No Destination: Frankfort Co. Courthouse

Yesterday, the facilities committee of the AOC announced great news for the Franklin County Courthouse. The 1835 Gideon Shyrock-designed structure (and the historic Good Shepherd Catholic Church) will be preserved in the creation of the new Franklin County "Judicial Center."

This blog - particularly Nate's Kentucky 120 Project - has touched on the creation of judicial centers at the expense of historic downtowns and city centers. Strike Franklin County as a win for historic preservation!

A rendering of the "new"courthouse is below (photo from: kentucky.com). Additions made in the mid 1900s will be torn down and new wings will be added to the 1835 structure. The old Catholic Church (c. 1858) is expected to be a non-profit center. At one point, authorities considered adaptively reusing the church itself as part of the courthouse (housing two courtrooms).

No Destination: Morehead

Once off campus, there is very little to see in Morehead. The "old" courthouse (not that old) is now an Arts Center. It is clear that the Center is uncertain what to do with the old jail - a neo-gothic structure behind the old courthouse that was constructed as a Works Progress Administration in 1938. Peering in its only window (on the door), I saw the following:
Additionally in Morehead, the First Christian Church has a forty-foot (diameter) labyrinth on its grounds that is open to the public. Walking the seven-circuit path - with St. Francis of Assisi in its center - was a wonderful experience at the end of a long day during which I saw so much (family, Cave Run Lake, the old Frenchburg School, the gravel road).

No Destination: Morehead State University

Morehead State University has a surprisingly beautiful campus. Sure, it has its traditional campus-like, Soviet-era bunkers (including one that is probably a six-story cylinder). But it also has nine buildings on the National Register which were build from 1926-1932 in a "Collegiate Gothic" design.

The school was begun as a Christian school in 1887 and when through various lives before it became MSU in 1966. Pictured above is the Camden Library (c. 1931); below is the clocktower in front of the library.

No Destination: Dehart's Bible & Tire

When you see this on a drive with no destination, you slam on the breaks to get off the road to take a picture. Apparently, I am not alone (RoadsideAmerica & RoadsideWierdness also found it necessary to stop). It is located just east of Morehead in Rowan County.

No Destination: Olive Hill (& Beckham County)

My initial reaction in seeing the old East Carter High School: imagine climbing all of those steps! Now the Olive Hill Historical Society, there is a mural showing the history of Olive Hill directly below this picture. From the mural, you learn that the Chesapeake & Ohio railway came through town from 1910 to 1971 and that the town was established in 1861.

For 90 days in 1904, Olive Hill was the county seat of Beckham County. Beckham County (originally to be called Hardscabble County, later Goebel County) was named after the Governor who signed it into creation on Feb. 9, 1904. Citizen Zimmerman, upon receiving a tax bill of $75.00, soon challenged the county's legitimacy. Joined by Carter County (who did not want to lose the tax base), the Kentucky Court of Appeals ultimately dissolved Beckham County (finding it unconstitutional under Kentucky's 1891 Constitution which geographically restricted the formation of new counties) on April 29, 1904.

No Destination: Pactolus

Pactolus. I've been here so many times. My father-in-law's family was one of the founding families of the church (Pactolus Methodist) pictured above, c. 1922, and the family remains in the area.

Iron furnaces around this part of the state were quite common and it is believed that the Pactolus furnace (no longer in existence, last blast in 1835) was the first in the state. This unincorporated community is considered a part of Grayson.

No Destination: Grayson

At the convergence of the AA Highway and Interstate 64, the formerly sleepy town of Grayson is busy. Main Street (pictured above) is quiet as the new main strip is the Carol Malone Blvd. (named after an opera singer from Grayson). It was founded in the early 1800s by salt makers and was originally known as Crossroads, but the community was renamed Grayson when it became the county seat of Carter in 1838.

The town is also home to my wife's family and Kentucky Christian University. I will return to Carter County many times with many more posts.

No Destination: Farmers

In the western part of Rowan County, the county's first community began to be settled around 1792 on the banks of the Licking River. The town, CrossRoads, was named for obvious reasons. Hard timber in the area made CrossRoads (later renamed Farmers in 1882) a boom-town, until timbering became exhausted c. 1900. By then, much of the commerce had shifted ten miles east to the county seat: Morehead.

No Destination: Cave Run Lake

I wasn't expecting to see Cave Run Lake at all (road construction detoured my route), but I am so glad I did. It was peaceful, tranquil and beautiful. Above is a picture taken from a short trail near the Cumberland Ranger District office in Rowan County.

Below is a video taken near Clear Creek - at the southern end of Cave Run Lake in Menifee. The only sounds were the wind rustling the tree next to me and the water rippling onto the boat ramp (Leatherwood boat ramp, on which I was sitting).

The lake was created by the Army Corps of Engineers in a project that began in 1965. The dam became operational in 1974. Cave Run Lake is 8,270 acres (summer) in size.

No Destination: Frenchburg

Menifee's County seat, Frenchburg, has (c. 2000) a population of 551. This small-town was established in 1869 to be the county seat and is the only incorporated community in this rural county.

The county was named after Congressman Richard Menefee, but the state general assembly misspelled the name when chartering the county. In a Congressional 1837 election, Menefee defeated Richard French. French, a lawyer and judge, is the namesake of Frenchburg.

Beyond the already discussed and defunct Frenchburg School, there is little in this town. Pictured above are a few of the 'quilts' that are frequently found in the area and a corner of the Menifee County courthouse. It is a really cool building...I'll save the details for Nate.

