What an awesome week!

It’s true that there is always a lot going on at the Frazier, but the last few days have been busier than a church fan in August. Amid our facility rentals team hosting events on eight straight days, we also hosted a free Family Day, Louisville basketball coach Pat Kelsey’s awesome ReviVILLE program, hundreds of Bourbon & Beyond visitors, and the premiere of the reimagined KentuckyShow!

Each event brought new audiences to the Frazier, who left with an enhanced appreciation of the Commonwealth and the Frazier’s role as the place where the world meets Kentucky. But let’s be honest: the most Kentucky of them all was Wednesday night’s reception celebrating the spirit, history, and vibrant culture of this state, highlighted so powerfully in KentuckyShow!

The reimagined KentuckyShow! features fifteen new voices of artists, authors, actors, advocates, musicians, public servants, influencers, and lovers of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, elevating the storytelling to a whole new level. It debuted on Wednesday in the heart of our Cool Kentucky exhibition and it’s now screened five times a day at the Frazier. And what’s as cool as the Kentucky pride that the film inspires is that it’s free with every admission and membership.

May KentuckyShow! continue to inspire, educate, and celebrate Kentucky’s indelible influence on the world for years to come!

In today’s issue of Frazier Weekly, Diane Sawyer is featured in our Flashback exhibition and our mobile app Frazier+, Leslie Anderson reveals the Grayson and Jessamine County roots of Dungeons & Dragons, and Simon Meiners previews this weekend’s Casey County Apple Festival.

But first, our Rachel Platt highlights the undeniable energy of Louisville basketball coach Pat Kelsey, on full display at the Frazier last Tuesday night.

Andy Treinen
President & CEO
Frazier History Museum

This Week in the Museum

Kelsey Puts the “Pep” in Pep Rally at the Frazier

Coach Pat Kelsey is a guy who quotes the likes of Shakespeare and Emerson—but once you’ve been around him for even just an hour, you’re likely to start quoting him. And those quotes could boil down to a few main points: character matters, play hard, have faith, love what you do, and always be true to yourself. That last part rings true for Shakespeare, too: to thine own self be true.

Of course, we were also talking basketball on Tuesday night when Coach Pat Kelsey joined us for Operation ReviVILLE, with the U of L Pep Band leading the charge. But Coach Kelsey is a lot more than just x’s and o’s! He’s a throwback to coaches who want to make an impact on players on the basketball court and in the game of life.

Two players joined us, J’Vonne Hadley and Kader Traore, and they sure know how to quote Coach Kelsey and the ABC’s of his basketball game: Academics, Basketball, and Character. Coach Kelsey and the players know a lot is riding on this season. Fans who attended our program say they are ready for more glory days, for more banners and national championships!

Legendary sports figures like Van Vance, Russ Brown, and Paul Rogers have covered those glory days and joined us to ask their own questions of Coach Kelsey and discuss what this new era means. Susan Sweeney Crum, whose late husband helped win two national championships, wished Coach Kelsey well but stopped short of giving him any advice, saying he knows what it takes to win and what U of L fans expect.

So here we are inching closer to a season where everything is on the line with the Cardinals, with a guy who can put the Energizer Bunny to shame. As he says, he makes coffee nervous. As someone who wants the Cards to do well, I will say all his energy didn’t make me nervous Tuesday night. It was kind of calming to know Coach Kelsey is going to give it his all. His players, too. He likes to quote his mentor Skip Prosser: “Never delay gratitude.” Coach Kelsey made it clear he is thankful to be at U of L, and from the feel at the Frazier, fans are thankful to have him. Let’s see how all this plays out.

Rachel Platt
VP of Mission

From the Collections: Darn Netted Child’s Dress from Casey County, 1885

This week, to celebrate the premiere of the new and reimagined KentuckyShow!, we wanted to look at something from the collection that is quintessentially Kentucky. Therefore, we chose a handmade darn netted child’s dress.

Darn netting is a type or method of needlework made with a darning stitch, or running stitch applied on a woven or machine-made net. The net is the cloth or background, and the design is made with the darning stitch. Sounds easy, right? Ok, ok not so easy—but it’s very cool when seen in person.

What makes this particular dress even more interesting is its story.

In 1885, Millie McCain made the dress by hand for her daughter Daisy McCain. The McCains lived in Casey County, Kentucky, where they had a farm and Millie was a tailor. But the story doesn’t stop there: Daisy McCain grew up to marry Joe E. Graham, with whom she settled in Lebanon, Marion County. In 1935, the dress was submitted to the Marion County Fair where it won first prize. In 1984, Daisy’s granddaughter Martha Kelly donated the dress to the Kentucky Science Center—who, in 2023, donated it to the Frazier Museum.

