Mercer County photograph

 

Photo origins unknown

This is an awesome photograph from the 1890s. Where was this? Who was this? Is this the bottom of Danville Hill?

Early Harrodsburg street

 

Photo from Elmer L. Foote slide collection

Early street scene from Harrodsburg, circa 1915.

Goddard Fountain

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

The stone drinking fountain located at the Harrodsburg Judicial Center was presented to Harrodsburg by Ralf Goddard as a memorial to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William W. Goddard, for the 150th celebration in 1924.

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

Advocate-Messenger - May 30, 1924

Lexington Leader - June 16, 1924

Advocate-Messenger - July 4, 1993

First Baptist Church

 

Photo from the Armstrong Archives

Photo from the Armstrong Archives

Doricham

 

Harrodsburg Depot

 

Photo from the Armstrong Archives

Clay Hill

 

Photo from the Armstrong Archives

Cardwellton

 

Photo by Bobbi Rightmyer

Court Days

Historical photo from Elmer L. Foote slide collection 

Court Days in Harrodsburg, circa 1915.

Henry Cleveland Wood

 
Historical postcard from Author's Collection

One of my favorite historical postcards of Harrodsburg - a section of College Street. After receiving this postcard, I had the pleasure of discovering the artist was none other than Henry Cleveland Wood! This is the only Wood postcard I have ever seen.

If anyone else finds a postcard of Harrodsburg with the initials HCW, please let me know.

Horseman Ben Wilson

Photo from the collection of Jerry L. Sampson

This the famous horseman Ben Wilson of Anderson County. He is standing on Main Street in front of what was Graves Jewelers. That's the J. J. Newberry & Company sign over his head in the middle. Jerry Sampson thinks this photograph was probably taken during Mercer County Fair and Horseshow week.  

It has been pointed out that the parking meters on Main Street in this photo are the Duncan 60 models, so it is probably circa 1958-1962. The band member in white walking directly behind Mr. Wilson has tentatively been identified as Carolyn Milburn Hundley.

Does anyone recognize the tall man on the left with his hand on the parking meter?

Cooper's House

The Cooper's House at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky

The Library of Congress

Coopers, or barrel makers, practiced their trade on a seasonal cycle. A Cooper's Shop is normally crowded with tools, casks, kegs, and pails. In the winter, they cut and hauled wood for stave stock and stacked it by the shop to dry, choosing different woods based on the goods that would be stored inside each barrel. 

The Library of Congress

From late March until June, coopers did farm work and made and repaired dairy containers that had shrunk or been damaged over the winter. During the summer, they worked in the fields. But at harvest time, they made barrels to store and transport grain, apples, potatoes, meal, flour, freshly pressed cider, and salted meat.

The Library of Congress

The word "cooper" is derived from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German kūper 'cooper' from kūpe 'cask', in turn from Latin cupa 'tun, barrel'. A barrel is a type of cask, so the terms "barrel-maker" and "barrel-making" refer to just one aspect of a cooper's work.

Photo from Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

The Library of Congress

The Library of Congress

Shaker Heights Service Station

At the turn of the 20th century, small service stations were located all over America. This one featured below, Shaker Heights Service Station, has been a beloved site along highway 68 near Shaker Village for many years.

Historic postcard of Shaker Heights Service Station

Now, this old building is getting a facelift. Still uncertain what is going to happen at this site, but the possibilities are endless.

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

This type of station was built all across the state of Kentucky beginning in the 1920s. In order to attract customers - and in towns to fit into local neighborhoods - the design of the gas station resembled a small house. Standard Oil introduced a prefabricated prototype of the house with a canopy type in 1916.

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

The canopy, which would have sheltered the gas pumps - long gone - is formed by an extension of the hipped roof.

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

The inside of these early canopy houses was simple - an office, a supply room, a men's and women's restrooms. This station follows that format, with one room in front, and three small room divisions behind it. There is a small brick flue for a stove.

