Tater Knob Tower

Tater Knob Fire Tower, after the 1959 renovations.

Atop the highest point in Bath County, there are the gleaming, silver remains of a structure that once played a vital role in the Daniel Boone National Forest.  Sitting 1,388 feet above sea level, Tater Knob is a rock outcropping millions of years old that perches high above the native trees and provides a spectacular view of the entire region.  On a clear day, one can see up to thirty miles in each direction; a place many have found as the calming solace in this busy day to day world.

Fires have always been a danger to heavily forested areas.  The fallen timber, dried leaves and vegetation are a rich catalyst for a conflagration.  A forest fire can be started by lightening, careless campers, or at the hands of an arsonist.  As people began to settle near the natural beauty of the Daniel Boone National Forest, and industries based on the resources began to boom,  a wildfire could be personally and economically devastating to those involved.  One such wildfire burned over three million acres across Washington, Idaho and Montana in August, 1910.  The fire killed 87 people, many whom were firefighters trying to contain the inferno.  This fire is considered the largest wildfire in United States history.  After the fire, a focus was placed on preventing such an incident from happening again.  Public awareness of conservation and new rules incorporated by the newly formed U.S. Forest Service sought to educate and reduce the fire danger, and to provide an early detection of fires in the forested areas of the United States.  Lookout towers were built across the nation to do just that; with men staffing the towers who would be the watchful eye.

 

Early towers were either built atop the high points in the forests, or built as towering structures high above a metal grid in order to see several miles in each direction.  Other towers were built in a network within the forest's district and communicated via telegraph, visual signals, and later, telephone to pinpoint the location of a fire if smoke was spotted.  It is believed the first lookout towers were built in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire around 1910.  The Civilian Conservation Corps was organized in 1933 as a way to provide much needed jobs during the Great Depression.  The Forest Service utilized Corps laborers to construct lookout towers and access roads through the dense forests, including the Daniel Boone National Forest.

The Tater Knob Lookout Tower was built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps.  The area the tower stands was much more rugged back then; no wooden steps or good roads led to the tower.   Built with hand tools, the tower was a 14x14 foot wooden structure with a wood stove, two cots, a cabinet, storage box, small table and stool occupied by two Forest Service men during the fire seasons.  In the middle of the small room was the alidade, or "fire spotter" that the men used to determine an azimuth when smoke was spotted.  One tower would communicate with another and together, with the azimuths they recorded, the smoke's location would be triangulated and the location given to firefighters who would trek into the forest.  

A forestry service worker fire spotting, 1930's

Constructing the Tater Knob Tower was no easy task.  Materials had to be hauled in by mules and an elaborate pulley system was rigged to bring items up to the top of the mountain.  A rough road was cut through the forest and across steep cliffs just south of the tower's site and was the only access at the time.  The finished tower stood 35 feet above the knob's crest; one of around 160 statewide.  During fire seasons, the tower was manned twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.  Men worked long, and mostly lonely, shifts scanning the horizon for anything that would raise the alarm.  Until Cave Run Lake was constructed, the Licking River Valley was dotted with homes and businesses.  Licking Union and Yale were the closest towns to Tater Knob and the lumber mills would have been visible from the tower.  In 1959, the tower was remodeled and reduced inside to 10x10 feet.  The wooden parts of the tower was wrapped in an aluminum skin which protected it from the elements and rot.  The conditions hadn't changed much by then; a new road which is now Zilpo Road was cut through the forest along the ridge to the north of Tater Knob sometime later, and the area was incorporated as a campground and tourist attraction after the lake was built.