Isn’t it exciting how a little dress can tell us so much? There is so much to celebrate in our great state. Come on down to the Frazier see the updated KentuckyShow! film. Then come to our 120: Cool KY Counties exhibit where you can see Daisy McCain’s dress on display with the blue ribbon from 1935.

Tish Boyer
Registrar & Manager of Collections Engagement

Museum Shop: Kentucky Platter

Show off your Kentucky pride at your next gathering with this colorful platter. It’s so charming, it can double as a décor! It’s available now in the Frazier’s Museum Shop.

Secure a Spot for Frazier’s 2024 Fall Break Camp!

Fall Break Camp is next week! Spots are filling up, so we encourage you to register now to get the days you want!

We’ll spend our time gaming and playing—board games, box fort building, role-playing games, and more. Come join us for the week or by the day. Fun is the focus during Fall Break Camp!

Frazier’s Model T Again a Hit at Bourbon & Beyond

From Zach Bryan to Kentucky legend Tyler Childers, this year’s Bourbon & Beyond was one for the ages! As in years past, we at the Frazier rolled out our iconic 1920s Model T for festivalgoers to visit and pose for photos in. Thanks to Danny Wimmer Presents for having us again this year! We look forward to seeing y’all again next year.

Abby Flanders
Administrative Chief of Engagement

Frazier+ Video of the Week: Diane Sawyer’s Connection to a Louisville Park

Now the Frazier fits in your pocket! Curated by the museum’s education team, the mobile app Frazier+ provides engaging and educational Kentucky history content—free of charge. Users can explore the museum’s collection of videos, photos, and texts to either heighten their in-person experience or learn from the comfort of their couch or classroom. The free app is available for download for Android and iOS devices through the App Store and Google Play.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

The changing modes of media are always a captivating thought. For this reason, our exhibition Flashback: Louisville Media Through the Years has been quite popular with visitors from the area and beyond. Equally fascinating for many are the personalities who bring you the news. Many figures from the area have captivated national audiences, but perhaps the most famous person to do so is Diane Sawyer.

But we’ve been telling Diane’s story since long before Flashback opened. This Frazier+ video was made for our Cool Kentucky exhibition by intern Jack Schablik. Did you know about Diane’s connection to one of Louisville’s favorite parks?

Mick Sullivan
Curator of Guest Experience

Highlights of 120: Casey County: World’s Largest Apple Pie

The town of Liberty, Kentucky, has hosted an apple festival every year since the 1970s. The fiftieth annual Casey County Apple Festival will take place later this week: September 26–28! Find the history of this festival and other unique stories from Kentucky history in our 120: Cool KY Counties exhibit.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist

Liberty, Kentucky, hosts the Casey County Apple Festival every year towards the end of summer. The tradition began in the 1970s to support local farmers. The festival includes music, pageants, a parade, a carnival, flea market booths, arts and crafts vendors, apples and apple creations, food vendors, and more. The highlight of the festival is what Casey County claims to be the “World’s Largest Apple Pie.” This giant dessert has been baked by locals since 1974. They have used the same pan every year, which spans 10 feet in diameter. Boat paddles are used to cover the pan in pie crust. Their recipe calls for 50 bushels of Granny Smith apples, 150 pounds of sugar, 1 and a half pounds of cinnamon, 75 pounds of cornstarch, 15 pounds of butter, 1 and a half pounds of salt, and 300 pounds of pastry. The pie takes 12 hours to bake.

Roll for Inspiration: Exploring Kentucky and Dungeons and Dragons

Many of you reading this article have heard about Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) either from firsthand experience or from pop culture and TV shows like Stranger Things or the 2023 D&D movie, Honor Amongst Thieves. If you have not personally sat down and played the game, you may think that it sounds weird and silly. I won’t lie: At times, D&D is the silliest game you can imagine; but it can also be very strategic and serious. In essence, D&D is a pretend, pencil-and-paper, collaborative storytelling game organized around a set of rules. Players use dice to resolve events, actions, and determine storylines. It is a game usually played in a group where players control a single character and one player is the Game Master, who acts as the game organizer, rules arbitrator, and story leader. Although some D&D games can be quite elaborate, the only tool you need to play is a set of seven polyhedral dice and one copy of the Dungeons & Dragons Player’s Handbook.

