Kentucky
Kentucky by Heart: Exploring the Commonwealth's rich history through books, videos and museums – NKyTribune
By Steve Flairty
NKyTribune columnist
As previously mentioned here, I’m not a historian by profession, but I love to learn all I can about Kentucky history. I do it generally by reading books and articles, as well as viewing videos and documentaries. Occasionally, I visit museums or historical sites.
For 2024, I set a goal of spending 200 hours in history study of our state, and I log my time daily. That works out to an average of about thirty-four minutes per day to stay on pace, and the process helps keep me motivated.
Some of what I cover in informal research is less than interesting, but much is fascinating. I thought it would be fun to share some of the better sources I’ve recently read or viewed. Hopefully, a few might pique your interest in the state’s past. It seems like my interest stays piqued. Below are some source ideas that may interest you.
The best way I can describe Steven Walker’s book, Kentucky’s First Senator: The Life and Times of John Brown, 1757-1837 (Butler Books, 2022) is that it is a well-researched tome about an important early figure in the state’s political history. By tome, I mean big — to the tune of 936 pages, plus it has over a dozen pictures of portraits in frames.
Though the endless details can become tedious at times, it’s chockful of events surrounding the birth of America’s government and the transition of a part of Virginia to the fifteenth state, Kentucky. And through those adventurous times, John Brown is shown to be an able and character-driven person for both his country and new state. For students of the Commonwealth’s heritage, this should be a resource worth keeping close by for reference.
The Incident at Otter Creek (Acclaim Press, 2023), By Ed Ford, is an interesting bit of fiction that actually gives a nice overview of 1700s Kentucky before it became a state. The book’s author tells the story from the point of view of a contemporary Central Kentucky physician who mysteriously is sent back to the historical period of Daniel Boone, early Boonesborough, and war with hostile Shawnees. It only takes a bit of the reader’s imagination to drop oneself into the flow, with elements of romance, adventure, and people acting bravely and for each other in standing up to danger and hardship.
Online videos of Kentucky history have been a focus of mine for the last year or so. The Kentucky History Channel, is a favorite. Here are some of the site’s offerings I’ve recently watched:
• “Did Native People Live in Kentucky?” with Gwynn Henderson (27 min.)
• “First 5 Towns of Kentucky” (9 min.)
• “The Shawnee in Kentucky,” with Dr. Stephen Warren (44 min.)
• “The Top 5 Frontiersmen of Kentucky” (13 min.)
• “A History of Isaac Shelby” (3 min.)
• “What if… Kentucky Joined the Confederate States?” (32 min.)
There are, I’m guessing, hundreds of videos at the Kentucky History Channel available for viewing, and new ones are continually being created.
I also enjoy archived episodes of Kentucky Educational Television’s Kentucky Life that deal specifically with the state’s history. A wonderful selection I recently watched was a program of interviews with the state’s World War II veterans.
Another historical source of archived interviews of Kentuckians is The Louis Nunn Center for Oral History at the University of Kentucky, online at kentuckyoralhistory.org. It’s a goldmine of information for those looking for “they were there” individuals in historical events. Topics are: veterans/conflicts, Appalachia, agriculture, communities, diversity, education, gender, quilts, politics/public policy, and others. I’ve recently been listening to a lot of World War II veterans interviews and look forward to using the resource for other topics, too.
If possible, getting out of the house and visiting places in Kentucky should certainly be a big part of one’s history research. Here is a site that lists what they call the “top 50 best museums in the state”. Though I don’t necessarily agree with their specific billing, it gives plenty of ideas for places to explore. My favorite is the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, headquarters for the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. For local history centers, I like the Bluegrass Heritage Museum, in Winchester, the Cynthiana Harrison County Museum, and the Pendleton County Historical & Genealogical Society, in Butler. I’m embarrassed to say that I haven’t visited Covington’s Behringer-Crawford Museum, but certainly have heard good things about it.
Studying our state’s heritage gives a good baseline to compare to present-day Kentucky to measure our progress as a society, plus it gives intelligent perspective to our opinions about important issues.