Tater Knob Tower remained in constant operation until the mid 1970's.  Forest Service personnel resorted to spotter aircraft when locating fires, rendering the lookout towers obsolete.  Many towers were dismantled, but Tater Knob was left to the elements and started deteriorating.  The once busy tower remained abandoned until an interest in restoration began during the early 1990's.  A committee was formed and together with the Kentucky Bicentennial Commission, the Bath County Historical Society and the Frenchburg Jobs Corps, Tater Knob was restored in 1993.  Tourists could trek up to the tower via over 200 steps up the mountainside and see the breathtaking views at the top.  Trail markers and signs along the way tell the story of the lookout tower and how important it was during it's time of service.  Over the years, thousands of people have climbed the metal steps to gaze into the beyond; but sadly, it would come to an abrupt end.  

On December 3, 2008, a call of smoke from atop Tater Knob was dispatched to the Salt Lick Fire Department and U.S. Forestry Service.  Once units arrived, it was discovered that the Tater Knob Tower was on fire.  The wooden structure under the aluminum wrap was burning from the inside, with the aluminum material oozing down in a molten mass.  After some time, the fire was put out, but the tower was forever damaged.  People had vandalized the historic tower over the years, which had been placed on the National Registry of Historic Lookout Towers after the 1993 restoration, by spray painting names and slogans on the metal frame.  It was discovered that the fire was no accident; someone had used spray paint as an accelerate and lit it on fire.  The Forest Service closed Tater Knob Tower due to unsafe conditions, and a piece of local and National history was lost.  After an investigation and tips from the public, a man and woman were arrested and charged with arson.  Salt Lick native Landon Dickerson, along with Morehead native Danny Blevins, organized a music festival and fundraiser at the Morehead Conference Center in 2009, raising over 2,500 dollars to help restore the tower.  Other fundraising events have been held and private donations have been made toward the tower's reconstruction, but to date, the tower is still as it was that December day; a scorched remnant of the past.

The Bath County Tourism Council, in conjunction with the Forest Service's Cumberland Ranger District, is actively looking at ways to reopen the Tater Knob Tower, restoring it possibly to its original state as a functional tower.  Tourism Chairman Brent Frizzell hopes to have this project under way very soon, as funds become available.  Until then, the tower atop Tater Knob remains closed to visitors; the last fire tower that hopefully will stand again soon.

Moonshine & Murder

 

Replica moonshine still at Gladie Creek, Red River Gorge

 

The Eastern Kentucky hills and mountains are beautiful to look upon, especially in fall and winter.  The sheer cliffs of Southern Bath County along the Menifee County boundary is a majestic view, but a dangerous journey.  These cliffs once hid another danger; moonshine stills and those who wished to keep their clandestine activities guarded from revenuers. 

 During the Prohibition Era between 1920 and 1933, it was illegal to possess, sell, or transport alcoholic beverages in the United States.  People found ways to bypass laws by making their own alcohol in secret, and often heavily guarded, locations.  The Bureau of Prohibition was organized in 1920 with the sole mission of  thwarting the sale, possession and transport of the illicit spirits.  Federal Agent U.G. McFarland had received word during a raid  that Charley Ballard had a large distilling operation on his property along East Fork Creek near Means, Kentucky.  Bath County resident and former Bath County Jailer Robert Duff was a Federal Agent with the bureau division, joining in October 1921.  He was approaching fifty years old with a wife and seven children during the winter of 1922 and tasked to take on the Ballard family and shut down the illegal distillery.  On December 9, 1922, Agent Duff, accompanied by Agent D.R. Carter and a group of other deputies, set out to execute a search warrant on the Ballard farm. 
The group arrived at the home of Jeff Ballard and confronted him with the warrant to search for and seize any items related to the illegal distillery.  Ballard denied having any moonshine stills on his property, but was detained by two other deputies while Duff, Carter and another agent, W.P. Treadway, began their search.  The trio found a path behind the Ballard home that led to the base of a mountain along a creek bank.  At the edge of the mountain side, they noticed what appeared to be a large brush pile; but at closer inspection, they could make out what looked to be a pathway into the brush. 

