Kentucky
A chunk of history returns home 148 years after Kentucky meat shower
BATH COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – There are countless small towns out there that have something that makes them special, and for Bath County, Kentucky, there’s a piece that leaves researchers stumped, and it sets the county apart from the rest.
Bath county, specifically Olympia Springs, is the home of the Kentucky meat shower.
“On March 3rd of 1876, Mrs. Rebecca Crouch was outside with her grandson, and out of the clear blue sky, meat started to rain down,” said Bath County History Museum Curator Brent Frizzell.
“They gathered up what was remaining and they say it was a horse wagon full, and I think everyone knows what that means, and I think people in the area ate it,” said Transylvania University Professor of Art Kurt Gohde.
A slice of the meat was saved from the phenomenon and has been under the care of Transylvania University.
On Saturday, the Bath County History Museum got to return this sliver back to its original meat locker.
“A lot of people left impressed and enjoyed very interesting stories that actually came from other people who had relatives or descendants of people that visited or saw it back when it happened,” Frizzell said.
Godhe explains some of the theories researchers have on what kind of meat it is and how it got there.
“An interesting one includes a weather pattern where winds will pick up small fish and frogs and I think its called an up spout, and then they lay them down in another place. For me, the vulture vomit theory is the only one that feels possible,” Godhe said.
Godhe added while the studying and DNA testing of the meat have been inconclusive, it’s been fleshing out the speculation.
“Just to be in a space where everyone who walks through the door knows the story and many of them feel like a personal connection to the story, is an incredible experience,” said Godhe.
Although the sample is back at Transylvania University, Frizzell said they are already planning to host more events where people can come and view it in person.
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Ohio tornado warnings: what residents should know
Severe storms June 17 in Ohio: know tornado watch vs. warning, safety steps, shelters and alerts.
A tornado was confirmed to have ripped through the Florence area during the overnight storms June 18.
The National Weather Service in Wilmington released a statement June 20 saying a tornado traveled eastward 6.2 miles across the Northern Kentucky city, 10 miles south of Cincinnati. It had estimated peak winds of 100 mph, which classifies it as an EF1 “moderate” tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
The tornado’s path goes mostly through residential areas, and the first evidence was found on Landings Way where several trees were snapped at their trunks, the weather service reported.
The tornado progressed east, crossing Interstate 71/75 and then seemingly dissipating on Tallwood Circle where multiple large branches were downed, the final known instance of damage.
Along the way, the tornado uprooted multiple trees and snapped branches, damaged several buildings and businesses, and snapped a large power pole near the intersection of U.S. 42 and Dream Street, according to the weather service.
How many tornadoes have been confirmed in Greater Cincinnati, beyond?
As of 1 p.m. June 20, the weather service has confirmed that apart from the one in Florence, two other tornadoes touched down in Greater Cincinnati on June 18:
- An EF2 “significant” tornado that traveled about 9 miles from Dearborn County, Indiana, to Boone County, Kentucky.
- An EF2 “significant” tornado that traveled just over 5 miles from Franklin County, Indiana, to Butler County, Ohio.
A few other tornadoes have been confirmed outside the Greater Cincinnati region, including an EF2 that traveled 23.6 miles from Scott County, Indiana, to Trimble County, Kentucky; an EF2 that traveled 9 miles across Pike County, Ohio; and one in Grant County, Kentucky, just north of Williamstown.
The weather service said details on the Grant County tornado will be released later on June 20.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville celebrated Juneteenth with music, dancing and a parade highlighting Black culture, history and unity.
The Kentucky Black Festival’s Juneteenth Unity Parade brought hundreds of people to west Louisville, with marching bands, dancers, community organizations and families joining together to honor the meaning behind the holiday.
“Seeing the families having a good time seeing everyone dancing, with everything that’s happening in this city and happening in the world, a moment to just take a breath and smile and relax your shoulders is what this is all about,” said Walter Murrah, executive director of the Kentucky Black Foundation.
Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.
For organizers, the celebration is about more than a parade. It’s about recognizing the history that paved the way for future generations.
“Celebrating Juneteenth is more than just dancing and singing. It’s also reaching back and looking at the giants that paved the way for us, but also taking a moment to just celebrate our blackness because I think oftentimes it’s looked down upon, left out, overlooked, and those kind of things,” Murrah said. “And so being Black is beautiful. Being Black is, you know, it should be celebrated, and that’s what Juneteenth is about, is, you know, marrying the history but also looking ahead to what’s in the future.”
Attendees said the event created a space to celebrate their heritage and come together.
“We’re not celebrated enough, so with this being Juneteenth for freedom and unity to come together, this is the day for us to do that,” said Tara Britt.
Community members also emphasized the importance of teaching younger generations about the holiday and its history.
“It’s very important because if we don’t tell them, they won’t know. We have to get educated to educate them because it’s not in the schools right now,” said Shannon Gilbert. “So we get all the knowledge and give it back to them and make sure they’re educated because they’re the future.”
Organizers said the goal is to make sure Juneteenth is not only remembered but experienced through community celebrations like the parade.
Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, but communities across the country have recognized and celebrated the day for decades.
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