No Destination: Frenchburg School Campus

Driving into Frenchburg, I noticed several abandoned buildings behind the Sav-A-Lot that piqued by interest. The three large brick buildings were completely out of place. Finding information, even with the internet, proved difficult at first.

The Frenchburg School opened in 1909 by the Presbyterian church. It provided religious, educational and medical services to regional residents. In fact, for several years after the opening of its hospital in 1915, Frenchburg had the only hospital located between Lexington and Ashland. (Note: Watch this YouTube video created in 1944 featuring Frenchburg physician Dr. Richard Adler - it is very interesting.) The Frenchburg School also provided the only high school educational offering in the county (despite state law mandates).

The three brick buildings I saw were the School Building (c. 1910, two-story), the Girls' Dormitory (c.1917, three-story Georgian Revival) and the Hospital Building (c. 1941, Neo-Georgian replacing original 1915 structure lost to fire). In their hayday, the buildings would have been typical of the "classical renaissance that developed in the late 19th century ... suitable for an academic setting."

The buildings have been vacant since at least 1978, when the site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Application was a source of much of the information in this post is available here (PDF).

No Destination: Menifee County

Just east of Means, Kentucky - an unincorporated community in Menifee County - I twice pulled off the road. Now in the Daniel Boone National Forest, the leaves were really starting to change colors. The first is pictured above.

The second time I pulled off the road, I went up a steep, gravel road (Scenic Ridge Road). About mid-way up, I questioned whether this was a good idea (for those that don't know, I drive a Honda Fit). Anyway, I made it and the view was great. But also disappointing. I had no idea that the kudzu invasion had reached this part of Kentucky. Apparently, as evidenced below, it has.

No Destination: Montgomery County

Pulled over to spy this stream just east of Mount Sterling.

No Destination: First Presbyterian Church of Mount Sterling

Traveling Kentucky's counties in the fall is a risky proposition. You never know when you might run into a county's fall festival. This was the case yesterday: Court Days in Mount Sterling.

All on-street parking was closed and I pulled into the lot of the Presbyterian Church (pictured above). The man said that I could not park there without paying, even if it were only for a few minutes. Note: he had no customers. Instead, I turned around and parked in a lot around the corner. The woman in that lot said that I could park there momentarily with no trouble and she pointed me toward the Courthouse.

I walked around Mount Sterling and returned to snap a few pictures of the Presbyterian Church. The man from earlier apologized; I told him it was not a problem and that a kind woman around the corner had allowed me to park gratis. I joked with him that he had "married up," as it was his wife managing the lot around the corner.

The wife also told me about the Presbyterian Church. Next door to the church is the "Presbyterian Post," (pictured below) which functions as additional space for the church, a community center and a community medical clinic. The Post is the old Post Office - likely constructed around 1910 and purchased by First Pres in 1991.

No Destination: Mount Sterling

When Nate visited the Montgomery County courthouse, he was underwhelmed by the courthouse but very impressed with the "painstakingly restored" buildings in Mount Sterling. I couldn't agree more. The historical preservation and adaptive reuse in this community.

One building, with markings of "Engine House," "City Court," and "Library" now has a banner in front noting the new home of the Montgomery County Historical Museum. The old city jail, "The Bell House," was constructed in 1815 and restored around 1990 by the local historical society.

Mount Sterling was a regular scene of Civil War activity. Possession of the city changed a dozen times during the War; the courthouse was burned by Confederate forces in December of 1863; the Battle of Mount Sterling (March 22, 1863) resulted in only 12 deaths, but resulted in the capture of 438 prisoners and significant Union supplies; and in June 1864, Gen. Morgan and his horsemen took the vault key from the cashier of Farmer's Bank and left town with over $60,000.

One of Morgan's men (Lt. Witherspoon) was tried in a civil action in 1866, but the judgment against Witherspoon was reversed on appeal because robbery was not unlawful under the laws of war.

Map Update

Red River Gorge

I know I'm only supposed to do the Kentucky 120 posts, but last weekend my wife and I hiked the Auxier Ridge up to Courthouse Rock in the Red River Gorge. For those local Kentuckians who may have never been to the Gorge, you really should get up there. The hiking is especially good this time of year, with the cooler temperatures and the leaves changing color.
According to the site redrivergorge.org, the park contains more than 80 natural arches, many endangered or threatened species and rock shelters that the Native Americans and Daniel Boone used for shelter. It's really a beautiful place that is shockingly close to Lexington and easily accessible.

walkLEX: Cheapside Park

Next to the old Fayette County Courthouse lies Cheapside Park. The park was expanded last year by the closure of a narrow street and the elimination of several on-street parking places. It was a great decision as many of the businesses along the park have added sidewalk dining and many downtown area brown-baggers (including yours truly) visit the park and its tables during our lunch hours.

Beginning next month, construction will begin on the Fifth-Third Pavilion, a glass and steel structure that will house the Lexington Farmer's Market (as well as other functions and events). Cheapside Park has truly become a downtown center of commerce and activity (much as it was in its early history, though it was then used for the sad purpose of trading slaves). Pictured above is how Cheapside Park appears today; pictured below are artists rendering of Cheapside Park as it will appear next summer.

New Comment Policy

A quick note to our readers: Comments are now open to all, including those wishing to remain anonymous. Hopefully, this will increase the number of those commenting. In order to keep this site G-rated from being filled with Viagra ads and advertisements hocking questionable wares, however, I will moderate comment postings. Comment!