Cautiously, the agents moved in to inspect their find and noticed it was a fortified structure dug into the side of the mountain.  In the front were double logged walls with space between them filled with rock and dirt.  Other logs were made into a lean-to type structure across the top, with a layer of tar paper to make a roof.  The entire structure was covered in surrounding brush to camouflage it's true appearance.  A door was to the right of the logged walls and a small shuttered window was in front, giving those inside a view of the outside.  The elaborate structure was built to withstand even the most powerful bullet from a long rifle, and to conceal anyone who may be inside. 

Agent Duff took the lead to open the door, which was secured from the inside.  Finding a stick, he began to beat on the shuttered window to gain entry, when suddenly the door flew open and a hail of bullets flew out, striking Duff.  The other two agents sought cover and returned fire into the still house.  The other deputies, hearing the commotion, quickly ran up to assist but were met with gunfire, pinning them down.  The agents and deputies fell back to protect themselves, returning fire as they could.  Agent Duff lay near the entrance of the fortification, in a direct line of fire.  Attempts were made to retrieve Duff's lifeless body, but quickly abandoned in fear others would suffer the same fate.  Not knowing how many assailants were inside the fortified still house or how much fire power they controlled, the agents and deputies retreated, leaving Agent Duff until an arrangement was made for an undertaker to retrieve his body.  

 

The next day, Prohibition Bureau Director Sam Collins arrived in Lexington and organized a posse to return to Means and bring the Ballards to justice.  Joining Collins was Lee Stewart, who had a reputation of being one of the most feared and tenacious agents in Eastern Kentucky, and eight other deputies.  The group arrived in Mount Sterling and were joined by five other deputies before trekking to East Fork.  Once the party arrived, they made their way to the site of the previous day's bloody gunfight; Agent Duff's body had been removed by the undertaker as agreed.  The still house was unoccupied but housed an enormous distillery operation; seventeen barrels and fermentors, forty gallons of moonshine, 1,400 gallons of beer and a substantial assortment of related manufacturing materials were seized and destroyed. A still and a 'worm' - a coil made of copper that is a vital part of a still - were missing.  Stewart exited the still house and began following a trail up the mountain, attempting to locate the other components of the operation.  

At the same time, Deputies Eubanks and Phillips began searching for a missing firearm lost during the previous day's battle.  A shot rang out from above and the two dashed for cover, not knowing where the shooter's position was.  A group of eight or ten agents and deputies began to move around to the back of where they heard the shots, to close in on the shooter.  At the crest of the mountain, another shot rang out even closer, but the party couldn't ascertain where the shot had originated. After regrouping from taking cover, the posse cautiously continued along the ridge crest.  About fifty yards from where they had ducked for cover, David Treadway, one of the deputies, lifeless body lay along the path.  Treadway was a twenty-four year old Montgomery County resident and had just joined the posse when they met in Mount Sterling earlier in the day.  The group retrieved Treadway's body and headed off the mountain; a second bloody day in the hollows of Means, and the Ballard's were still on the run. 

The bureau agents convened in Lexington that night and decided to wait a few days for tensions to ease before launching another raid.  Kentucky Governor Morrow offered a $500 reward for the capture of Bob and Charles Ballard for their connection in the murders of the bureau agents.  Twenty agents and deputies moved out at 2:15 a.m. December 15, 1922 with the sole mission of taking the Ballards into custody once and for all.  A new strategy would be deployed; the posse would park at the Means Post Office and walk to the Ballard farm.  It was a cold, drizzly night as they made their way on foot.  Along the way, agents detained anyone they found along the way to insure the Ballards wouldn't be alerted.  Around daylight, the posse arrived at the home of Albert Ballard and arrested him and a cousin, Willie Ferguson.  Soon after, they arrived at the home of Jeff Ballard and found no one was home.  About a half mile away, the group found a cabin behind Willie Ferguson's place and cautiously surrounded it.  Mat Sanders, a deputy in the posse, busted the door open with the butt of his rifle, to be met with instant gunfire.  Sanders was struck and fell at the front door.  While Agent Guy Cole attempted to enter the back door, he was shot three times; twice in the torso and once in the head. 