D&D was first created in 1974 by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneston and is inspired by high-medieval fantasy settings popularized by books like Lord of the Rings. This is a special year for D&D: The franchise is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary and throughout the year there are special events, merchandise, and book releases to mark this epic milestone. One of the most anticipated releases was the new 2024 Player’s Handbook, released on September 17. The new rule book outlines new interpretations of spells and new features and character options. The US Postal Service even released limited-edition D&D postage stamps for the occasion!

As a native Kentuckian, these postage stamps hold special significance. Two of the most recognized artists behind the quintessential D&D artwork created in the 1980s are from Kentucky! Larry Elmore, a native of Grayson County, and Jeff Easley, from Jessamine County, were both recruited by TSR Games to create artwork for the early editions of D&D and for books inspired by the fantasy world of D&D. Some of their most iconic works are featured on these stamps. Viewers with a keen eye for Kentucky nature may notice how our geography and flora inspired the foreground and background in many of these stamps.

For my friends and I, D&D gives us a creative space to cut loose, laugh, and ease the stress that is built up every week from work, family, and the real world. D&D is for anyone and everyone who enjoys creative games, having fun with friends, solving puzzles and problems, and being a hero! D&D teaches us on an imaginary microscopic level how to be a hero, make tough decisions, and work collaboratively with people who are different from us so that we can bring these skills like empathy, teamwork, collaboration, and critical thinking into our lives in the real world. You can try your hand at D&D any time with a group of friends or strangers that you meet at any local game store like Miso’s Game Room, or at Pearl Street Games & Coffee, which is the perfect venue for gamers and coffee lovers. My advice is: don’t be shy! Do some research online, but then get out in person and try to find a group to play with.

Note: my head shot this week is actually my D&D character art custom-made by Stefiyah, whose work you can find on Instagram!

Leslie Anderson
Membership & Partnership Manager

Emmy Crawford on Curatorial and Collections Internships

Here at the Frazier, we are proud to offer internships across various departments. We work hard to help the next generation of museum professionals gain knowledge and get their start on their career paths. In the curatorial department, internships go two different pathways. Some interns work with our senior curator of exhibitions to research and write our exhibitions. Other interns work closely with me to catalog, photograph, and mark new acquisitions. Below is an account of an intern who worked with us the last two summers. Emmy Crawford was selected in the summer of 2023 to work on our Flashback: Louisville Media Through the Years exhibition, which is now on view. Then she was offered another internship this summer working with me to process new acquisitions in collections. Below is an account of her experiences with our department.—Tish Boyer, Registrar & Manager of Collections Engagement

I’ve always dreamed of working in a museum, and my internship at the Frazier History Museum made that dream a reality. Interning in the curatorial and collections management departments over two summers gave me crucial skills for my future career.

During my first summer interning with the curatorial department, I assisted senior curator of exhibitions Amanda Briede in researching for the Cool Kentucky exhibition. I then took the research and wrote it into 150-word panels, which helped me grow my skills in writing labels. I have been so thankful for this skill as it has helped me succeed in my history classes. Also, in summer 2023, I was given an amazing opportunity to help source and pack artifacts when they were transferred to Frazier from another museum collection.

Then, in summer 2024, I was allowed to come back to the Frazier History Museum. I have been so thankful because this summer, I interned in the collections management department and learned how to catalog objects. Over this summer, I have cataloged over 170 items, which I would have never thought I would be able to do because each day I would come into my internship, it was always something new. I have been able to learn so much from the objects. I also learned to mark these objects from a sewn-in tag, put a barrier coat on them, and write the number.

Over the past two summers, I have been able to apply everything I learned at the Frazier History Museum to my history and art history classes at WKU. This includes writing labels and learning how to properly handle objects. As a result, I have been successful in my classes and even had the opportunity to participate in an exhibition for my Secret Societies Class at WKU. My experience as an intern at the Frazier History Museum has been fantastic, and I highly recommend this internship program to anyone interested in working in a museum in the future. I am now confident in pursuing a master’s degree in museum studies.

Emmy Crawford
Curatorial & Collections Intern

20th Anniversary Photo: Bubba Mack, 2020

As we add Pat Kelsey, J’Vonne Hadley, and Kader Traore to the list of U of L men’s basketball coaches and players who’ve visited the Frazier Museum, I turn your attention to the winter of 2020. That January, as we prepared to host a live recording of the Chris Mack Show at the Frazier on February 3, we got to show Coach Mack’s beloved labradoodle Bubba around the museum! But the Mack-Kelsey connection certainly predates the Frazier. Back in 2009–11, when Mack was the head coach of Xavier men’s basketball, one of his assistant coaches was Kelsey, a fellow Cincinnatian. Poaching talent from the Queen City is a time-honored Louisville tradition!

Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist