thumbnail of The American town: A self-portrait; Bluegrass Country, part 1
Transcript
Hide -
If this transcript has significant errors that should be corrected, let us know, so we can add it to FIX IT+
One of the tragic thing I have been in the spirit of Kentucky was this isolation I wouldn't go do it. The only governor in a state that had been assassinated Oh I guess maybe in a state. With him go was an office approximately one day. People you know running through the streets screaming yelling are going to assassinate him. There's a song called assassination with him go. Go. Very sharp. William go they sure are. I remember that very well. Race for the.
Election was in. November 1999 that my second side had their buttons out as the two candidates. And there was much excitement here with election. On the first count but I have had. My few go and Democrat contest elections. And on the recount but they gave him a large. You are. The mountain man and in my Couldn't they came to Franklin on horseback. With I don't know I didn't see that but from their older man dome about had two guns but I thought of God the. First time the cult. Was like the government. First time I called out he was shot on St. outbuilding sharp mind.
Did nobody see it. One man in Britain never heard anything much about my first experiences. China I believe there are standards here that trial by the court house which was never trying to foul up it was instrumental in the killing our government. We're supposed to go back. And it was trying this fella and oh so very much from a body man and he was such a nice fellow and so pale and all my sympathy all went to him and I turned over and it just broke my heart to see him like that was my first trial of course. I was a little girl about 10 years old and that he remembers of anything that happened in doors down I had been here
before and we were down there for it on the lower end of the county and of course people don't. Back then they didn't go to town to rebuild. Their children didn't and they didn't get to go. But that stands out in my memory. When I came here of course the dominant industry of the community was University of Kentucky. We had no we had no factories are endless trees as you think of them today and even at that time from a better standpoint was the largest loose leaf
tobacco market in the world. And this continued debate over the years and University of Kentucky and the tobacco. And Lexington's trade territory reaching 100 miles into the southeastern mountains 100 miles south and spreading our trade territory at Frankfort twenty seven miles west of here and at Carrollton up on the Ohio River about 65 miles from here was our trade territory. And of course it was the largest city of that area and even is today much larger of course in comparative towns at that time. And Lexington originally a tobacco retail Saturnus two tional and educational center. And it wasn't until about 15 years ago that we got any other type
of industry manufacturing concern. We've never had anything here that employed over possibly 100 persons. And. Need was felt here the town was growing and people were moving in here from the mountain sections and the outlying rural areas. And if employment wasn't provided for them then a lot of them were own charity as was the case during the Depression although during the Depression we only had 600 families in Lexington on relief which shows it's a good sound town. But anyway the need of industry was felt and we establish what we call the Lexington industrial Foundation which purchased originally 150 acres of land and then later I think 65 or 85 additional acres and that was the beginning. Well actually that was not the beginning. Right after the war in
1946 and 47 We got the General Electric Company plant here and then later our During the war one of two small industries that were in here Evans products coming out of Detroit. Harvey Hubble I think was the name of the electrical CERN had a war plan here but anyway industrial development started right after the Second World War. We think of the big new industries of course IBM been the largest Square D Company train company Westinghouse ABB right that with the collet it West is not Westinghouse Electric Westinghouse air brake. And I came here the papers two papers actually had about 11 that in circulation. Now the two papers I have about. Were crowded 90000 which will give you some idea of the growth of universities in the neighborhood of 15 hundred students. Now they see that I think
11000 in Bergen County have backed out. NIGHT THE NIGHT OF there were three distilleries sat and played this desperate Peacock distiller and George Weiss distillery. Bob and I did it in nineteen hundred and twenty of the SAVAK latest Arizona wanted an operation at that time and and Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve I'd say. Sam played Astaire was destroyed before and I lived about a mile from it. Have a good eye. And see it. Bird was alleged to still regarded cat it as they had to make a whiskey before probation. Yeah I remember that very well Darren Stokowski was at least I thin he was a newspaper commentator and able fellow and I shall never forget a statement he made that never fear for the
republic because it would make a bad law. We don't enforce it. And certainly that applied to. Prohibition. There there well. It was a critical situation you're going to discipline in force that's. First Kentucky has always been opposed to. Moonshine. It was greatly misunderstood because the Hill don't produce good corn. And the man had nothing. Else to do with these corn so he made. A beverage out of it and he disconcerted or duties right then won it. During Prohibition days if not a very profitable market for it. Actually I have seen with my own eyes when I faced a mountain where you could put 50 cents on the log. And then disappear for a while then they came back it be a vital moonshining. The Mint Julep is traditional. First the Mint Julep is a is a drink that's been some question of how to make it but it's simple you just take it.