The other members of the posse  formed two lines and began openly firing into the cabin.  Approximately 150 shots were fired into the cabin; the return fire ceased after a few minutes.  Charley Ballard ran out of the rear door and fled into the woods, being struck twice before disappearing into the thick brush.  Mat Sanders was injured, but Guy Cole succumbed to his injuries on site.  As agents looked inside the cabin, they found Bob Ballard lying in the floor with a fatal wound to his head.  The remaining agents pursued Charley Ballard's trail to the home of Henry Reffett, where they learned the injured assailant had been bandaged up and left via horseback toward Mill Creek in Bath County.  They broke off the chase around dark and returned to the Ferguson cabin to find that Jeff Ballard had been apprehended.  

The following day, agents returned to Means to attempt to locate Charley Ballard.  They were met by Menifee County Sheriff Ben Wells who had a message from Ballard stating that he would surrender to Wells only.  Wells was reportedly a relative of the Ballards and had knowledge of Charley's hiding spot near Preston's train depot.  The bureau agents agreed, on the condition that Ballard be brought to Fayette County.

A total of five were arrested and brought before the United States District Court in Lexington for their roles in the moonshine operation; Jeff and Albert Ballard, Willie Ferguson, Joe Clem and Henry Reffett were charged with violating the National Prohibition Act.  Charley Ballard was charged for the killing of Agents Duff, Cole and Treadway in Menifee County, and charged similarly by the US District Court.  He was under hospital care during the judicial process due to wounds he received in the final gunfight at East Fork, and had to have surgery while in jail to avoid an amputation of his foot.  

The raid garnished national attention; numerous papers nationwide told the story of the raid and killings within the following days.  Headlines across the country told of the spectacular raid and shootout in the hills of Eastern Kentucky and how the slain bureau agents were bravely performing their duties before they were cut down.  A Lexington Herald Leader article states that the initial court appearances of the men accused was set for January 2, 1923 at the US District Court in Lexington; however, not many records relating to the trial, which started in 1924, are readily available.  It is known that Charley Ballard was initially acquitted of his murder charges in Menifee County, but was later sentenced by the US District Court to six years in prison for his actions. 

This event was known as the Menifee Moonshine War, the last great and spectacular raid in the area.  Other illegal distilleries were raided and destroyed in the hills of Eastern Kentucky throughout the Prohibition Era, some with heated confrontations, but none would result in the loss of life as the Ballard raid.  Agent Robert Duff was buried in his hometown of Owingsville, Deputy David G. Treadway was buried at Machpelah Cemetery in Mount Sterling, and Agent Guy Cole was interred at Mount Pigsah Cemetery near Bowling Green.  These men are added to local and National fallen officer memorials as a reminder of their public service.  Today, clandestine moonshine operations still exist, and agents of the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, FBI and other local law enforcement agencies still battle the 'shiners' nationwide.  The lore of the moonshiner takes on a nostalgic and cultural feel, mixed with legend and romanticism, but still a very dangerous and illegal activity.

Agent Robert Duff's grave at Owingsville Cemetery

Special thanks to Felicia Stalder for inspiring this story, and the pictures she sent!

For more information about this incident, go to  http://www.kentuckystewarts.com/JasperByrd/HTMDocs/StewartRobertLeeMoonshine.htm 

 and

https://books.google.com/books?id=SuvYAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA16&lpg=PA16&dq=location+of+ballard+moonshine+still+menifee+county&source=bl&ots=y2DqDRHKNL&sig=NC7rew2SdR050Em8A8U9SUd0jnY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjO4tG5i5nNAhVCJiYKHdo4D8UQ6AEIMTAE#v=onepage&q=location%20of%20ballard%20moonshine%20still%20menifee%20county&f=false

Ancient Mounds

Shannon, Kentucky's Indian mound, just to the right of the church.