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

The facade of the tiny building is just three bays wide, with a central door flanked by two large windows. A single step is located at the front of the door. Exposed rafter tails are visible on the underside of the canopy.

Roy Dismukes

Photo from the collection of Jerry L. Sampson

This photograph is from the collection of Jerry L. Sampson and shows Roy Dismukes standing in front of the Gem Drug Store, aka, J Sampson Antiques, Books & Appraisals, circa 1958. Mr. Dismukes passed in 1979.

East Family Sisters' Shop

East Family Sisters' Shop (Shaker Silkworm House) at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill.

Library of Congress

Located on the northside of Village Road at the intersection of HWY 68 and 33, northeast of Harrodsburg. It is framed with clapboarding, 53' (five-bay front) x 25' (two bays), two-and-a-half stories on a slightly raised random ashlar basement, with a gable roof, double door with straight transom, stone steps with iron railing, and a small gabled cellar entrance on the side. It was built in 1855; restored after 1963.

Library of Congress

This building currently houses the weaving and spinning operations at Shaker Village. Costumed interpreters guide visitors through the everyday life of the Shakers.

Library of Congress

Photographer, William G. Johnson - for the Library of Congress.

Library of Congress

Youngs Park Creative Playground

During the week of October 13-18, 1993, hundreds of Harrodsburg and Mercer County volunteers came together to build a creative wooden playground at Youngs Park, behind the shelter house. It was one of the largest group of volunteers since the planning of Harrodsburg's bicentennial in 1974.

Advocate-Messenger - October 17, 1993

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

However, the Harrodsburg community was in an uproar on Wednesday afternoon when it was announced in The Harrodsburg Herald that the creative playground at Youngs Park had been condemned as hazardous and slated to be removed. Unbeknownst to most people, the demolition had already started. All the photos on this page were taken at approximately 4:00 pm on Wednesday afternoon, August 4, by my husband, Keith Rightmyer.

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

In 1993, a Burgin Elementary School student, Trevaesa Lyles, won the Youngs Park Creative Playground logo contest. Trevaesa's design was printed on tee-shirts and the Anna Bohon Eliott Woman's Club sold the shirts as a fundraiser for the playground.

Advocate-Messenger - May 19, 1993

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

In January 1993, Harrodsburg City Commissioners agreed to pay $80,000 for a new playground at Youngs Park. The city had $39,000 on hand for the project and put the remainder of the total price in the 1993-94 budget.

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

The 1990 Harrodsburg census showed 3,606 children under the age of 12 in Mercer County, with 1,332 being from Harrodsburg.

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

Kathy Dedman, a member of the Woman's Club, said the construction of the playground was a community effort with many volunteers. These volunteers allowed Harrodsburg to have a $170,000 playground for almost half the price.

Advocate-Messenger - October 18, 1993

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

During the final push to complete the playground and open it up to the community, hundreds of volunteers worked the last weekend in the rain in order to finish.

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

The current mayor of Harrodsburg, Billy Whittaker, and the city commissioners have plans to raise/allocate funds to replace the beloved playground. The new playground will be safer for the children of the community.

Photo by Keith Rightmyer

Youngs Park is located on Linden Avenue and is a small portion of the old Graham Springs property. In 1887, a portion of the old Graham Springs property was auctioned for $19,001 to Edgar H. Gaither. Mr. Gaither represented a Louisville syndicate, who in turn donated some of the land to the city of Harrodsburg for the development of Youngs Park.

Mercer County Roller Rink

Photo from Sherri Lay

Growing up in the 1960s and 70s in Harrodsburg meant Friday and Saturday nights at the Mercer County Roller Rink. Mr. Butler had as much fun running the rink as the kids did skating at the rink. This photo was provided by Sherri Lay from circa December 1970 for her 14th birthday skating party. Awesome memories for Harrodsburg residents.

If anyone has any more photographs of the Mercer County Roller Rink, I would love to see them. I would also like to hear your memories of the place.