Usually with frosted glass but now the modern way has put it in a deep freeze and take it out until the a license and that and a little sugar and pour whiskey over the ice. Usually use with a straw with this very good meat in it. Now the old idea question I'm in the bottom of the glass has been exploded I mean it's the aroma from the mint that you really makes it palatable and that's a very fine drink under a tree in the shade in the hot summer weather. We can cook it Colonel Lewis today as I'm. Done along the same order as the original of the back in the old days one of the most important people that could be appointed only govern the staff. Were his aides. And they aided him in more ways than one. He was a bodyguard which was a pretty important person. And he was had a voice in the military which was very important. The military was the most important age in the government that time.
And. Consequently had to be appointed on the governor's staff as his aide was considered the highest honor that could be paid an individual and is still considered that way. And that's that's the argument that the original Kentucky Colonels had to buy their own uniform and if it cost a man quite a bit to be a Kentucky colonel in the 1830s and 1840s and on down because he was. He could design his own uniform and. Some of them now are more or less comical by modern standards but they took the verse seriously and centrist and the difference in the governor's time governors have only given out a few of them. Very few kernel ships and then it's an honor to get one on the other hand. Other governors are giving them that wholesale and they are appreciated. Never Europeans have asked if it.
Is possible to get a Kentucky Colonel ship far when I have and it's been amazing to me just the importance they attach to it they'll have a dinner party to present to Colonel shipments is essentially not a rape. Private Club the name they take up donations once a year and have one party on derby day and they give the the money goes to charity I mean whatever they raise goes to charity. The next gentleman over when I think about it was true. They can do is to convert. King Solomon Solomon took care of all the sick people during the epidemic of cholera here in the state of Kentucky. King Solomon was only a white man and it was bought by a negro slave. King Solomon became one of Kentucky favorite sons. After being so public auction. He was a he was a white man. Ford Lexington Kentucky. Here's a story
about King Solomon that you probably haven't heard. He was bought by coming. He had had smallpox and recovered and. They had the great epidemics and King Solomon good to end all beggars he was a big strong man but he just wouldn't work. He stayed every community had one but he was a superduper although he would not work and he was before the judge every every every Monday morning practice. We can't. Result where we put in you're famous for his professional legacy. And then came the great epidemic. And king Solomon was a new. Two small pox and he buried the single handed all of the day at
around Lexington and with the result of when the epidemic was over they erected the money which was a usual thing but he was actually bald in those days you could sell a vagrant if he had been before the court a certain number of times he was considered. Incurable or. Professional beggar and he was he was purchased by a colored woman. White man part is my color. And. They have no in.
Their heart to do. This. My grandfather had a very large farm and what we call two arches and two houses. And we always
gathered the particular fruit far the siding and in the fall of the year when the dampers begun to get rain the kind with the juice that made the cider and the old me all set out under a tree I can see it now. And we gathered those nice apples they didn't just peachy in anything they had to be perfect good and right. And then putting in large part in the apples and ground that fresh shatter and we drank it right there after that meal. Oh my. Just for a moment was so good. Then we put it in barrels and put it in the old cellars we call the cellars back then. And that kept for vinegar you see for the homemade dinner. But that Sally was good just as long as it's staged. Really it really began to firmly and by you better not drink some of the main things that Kentucky's noted father beaten biscuits which are made on a machine that they roll it looks like the rollers on a
washing machine except it's a model slab Anyway the beaten biscuits and our High am and we consider all I am I am that's been cured and hung for two years or more and then you you bake it very slowly and if it has white spots through it that sand that it's an excellent Ohio am people of an hour. We have sent them to New England and different places as a Christmas present and they would throw it away and say it was spoiled. See the white spots in it and now it is perfectly delicious when it's baked right and that's one of our festive dishes for Christmas self our pot is so anything you say Boeheim unbeaten this kids. If you can only hold your cool I'll go out that night leave it outdoors the slow way. Then next day the movie read screw ups will be with us right now to call that freezes a good. Model will say across the board in a word a third is why it's good night to have me.