Long before Kentucky was settled, nomadic tribes of people wandered the forests and fields, hunting and gathering resources to survive.  We know that when the first white men entered Kentucky, bands of Shawnee, Iroquois and Wyandot natives, with smaller factions of Cherokee, were present within the region; but long before those people, another cultures existed and left lasting remnants with their artifacts and ceremonial sites we still find today.

Around 13,000 B.C., early humans began migrating into North America during the Pleistocene Era, probably with the glacier movements that linked Asia and the American Continent.  Some of the earliest ancestors of indigenous North Americans, called the Clovis People, arrived around this time and first settled in what is now New Mexico.  The Clovis People began migrating to other parts of North And South America; archaeological sites attributed to this early culture are found from Oregon to Pennsylvania and as far south as South Carolina.  Other sites are found as far away as Brazil and Chile.   A time at the end of the last great Ice Age called the Paleoindian Era, circa 9,900 B.C., descendants of the Clovis People had begun to appear in Kentucky, but the only evidence so far are a very few arrow and spear tips that have been found.  Mastodon and other large mammals roamed Kentucky and gathered at the rich mineral springs and salt deposits.  The early inhabitants hunted these giant beasts for food, clothing and shelter; in fact, remains of a mastodon were recovered in Sharpsburg, at a place called Fleming's Pond near the Sharpsburg Cemetery.  In the nearby cemetery, there is a conspicuous earthen mound that greets visitors as they enter.  This mound is indeed man-made, but not due to digging graves and discarding the unused soil. 

Earthen mounds are found dotting the landscape through Ohio and parts of Kentucky, made by the Adena People from around 1000 to 200 B.C.  These mounds range from just a few feet high and in diameter like the one in Sharpsburg Cemetery, while others are much larger.  The name Adena is derived not through historical accounts passed down from the original people, but from the large mound found on the estate of Thomas Worthington called Adena in Chillicothe, Ohio.  These mounds are burial sites used multiple times, usually filled with human remains and artifacts, such as arrow points, spears, pottery and other items.  In early settler times, and even up until the early modern age,  the mounds were often leveled by farmers as they plowed fields, not knowing the significance these earthworks held.  One large mound that suffered a similar fate was located off Ramey Road in Sharpsburg.  From an aerial map, one can still make out the trace of the mound's large base diameter.  There were two more smaller mounds that flanked the larger one, but they are completely gone now.   The mounds in the region are believed to be from the Middle Woodland Era of the prehistoric timeline, a time that is not well understood as far as their social habits; however their culture was obviously well structured. 

Some of the best preserved mounds still existing in the Bluegrass Region are in Sharpsburg, Mount Sterling, Mays Lick and Shannon.   The Gaitskill Mound in Mount Sterling stands about twenty feet high and his largely untouched.  A larger mound, which gave Mount Sterling its name, was located at South Queen Street and East Locust near the Keas Church and described as being a large diameter earthwork with a large elm tree growing at the top.  Unfortunately, during Mount Sterling's early settlement, the mound was cut down and leveled to accommodate dwellings.  Many artifacts were recovered from the mound, giving a glimpse into the skill and artisan work the Adena People had in the production of tools and weapons.

Mt. Sterling's Gaitskill Mound

The Gaitskill Tablet

The Gaitskill Mound stands just off Kentucky 686 adjacent to the Gateway Plaza Shopping Center.  Only slight archaeological excavations have been conducted yielding one curious object; a tablet made of baked clay that appears to be a spider with a human face on it.  The purpose of this tablet is still a mystery.

