Hail of a day

". . . and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Bowling Green."

A Couple Okies

At the Sarah Vowell talk and book signing at WKU.

Fort Donelson and St. Patrick's Day

Battle for the Power Plant . . . er, Fort Donelson.  Dudeboy and I just got back from Erin, Tn where we participated in the 151st Anniversary Reenactment of the Battle of Fort Donelson.  The 9th Ky. also marched in the 51st Annual Irish Day parade in town.

Critter and Dudeboy before the rain came.

Evansville

Some people go to Florida or Mexico for Spring Break . . . we went to Evansville!  

The Reitz Home Museum  . . . built in 1871, this amazing home was styled in the French Second Empire architecture.  Dudeboy is totally enthralled with mansard roofs, so a visit to this insanely ornate home was a given.

Unfortunately (as with most museum homes) photography is not allowed on the inside.  The detailing inside the house is at times completely over-the-top, but it all works.  Of course, as Dudeboy put it, "these people were stinking rich!"

There are many other homes in the same neighborhood that are also impressive . . . some well cared for and some not so much.  Talking to the docent reminds one how much effort is needed to save one of these places.

We also visited the Evansville Museum Transportation Center, or EMTRAC.  There is a good deal of exhibits pertaining to the L&N.

From the website:

The Tennessee Club Car also played a role in American politics.  In 1952, it was used by General Dwight Eisenhower in his successful campaign for the presidency, and in 1964 it was utilized by Lady Bird Johnson as she stumped the South for her husband, President Lyndon Johnson.  As the Tennessee Club Car was refurbished for use by Mrs. Johnson, it was in pristine condition when it arrived at the Evansville Museum. 

Dining car.  We finished our day in Evansville by spending a lot of money at Dick Blick.  It was like a candy store for Dudeboy.

View of the interior of the caboose.  On the way home we stopped by Owensboro and ate at Moonlight Bar-B-Q.  Sufficiently stuffed, we headed home to rest-up for this weekend . . .  

Founders of Fountain Run

The plaque reads . . . "In memory of Naysa Simmons Jan. 5, 1774 - Jan 18, 1859 and wife Sally Stephens."  They are Dudeboy's gr-gr-gr-gr-great grandparents . . . Naysa begat Jordan.  And Jordan begat Joel "Top."  And Top begat Riley.  And Riley begat Lewis.  And Lewis begat Margie Wilson.  And Margie begat Merkin, who was wicked in the sight of the Lord.  And Merkin begat Dudeboy.

Sally's headstone is the fieldrock to the lower left and Naysa's is at the bottom right (you can still read his inscription).

 Uncle Vito pondering the profundity of existential angst.

Naysa's two-story log home was located somewhere on this rise near the cemetery (the taller trees on the left).

Just below the cemetery is this spring where it is said that Naysa kept his still.  Naysa was repeatedly kicked out of the church he helped organize (the first meetings of the church were in his home and he later donated land for the permanent structure) for making moonshine.  Supposedly, he would sit on the steps outside the church while service was going on and wail and cry until they would let him in.

John Jacob (Jake) Goodman . . . Oct. 20, 1784 - Dec. 25, 1881.  Jacob is Dudeboy's gr-gr-gr-gr-gr-great grandfather.  John Jacob begat Mary Ann, who begat Jim.  And Jim, who married the witch Thursday Jane, begat Creolia.  And Creolia begat Pernie, who begat Lewis.  And Lewis begat Margie Wilson.  And Margie begat Merkin, "who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it." And Merkin begat Dudeboy, who is "a very naughty boy."       

Carrying on the biblical theme . . . one history of Fountain Run states John Jacob (Jake) Goodman was "comparable to Abraham of old whose seeds were numbered as the sands of the seashore, as he begat thirty-two children"!!!!  I have seen the number 30 elsewhere, but I won't quibble about that.  Fortunately, that was with two wives.  As Dr. J noted, being related to Jacob probably makes us related to everyone in Fountain Run.  He was 78 when his last child was born.

Jacob's home stood somewhere on the hill behind Dudeboy.  Apparently, Jacob owned much of what now constitutes Fountain Run.  His father fought in the Revolutionary War.  Jacob was "reported to have the strength of Atlas."  Given his output, I'd say so.
      

Jake's Branch . . . Jacob was the namesake for this stream that runs through the Fountain Run area.  This is the small creek that flows behind Ann's Old Mill Restaurant.

The quotes for this entry came from Fountain Run: Yesterday and Today. 

Morgantown, USA

Saturday Dudeboy and I took full advantage of the wonderful weather to hightail it up to Morgantown in Butler County to visit a couple of the tourist sites located in that vicinity.  Well, actually I doubt these places get many visitations and the weather for the day was fairly suspect.  Regardless, we made the best of it and had a grand time.

"In Memoriam, Granville Allen, Co. D 17th KY Inft. Was killed near this spot Oct. 27, 1861. Kentucky's first blood in the War of the Rebellion. Erected by Granville Allen Post 93 G.A.R., Dec. 1894."  Actually, the Battle of Camp Wildcat occurred a few days earlier on Oct. 21, 1861.  

This is one of the more unique monuments we have visited, for it was carved right into a rockface that is exposed along the Old Logansport Road . . . apparently, as a reminder to all who traveled the road of what transpired here at the Skirmish at Big Hill.

Click on this link to see a turn of the century photo of the same spot . . . which is today situated on private property away from the current Logansport Road and is now all but a forgotten old roadbed in some woods.

The marker along the current Logansport Road states:

First Union soldier killed in west Kentucky, while skirmishing on the Big Hill with CSA scouting party Oct. 29, 1861. A stone monument erected, 1894, by Granville Allen, Post 98, G.A.R., marks the place. Member of Co. D, 17th Kentucky Inf., enrolled by Col. John H. McHenry, Calhoun, Oct. 3, 1861. Union army volunteers south of Green River risked danger for home and family.

We then visited this undocumented arch which is obviously known to the locals (graffiti and trash).  It is situated just outside of the downtown area along the Green River.

It is situated high in a cliff with commanding views of the Green River.

The view of Green River from the arch . . .