Then the next day you turn without me. And salt you have you have four parts of a whole carcass you got the job. Shoulders making and hams That's Prince before. That's the meat that you cure and you put it down on a floor say clean floor and you put enough salt on each PC so you know I am down to put enough salt on it Florette can make a tracking. That's the old saying now I'd be back or we need ironing potted up and every layer put put salt on top is good good you know same. Kind of let it lay for 21 days and then you take it up and hang it up and smoke ouse and leave title first August you got old ham. Course now there's different ways of smoking hams and sure cure them different things if you don't put that dish to it but as good a ham as you
can have in my opinion it is just a salted down and hang it up in the smokehouse is a. Combination of all the good vegetables and practically all of the good meats like beef. Pork some mutton just ridden with mutton veal. And in the old days they actually used to do rabbit and squirrel. Which is very fine food. And all the good vegetable beans corn green peppers and carrots. The secret of it is that cooking takes over 10 hours to cook burgers. Or slow cooking. The flavor. Gets through it pretty nicely and the time they are ready for the bird to everybody would probably have to political speeches and it a very popular thing. They cook it in a big kettle at sad sort of a
lot of different kinds of meat and vegetables you know for several days. Yeah. And if Kentucky Burger used to be present at every political meeting any outdoor meeting you had burgers and all Mr. Looney was Burger King they call them and it's YOU that has been no one around here to make it. Oh yes but the Burger King was a. General Jay Tandy Alice who was there the. When I say the Burger King his recipe is copied more than practically anybody who says I'm not trying to downgrade legally because you couldn't easily win the class from sale but. The local Kentucky and I think more towards your towards your General Jay Tammy Alice's recipe. One of there standing by her man memory question we had colored cooks and I can see you one of our all colored women now
Star enough to eat the night before and set it down on the hearth that will open fast and it had to yet so just so wrong. Then they kept that night covered up and the next day I made the bread. And you could be coming up through the yard and fed rivers cook and you'd notice a resume there. I've never we've never eaten such variant is there. And of course the current poll numbers are good too and cracked land area. There are well the cracklin bed was made from the spear where they made the lard. And they made the scary part. They didn't put in of course and if they had and when they did they I mean they didn't they took that all out the lard and it was brown and they say those cracked limbs and crammed them up
and made. But recall the crackling you haven't eaten it you haven't had any corn. Not-A nothing is doing as a kid we used to eat all kinds of birds. Jaybird Robert Speel larks and black birds. Young crows any any birds I think I ate a while Angus Baron once and we just thought that we had no days to eat that kind of stuff it is an old time we are doing and you take a feel are like a bird or a robin or a pigeon they're good to eat. And there's no better eating and the young squad before going squabble is for two I don't point your but I want to go and try to shoot the much talked of blue grass area of Kentucky though would be known as the Great.
Desert they are you if it wasn't for something that they never give any credit to whatsoever and that's a Kentucky River. From the Kentucky River each one of pumps its life blood or water if it were not for this river it would actually be the name on the habited area I believe because they couldn't support a population that they have in here. Let's not say Frankfurt had word. Anderson Lawrenceburg every one of them pumped from the Kentucky River. The Kentucky River. Was over the river really a problem. Then one time the state tried to pass a law where anyone living there ever would have to take care of their section of the river. That didn't work too well that there was too much work. And. Yet the people of Kentucky. Derby were always nice to go. Rowing I was sailing down the Kentucky.
You and your. They say one reason the horses do well here is because this is the limestone
and the soil the grass and the water. Produces the strong horse. Some of the more interesting farms in the area are spendthrifts bellman Dixie and of course one should see a man of war stature which is no county park. The fourth play in the in the field just like children running rational there are still many evidences of the Civil War have been an issue of the natural back of the house for the slaves for the serious Who here was known as a confederate outside our laundering triac and now. Gathered those nice apples they didn't dispute you know anything perfectly good and right. Apples and ground that fresh cider and we drank it right out at me. Oh my just so much
talk. Bluegrass area of Kentucky though would be known as the Great. There's a theory if it wasn't for something that they never give any credit to whatsoever. That's a Kentucky River. Right. There's no. CZAR. There's no. Self-portrait of the blue grass country drawn entirely from interviews
recorded in north central Kentucky Music by Ted Brown was recorded at the University of Kentucky. This program wanted a series titled The American town a self-portrait was prepared and edited at the University of Michigan by Ralph Johnson. Production of this series for national educational radio was made possible through a grant from the National Home Library Foundation. At speaking this is the national educational radio network.
Series
The American town: A self-portrait
Episode
Bluegrass Country, part 1
Producing Organization
University of Michigan
Contributing Organization
University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip/500-6d5pd729
If you have more information about this item than what is given here, or if you have concerns about this record, we want to know! Contact us, indicating the AAPB ID (cpb-aacip/500-6d5pd729).
Description
Episode Description
This program, the second of two parts, focuses on life in Bluegrass Country. Features stories about horse raising, tobacco, bourbon, and other elements of the area around Lexington, Kentucky.
Series Description
Historical documentary series drawn from the recollections of senior citizens in a variety of American towns.
Date
1967-02-21
Topics
Local Communities
Media type
Sound
Duration
00:29:44
Embed Code
Copy and paste this HTML to include AAPB content on your blog or webpage.
Credits
Host: Sears, Ralph
Producer: Johnson, Ralph
Producing Organization: University of Michigan
AAPB Contributor Holdings
University of Maryland
Identifier: 67-9-6 (National Association of Educational Broadcasters)
Format: 1/4 inch audio tape
Duration: 00:29:24
If you have a copy of this asset and would like us to add it to our catalog, please contact us.
Citations
Chicago: “The American town: A self-portrait; Bluegrass Country, part 1,” 1967-02-21, University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed March 29, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-6d5pd729.
MLA: “The American town: A self-portrait; Bluegrass Country, part 1.” 1967-02-21. University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. March 29, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-6d5pd729>.
APA: The American town: A self-portrait; Bluegrass Country, part 1. Boston, MA: University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-6d5pd729