By Steve Flairty
NKyTribune Columnist
On September 17, it’ll be a visit again via Northern Kentucky historical past day, particularly that includes a neighborhood in southern Campbell County. “The Grant’s Lick 225th Homecoming Celebration,” from 9 a.m. to three p.m., can be held on that date at 941 Clay Ridge Highway in Alexandria.
(Click on for bigger picture)
Being raised there for a part of my youth and with fond reminiscences, I’m excited, and I’ve talked to buddies who’re excited additionally. It guarantees to be a full day, based on Linda Bray-Schafer and Ken Reis, who spearheaded the occasion.
Billed as having “10 stops with 40 historic websites,” the proceedings begin at 9 in downtown Grant’s Lick with a revealing of a thirty-feet lengthy by nine-feet excessive mural just lately painted by Ken Reis, together with the portray and technical help of an expert artist, Michael DeMaria. It ought to function a becoming focal focal point. “I made a decision to make use of the 1896 image of Grant’s Lick I discovered,” stated Reis. “Two of us spent 4 days portray.” Reis additionally famous fortunately that as a result of the mural sits below a roof, “it ought to final a very long time.”
From 10 a.m. via 2:30 p.m., excursions of Grant’s Lick Elementary Faculty (my alma mater) and a bluegrass and gospel music program can be in session, with the music being on the Grant’s Lick Baptist Church. Interspersed with the music program, a homecoming ceremony/ welcome will run on the web site from 12 to 12:30. At midday, Reis will handle the group from the church (the newer constructing quite than the previous one.) The county decide and a consultant from the Kentucky governor’s cupboard can even be in attendance. All current on the day-wide occasion are inspired to be within the viewers on the church car parking zone at the moment. A drone flying overhead will movie the actions, and literature offering a short historical past of Reis’s analysis of Grant’s Lick can be handed out to the attendees.
(Photographs courtesy Ken Reis; click on for bigger picture)
Additionally on the agenda, there’s an old style “play ball” time on the Thelma Lee Bray Memorial Ballfield on the grounds of the Grant’s Lick Baptist Church. It’s referred to as “Purple Stockings Classic Baseball Sport,” referring to the unique all-professional baseball staff, the Cincinnati Purple Stockings, which was established in 1869, and is scheduled from 12:30 to 2:30.
All through the day schedule, reveals reminiscent of an vintage tractor, truck, and automotive present can be accessible. Together with excursions of the college, there can be excursions of the “previous” Grant’s Lick Baptist Church, the historic Oakland Cemetery, backroads’ areas, and Reis’s personal Log Cabin Museum.
Whether or not or not one has Grant’s Lick connections, it probably can be helpful for all, asserted Reis. “It’s only a enjoyable day. There’s simply a whole lot of issues happening . . . a complete selection. I needed one thing happening that youngsters would keep in mind.”
Parking can be accessible on the church and on the faculty, and a restricted quantity alongside the highway for individuals who come early to see the revealing of the mural at 9. To help guests all through the day’s actions, Reis stated there are “every kind of volunteers” accessible from the neighborhood. Forty indicators corresponding with informational handouts for guests can be in view alongside the essential websites, making it largely a self-directed tour.
The occasion is sponsored by the Campbell County Historic and Genealogical Society, and the planners have acquired grants to allay prices, based on Reis.
For extra info on the Grant’s Lick 225th Homecoming Celebration, e mail Ken Reis at kennethareis@yahoo.com or Linda Bray-Schafer at lbrayschafer@zoomtown.com. An informative video can also be accessible on Fb.
Steve Flairty is a trainer, public speaker and an creator of seven books: a biography of Kentucky Afield host Tim Farmer and 6 within the Kentucky’s On a regular basis Heroes collection, together with a children’ model. Steve’s “Kentucky’s On a regular basis Heroes #5,” was launched in 2019. Steve is a senior correspondent for Kentucky Month-to-month, a weekly NKyTribune columnist and a former member of the Kentucky Humanities Council Audio system Bureau. Contact him at sflairty2001@yahoo.com or go to his Fb web page, “Kentucky in Frequent: Phrase Sketches in Tribute.” (Steve’s photograph by Connie McDonald)
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