1847 Collin's History of Kentucky
This is the first four pages of the Mason County chapter of Lewis Collin's 1847 History of Kentucky. They were copied from an original edition which is 160 years old and has been in our family for many, many, years. In the near future we intend to donate the book to the Kentucky Gateway Center in Maysville.
Lewisburg VFD - Click & Explore
L to R: Jack Hutchison, Fred Adams,Don Tumey. Lt Gov Julian Carroll, Phillip Kalb, Franklin Howe, Gus Kalb and Ted Cummings.
History of the Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge
Today the free use of bridges over the Ohio, Licking and Kentucky rivers is taken for granted by drivers, but in 1945 it was a major event. The history of the Maysville-Aberdeen bridge dates to the late 1920s when Maysville competed with Augusta as the site for the Ohio River bridge. Maysville was selected and on Nov. 8, 1930, contracts were awarded to the Dravco Construction Co. and John A. Roebling Sons Co. The suspension bridge would end up being 3,163 feet and 11 inches long, with the central span 1,060 feet long. Cost was about $1.6 million.
The official opening of the bridge was set for Nov. 25, 1931, and, as was the custom at the time, caravans of auto club members from across the state traveled to Maysville for the event. Northern Kentucky, in particular, would be well represented with James Diskin leading the Campbell County motorists and William Ryerson and Covington Mayor Thomas Donnelly leading the Kenton County delegation. A Kentucky Times-Star account the week before said the bridge opening would be a holiday in Maysville. Lights were strung along the bridge and a grandstand constructed opposite Maysville's Third Street entrance to the bridge for the dedication ceremonies.
Several thousand people attended the opening ceremonies. The ribbon-cutting ceremonies were followed by the unveiling of the bridge plaque by members of the Limestone Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The plaque dedicated the bridge as the Simon Kenton Bridge in honor of the pioneer, who spent some of his early years of exploration in the Mason County area. After the official opening the honored guests moved to the Hardyman Warehouse in Maysville for more speeches and music. To help pay for the bridge a toll would be levied, but as part of the celebration, the toll was not charged from the Wednesday morning opening until midnight on Sunday. A Kentucky Times-Star editorial on opening day termed the bridge a ''momentous event.'' The newspaper noted that the span gave Maysville a claim to be called a great gateway to the South and assured Maysville a place on the map.Among the guests at the bridge opening was 87-year-old Thomas Campbell, an attorney in Bainbridge, Ohio. A Kentucky Times-Star account said Campbell was there because his father had operated the first ferry between Maysville and Aberdeen, Ohio. With the opening of the bridge, the last ferry boats at Maysville were closing. The same account said among the early ferry customers were Kentuckians going to Aberdeen to be married by Thomas Shelton, who had earned the nickname the ''Marrying Squire.'' Other the years several others would operate ferries between Maysville and Aberdeen, including Mrs. Gordon Greene, a pioneer pilot among women on the Ohio River, who for a while was a partner with Capt. Charles Stadler in a Maysville ferry. In opening the bridge, the Times-Star said the state had bought out and closed both Stadler's ferry and another one The Simon Kenton Bridge would again make news on Aug. 1, 1945, when plans were announced to end the toll - on Oct. 1. As with the opening, ceremonies were planned to mark the event, with Maysville's Rotary and Lions clubs again in the forefront. The Maysville bridge was one of several in the state that became toll-free that year. A parade through Maysville's business district would kick off the end-of-toll ceremonies. Master of ceremonies was Joshua B. Everett of Maysville. At the time he was state director of welfare. After the ceremonies on the bridge, the dignitaries trekked to the Burley Warehouse on Kehoe Viaduct for further ceremonies. The honor of cutting the ceremonial ribbon went to 13-year-old Margaret Church, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Archibald Church. An account said Miss Church was selected because she was born the day the bridge opened. The ribbon used was part of the ribbon used in the opening ceremonies in 1931. The ribbon was cut at 3:30 p.m. and Gov. Willis' car with Kentucky and Ohio dignitaries was driven across to the Aberdeen side and then back again. At that point the bridge was open to all traffic without a toll. A Kentucky Post account estimated 10,000 people attended the ceremonies.
Rosemary Clooney Floodwall Mural
The convertible depicts Rosemary Clooney Day in Maysville. In the backseat is Blanche Chambers and Rosemary's grandmother.
