Photo origins unknown
This is an awesome photograph from the 1890s. Where was this? Who was this? Is this the bottom of Danville Hill?
Photo origins unknown
This is an awesome photograph from the 1890s. Where was this? Who was this? Is this the bottom of Danville Hill?
Historical postcard from Author's Collection
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?
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.
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.
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
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.
The canopy, which would have sheltered the gas pumps - long gone - is formed by an extension of the hipped roof.
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.
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.
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 (Shaker Silkworm House) at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill.
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.
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.
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.
This is a photo we had never seen and Belinda S Kurtz shared this from another group. “Wasn’t Bob Martin that used to run the radio statio...