KENTUCKY – The Kentucky Department for Public Health is investigating 100 reported cases of cyclosporiasis statewide, 61 of which have been confirmed.
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by ingesting food or water contaminated with the microscopic parasite Cyclospora; the highest risk of infection is for people living in or traveling to subtropical regions.
Foodborne outbreaks are associated with various types of produce, such as raspberries, basil, cilantro, snow peas, and mixed greens.
Symptoms typically begin two to 14 days after exposure.
The most common symptoms include diarrhea, fatigue, and abdominal cramping. It is commonly treated with a combination of antibiotics.
Public health experts are urging people to follow food-safety guidelines to reduce the risk, such as washing hands with soap and warm water after handling produce, cleaning food preparation areas and tools with soap, and water and washing all fruits and vegetables before eating or cooking.
Copyright 2026 WKYT. All rights reserved.
Kentucky State Police seeks public vote for national cruiser contest
Published 3:12 pm Monday, July 13, 2026
FRANKFORT – Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky State Police are calling on Kentuckians to help power a statewide push in a national competition that celebrates the most eye-catching police cruisers in the country.
KSP has entered the 2026 Best Looking Cruiser Contest, held annually by the American Association of State Troopers (AAST). The contest consists of the public voting on their favorite cruiser photo, with the winning image earning the cover of the association’s 2027 calendar.
“The men and women of the Kentucky State Police represent the very best of public service,” Beshear said. “I encourage every Kentuckian to show their support by voting in this national contest.”
This year, KSP is highlighting the dedication and training required to be a trooper by featuring a 2024 Mustang GT cruiser outside of the KSP Academy in Frankfort, Ky. Beyond its striking design, the image also serves as a tribute to fallen heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
The Kentucky State Police have 39 troopers, officers and patrolmen who lost their lives in the line of duty. Among them was Trooper James W. McNeely who drowned during a rescue mission on the Kentucky River in 1972 and his body was never recovered.
In 2015, the KSP unveiled a nearly 10-foot-tall bronze statue, titled ‘The Trooper’, which is in front of the Academy Building. This statue was created in Trooper McNeely’s likeness and depicts a trooper walking towards the future to serve the citizens of Kentucky.
“This year’s contest photo symbolizes what it means to be a Kentucky State Police trooper, by showcasing the devotion, hard work, commitment and sacrifice that our troopers give to their local communities daily,” stated KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. “We would be humbled and honored to have your vote and support on social media.”
KSP has placed in the top five in the past eight years, taking home back-to-back wins in 2021 and 2022. While the Florida Highway Patrol won the competition last year, Kentucky is ready to take the top spot and needs your help to win it all.
Kentuckians are encouraged to vote for KSP’s entry now through Friday, July 10, at 12:00 p.m.
4th of July celebrations in Louisville begin early at Locust Grove
To celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary, organizers set out to acknowledge as many cultures and nationalities at Historic Locust Grove
CYNTHIANA, KY ― Pam Abnee voted for Donald Trump in 2024. Susan Bramel, her friend of 50 years, did not.
As the nation commemorated its 250th birthday this month amid a hyperpartisan election season, these politically opposed women sat next to each other on a bench outside the Harrison County Courthouse in Cynthiana on the Fourth of July.
Over the course of that week, the small town in Kentucky’s north central Bluegrass region hosted historical walking tours, a community mural painting, a day of prayer and a chance to sign a facsimile of the Declaration of Independence, culminating in the county’s bicentennial time capsule unearthing on that special Saturday.
Abnee and Bramel made sure to find each other outside the courthouse. And they avoided talking about their biggest source of disagreement.
“I’m putting politics aside and I’m looking at the history of 250 years and all that we have gained in that 250 years,” Bramel, 69, said. “We agree on that.”
“That’s one thing we have in common,” Abnee, 73, added. “The history.”
Like most of rural Kentucky, Harrison County skews heavily conservative. More than 69% of the county voted Republican in the past three presidential elections, according to the Kentucky Board of Elections. But like other small county seats across the commonwealth, Cynthiana attracts enough liberals to create a palpable level of friction.