The new Rosemary Clooney floodwall mural is located beside the Ledger Independent building on lower Limestone Street
Eisenhower's Funeral Train Passes Through Maysville
By: Jim Reis
Submitted: 8/14/2007
For the most part it was a quiet, rather somber crowd that stood out in the morning rain and chill on April 1, 1969. But from Maysville to Covington and all points in between thousands stood along the C&O Railroad tracks in Northern Kentucky to say good-bye.
They were watching the funeral train carrying the body of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower as it passed by, headed to Abilene, Kan.
Eisenhower died on March 28, 1969, at the age of 79.
Russell B. Briney
Born in Maysville, Ky., Sept. 1, 1875. Educated in Public Schools of Kentucky, Tennessee and Illinois; at the age of fifteen entered Kentucky University, graduating 1896 with degree of A. B.; 1897 with the degree of A. M.; has English and classical diploma from College of the Bible. Minister Kirksville, Ky., Amarillo, Texas, Monroe City, Mo., and Lexington, Mo. Spent eight months as state evangelist of Mississippi.
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John G. Fee
One of three monuments at the intersection of US 68 and Rt 11 near the Mason County Detention Center. The location of the old Fee High School
Washington Opera House History
By: Submitted: 7/25/2006
The Maysville Players began in 1962 with their production of "Our Town". This is not at all unusual, since "Our Town" has been the vehicle of choice for a great many fledgling theatre group. What is very unusual is that 35 years later, we are still active in the theatre business. This makes The Maysville Players unique, as well as the oldest group of its kind in the Commonwealth of Kentucky; and our theatre, The Washington Opera House, is the 5th oldest theatre in the country.
On September 30, 1797, a Washington, Kentucky weekly newspaper, 'The Mirror', printed the notice of a performance by the "Theatrical Society" to be performed in the courthouse on Thursday evening, October 12. This is the first record of a western stage performance to reveal play titles and advertise dates, site, and price for the evening's entertainment, and may well have been performed by some of the ancestors of present Maysville Players. By 1817, Limestone, or Maysville as it has now become, could boast of a theatre where local, as well as visiting thespians could unveil their talents.
A disastrous fire occured in April, 1850, that destroyed a great deal of the property on West Second Street, including the then Presbyterian Church known as the Old Blue Church. When the Presbyterians decided to rebuild at a new location on Third Street, two events occured that affected the physical and cultural well-being of Maysville residents. In 1851, two fire companies were formed to protect the life and property of the area citizens, and, an elegant theatre was built on the site of the Old Blue Church to enrich the lives of the residents.
The Opera House was the pride and joy of Maysville, and became not only a place of entertainment, but filled the community's need for a place to gather for school commencements, patriotic rallies, and great political debates. However, tragedy struck again in January of 1898, when the new Opera House was gutted by fire. Perhaps the Washington Fire Company, of of the two fire companies to appear at just the time the Opera House was built felt a deep sense of regret and responsibility, for in 1898, they rebuilt the theatre at a cost of $24,000. After this construction, the theatre was known as The Washington Opera House.
In the early days of local theatre, many famous names could have been sprawled on the dressing room walls- names unfamiliar to today's young players, but some of you may remember Marguerite Clarke, Tom Mix, Lou Tolligan, John L. Sullivan, Harry Garey, and the great John Phillips Sousa and his band. Year after year came Al G. FIelds and Lasses White, along with their famous minstrels. Maysville was also a one-night stop between Cincinati and Lexington for dozens of Broadway shows. What history we made!
Maysville Fire Chiefs 1911 - 2007
Ed Hite Jan. 2, 1911 – Jan. 3, 1916
R.M. Newell Jan. 3, 1916 - Jan. 18, 1955
George Duley Jan. 18, 1955 – Jan. 12, 1965
Fred Breeze Jan. 12, 1965 – Aug. 14, 1966
Stanley McGowan Aug. 14, 1966 – Jan. 8, 1986
Dennis Larkin Jan. 9, 1986 – Aug. 1, 1992
John David Gantley Oct. 8, 1992 – June 2002
Eric Bach June 2002 - Present
Source: Maysville Fire Department
Last Floodwall Mural Being Painted
Rosemary Clooney and the Russell Theatre is the subject of the final mural being painted on the floodwall near the foot of Limestone Street
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