in the Frazier galleries, whether it’s collecting clues from around the galleries to solve a mystery or a good old-fashioned relay race (historically themed, of course). Camps are a balance between engaging story-based lessons, arts and crafts, and getting out and about in the museum and in the sunshine in our gorgeous Gateway Garden or rooftop.

3. Shhhh! It’s a secret, but kids actually do learn something at camp. We won’t tell them if you don’t, but our teaching staff is dedicated to providing content that provides kids with takeaway knowledge… and they might be having so much fun that they don’t even realize until next school year when their hand goes up first to tell their teacher who invented the stoplight, or who wrote the most famous song in the English language, or what the actual difference between Frankenstein and Frankenstein’s monster is!

4. Frazier Camps are a safe, socially distanced choice. Between our 7,000 square feet of museum, our Healthy at Camp policies, and the trust we build in the camp environment, you know your child is getting the best environment according to Health Department guidelines. One fun bonus is the opportunities that provides us — with so many virtual opportunities, campers will be receiving supplemental learning from visitors from all over the country, from a silly scientist based in Brooklyn to NASA!

5. Frazier Camps are fun. With our staff of dedicated teen volunteers, interns, and Frazier educators, campers receive a great balance of one on one time with staff, socialization with their peers, and lots of group shenanigans. The great time we have every summer makes camps the best time of the year! Sign up today to see for yourself.

Heather Gotlib
Manager of Youth and Family Programs

NYCMER 2021 Conference: The Great Louisville Hunt

The virtual world was a new frontier in 2020, and it certainly had its upsides. For example, that’s how we first encountered an organization called the New York City Museum Educators Roundtable, a collective of some amazing spots in New York City who, it turns out, were asking a lot of the same questions we were as an Education team here in Louisville. That’s why we were thrilled to present at a virtual booth at  their annual conference, where we could share a favorite project of ours, the Great Louisville Hunt.

We created this video to talk a little bit about our process to allow other museums to see what went into the creation of the Great Louisville Hunt and a little bit of our “why.” If you find yourself intrigued, the great news is this audio-based scavenger hunt of our city is available now for you to download for some summer fun!

Heather Gotlib
Manager of Youth and Family Programs

History All Around Us

Before the Grady Hotel: A Brief History of 601 West Main

Boutique hotels have been on the rise with unique stays popping up in urban locations everywhere you look. These chic, Instagram-worthy destinations also appear to be doing us the service of preserving and bringing life back into historic buildings. Buildings that once held factories, warehouses, and local business now offer a place to escape, relax, and immerse yourself in the local scene.

One of the newest to arrive in Downtown Louisville is the Grady Hotel, a luxury accommodation that presents itself as modern and sophisticated, yet rooted in tradition. This charming, 51-room hotel brings the corner of Sixth and Main streets into the spotlight, occupying 601 West Main Street, a structure that has played a part in the life of the Market District for over a hundred years. The hotel’s feature bar will be called the Wild Swann — a curious name, but an apt reference to J. B. Wilder and the Swann-Abram Hat Co., original residents of the building.

Before the Swann-Abram Hat Company, a pharmacist named J. B. Wilder built the six-story warehouse in 1883 for his apothecary. But by 1892, city fire insurance records indicate that a “wholesale hat” company resided in 601 West Main. According to newspaper records, it would seem the existence of a hat business there might be even more long standing. In 1864, Thomas M. Swann joined with two other partners to create Craig, Truman, & Co., a company that would “continue” the wholesale hat business.

By the 1920s, after several decades of changing names and partners, the enterprise known as the Swann-Abram Hat Company grew into a thriving business, one credited with designing the first Derby hats. The company continued successfully all the way to the mid-1900s, until the building was sold in 1955 to Burdorf’s, Inc. and the equipment sold to United Hatters.

Over 80 years later, echoes of Louisville’s past return to 601 Main through the Wild Swann and the Grady Hotel, providing an opportunity to rediscover the stories of the people who lived here and made places like the Market District what they are today. And in true Louisville spirit, the Grady invites you to “come as a guest” and “leave as a local.”

Sources

ULPA 1998.09.175, Martin F. Schmidt Photographs of Louisville, ca. 1956–1966, 1998.09, Photographic Archives, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky.

Hayley Harlow Rankin
Chief of Engagement

Footsteps of Greatness: Remembering Muhammad Ali

This week marks the fifth anniversary of the death of Muhammad Ali. When Ali died on June 3, 2016, the city of Louisville mourned the loss of its hero. Yet, a week later, the city came together, its spirit buoyed by the folks who came from all over the world to show love to Ali and his family.

Such an outpouring was not lost on Stacey Yates, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Louisville Tourism. Realizing there was renewed interest in Ali’s life, and a need by many to visit Louisville in order to pay their respects to him, Yates and her team at Louisville Tourism created an experience called Footsteps of Greatness. A self-guided tour that allows participants to visit several locations that played pivotal roles in Ali’s life, Footsteps became — at the risk of committing sacrilege — a pilgrimage for both locals and visitors to reflect on Ali’s legacy.

One of the lessons Yates and her colleagues learned from creating Footsteps was that people do not just seek pizzazz from tours — they seek edification, as well. To that end, in 2020, Louisville Tourism began to collaborate with business partners and community groups within the city to create the Unfiltered Truth Collection.

A collection of eight distinct guest experiences — one of which is at the Frazier — the Unfiltered Truth brings recognition to the rich, complicated, and essential history of Louisville’s African American community. In Yates words, society is moving to a place where we must recognize “those wonderfully beautiful stories, hard ones, to reveal the truth about ALL Americans.”

This week is a celebration of the truth of one beautiful American. From June 3 to 13, the Muhammad Ali Center in Downtown Louisville will be hosting the 5th Annual Ali Festival. Among the remembrances will be a visitation of Ali’s grave at Cave Hill Cemetery, a youth poetry and art contest for children, and the world premiere of Graham Shelby’s documentary, City of Ali.

Even five years after his death, Muhammad Ali still gives the city opportunities to share its greatness with the world.

Brian West
Teaching Artist

Looking for Lilith’s Suffrage Driving &Walking Tour

Journey through the streets of our hometown to meet the dedicated Louisville suffragists who tirelessly fought for their right to vote. From Bardstown to Broadway: The Suffrage Driving & Walking Tour is part of the Kentucky Suffrage Project, an ongoing exploration and celebration of the 19th Amendment, with Looking for Lilith Theatre Company (LFL).

LFL tour narrators and actors will lead participants to locations such as Simmons College and the Seelbach Hotel, exploring where these courageous women lived, worked, and met. At each location, audiences will experience live performances retelling stories of the women’s suffrage activism that occurred there. This intersectional project lifts up under-heard voices and Suffragists of Color, looking at the economic, educational, and racial tensions of the movement.

The Suffrage Driving & Walking Tour will kick off June 4, 2021, and will run three weekends this summer: June 4 – 6, July 16 – 18, and August 27 – 29. Staggered start times and limited tickets will ensure COVID safety for all. Tickets are pay-what-you-can with a suggested ticket price of $15. Free admission for one adult and one child is available during June and July dates only, using your Louisville Cultural Pass.

For ticket sales and detailed information on all three weekends, visit lookingforlilith.org. For information on how to get your cultural pass, visit the Fund for the Arts or the Louisville Free Public Library.

Shannon Woolley Allison
Cofounder, Looking for Lilith Theatre Company
Guest Contributor