Every Monday, the Cynthiana Peaceful Resistance, a small progressive grassroots movement, gathers on the courthouse lawn to protest the Trump administration’s stance on abortion, immigration, war, LGBTQ+ rights, or the latest dust-up emerging from Washington, D.C.
“We’re very conservative here, so I would like to think the next generation is moving more toward the progressive side,” said Beth Tucker, 60, a retired teacher who runs a farm and sells mules. “I think there’s some hope with them. I think they’re going in that direction. The LGBTQ+ kids are feeling more at home here.”
Jaylou Lewis sees the division while driving through the city delivering DoorDash orders and turning onto streets with Trump and anti-Trump lawn signs crowded on the same block.
“It’s to the point today where it’s not even Democrat or Republican,” he said. “It’s either Trump or anti-Trump.”
Yet Lewis, who moved to Cynthiana in January with his wife, Shay Lewis, and their 2-year-old son, Rayshawn, recalled with amazement how people all over the city came together recently when a woman’s house burned down. Her daughter posted about the destruction on Facebook and people sent donations.
“Even though people are politically divided, as human beings, they united,” the 34-year-old said.
That unity was seen on July 4 as folks like Tucker, Bramel and Abnee flocked to the courthouse lawn to witness the capsule unearthing and celebrate the nation’s historic anniversary.
Surrounded by the thick July heat, Mayor Isaac Dailey delivered a speech before the digging commenced. The 28-year-old, who was born and raised in Cynthiana, implored residents to reflect on what future generations will recall of the legacy being carved out today.
“I hope they remember that we loved our neighbors, that we cared for one another in times of hardship, that we celebrated together in times of joy and that, despite our differences, we never forgot that community is built one relationship at a time,” he said.
Cynthiana natives Mary Ann Lee and John Allen Lee believe residents’ willingness to have conversations, share meals and open doors for each other, regardless of their political affiliations, is what sets their town apart from the animosity of larger cities.
“You don’t see the cancel culture here,” John, 85, said underneath the shade of a maple tree. “Just because they don’t see politics the same as I do, that doesn’t mean he isn’t my friend or she isn’t my friend.”
On the courthouse lawn, city officials, children, parents and seniors pushed shovels into the ground and — with the help of a John Deere backhoe — dug out the 75-gallon, flag-adorned, steel container that was buried on America’s 200th birthday.
They placed it on the ground, cracked it open and gingerly combed through church letters, newspapers, photos, a buckeye ring, a pair of Dr. Scholl’s sandals and a Playboy magazine.
Later that evening, residents migrated to Flat Run Veterans Park for fireworks and a performance by Kentucky native Sam L. Smith, a country singer who competed on “American Idol.”
But not all residents of Cynthiana felt the same sense of patriotism. Amid the squeals of children scampering through the splash pad, Zachary King recalled what it was like growing up gay in Cynthiana.
He experienced bullying at Harrison County High School, which led him to drop out during his sophomore year and complete his diploma online. Today, the 25-year-old is a personal care medical technician.
King didn’t attend the capsule unearthing because he was working, and he believes taxpayer money would be better spent expanding parking, housing and inclusive events for minorities sponsored by the city.
“I’m pretty sure we didn’t have nothing done in the month of June for LGBTQ people, other than some lights on the courthouse,” he said. “I think we’re bigger than the lights on the courthouse.”
Sitting beside him on a metal picnic table, Lewis, King’s brother-in-law, chimed in.
“There was no Juneteenth or nothing,” he said.
Lewis shares in many of the challenges faced by people throughout Cynthiana, Kentucky, and the country as a whole, including the mounting costs of gas, groceries and rent. But he also appreciates the moments of unity he sees in his community. Above all, he’s grateful to live somewhere where he can support his family, while giving his son a shot at a better future.
“Obviously, we’re still struggling as a country, but it’s still a great country, you know?” Lewis said. “I wouldn’t want to live nowhere else.”
This article is part of a collaboration between The Courier Journal and Boyd’s Station, a Kentucky non-profit that provides emerging artists and student journalists a rural place to hone their craft. Nikole Valiente received the 2026 Mary Withers Rural Writing Fellowship grant at Boyd’s Station.
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