A small Adena mound in Sharpsburg, Kentucky

Shannon Cemetery mound

The Sharpsburg Cemetery mound is largely intact, and no in depth excavations have been conducted there.  More mounds were located between Sharpsburg and Bethel, toward Upper Blue Licks and along Flat Creek, but have all mainly been leveled off by farmers.  More mounds in Montgomery County are still slightly visible near Camargo on private land.  At a small country settlement known as Shannon, about twenty minutes west of Maysville, there is a mound in a cemetery.  Atop the mound are graves of early residents who were buried there before anyone realized the historical value the mound held.  No excavations can be performed there due to the burials, so it will always remain safe and unharmed.  Another mound is visible along Route 11 near Maysville almost to the intersection of the Double A Highway, in a field next to an large, white house.  In Mayslick, a large village site was discovered on what's called the Fox Farm Site and dates to the Fort Ancient People during the First Century A.D.  Burial mounds are present on the site, which is on private land, but listed on the Historic Registry. On Prickly Ash Creek just outside Owingsville, many artifacts have turned up in a field, but it's not known if the site once had a mound or if it was a hunting settlement.  The best known mound site in Kentucky is the Wickliffe Mounds in Ballard County.  At this location, a village of the Mississippian People thrived between 1100 and 1350 A.D.  Two large mounds and several smaller ones dot the grounds around the site, including an excavated mass burial grave site.  Wickliffe Mounds is a Kentucky State Historical Site and has a living history event to show visitors how the later era people lived from day to day.

Today, known and documented mound sites are protected by Federal Laws to preserve cultural and early American heritage.  While we may never know the true customs of the earliest people to inhabit Kentucky, we can piece together their ceremonial practices through these sites.  There are probably many more sites yet to be discovered, or realized, hidden along the ways or maybe even in plain sight.  Arrowheads, spears and other early native artifacts are highly sought after by collectors, but are the physical remnants of the first people to arrive in North America, and should be treated as precious relics.  The mounds were considered a sacred place for those early people, and should still be considered just as hallowed as they were thousands of years ago.

For information about the protection of Native American sites and artifacts, go to https://www.justice.gov/usao/priority-areas/indian-country/native-american-artifacts

For more information about Kentucky's Historic State Parks, go to http://parks.ky.gov/things_to_do/historic/

Back on the Road Again

When some people these days hear the name REO Speedwagon, they think, "oh yeah, I've heard them on the radio a time or two," but they don't realize the origin of the band's name stems from one of the workhorse vehicles of the early Twentieth Century and it has an Owingsville connection.  Ransom E. Olds, founder of the Olds Motor Vehicle Company that later became Oldsmobile, established the REO Motor Car Company in 1905.  Based in Lansing, Michigan, the REO line of vehicles lasted until 1975 and at one time was one of the wealthiest automobile manufacturers of the early 1900's.  Touring cars were largely produced by the REO Company those early days; usually open top convertibles that people used to drive across the dusty country roads on a leisurely afternoon. 

A truck manufacturing division was established in 1910 to help move products across the booming nation.  A light duty truck called the REO Speedwagon hit the production market in 1915 with a state of the art chassis and basic design that became a widely used service vehicle until around 1953.  These trucks were the predecessor of the modern pickup truck and used as hearses, ambulances, delivery, tow, dump and fire trucks.  Prior to World War I, the Speedwagons were a highly successful and durable line of vehicle.  

Fire trucks have been in service for hundreds of years throughout the world.  The earliest trucks were hand drawn pumps that were deployed by men carrying or dragging them to fire scenes.  Cities soon began to sprawl out, demanding the need for more efficient trucks to carry more water and get to fires more quickly.  The first self-propelled fire truck was a steam powered engine built in New York City in 1841; probably the first modern fire truck powered by a combustion engine was manufactured by the Knox Automobile Company in 1905.  The REO Speedwagon fire trucks usually featured what was called the 'Gold Crown' type six cylinder power plants; a heavy duty motor which gave them extra power to pull the weight of the truck with a load of water and other equipment.  The top speed, however, was left to be desired; most of the trucks only managed about 45 miles per hour at best. 

Classic open cab style 

The City of Owingsville sought a new, modern fire truck sometime in the 1930’s.  The earliest known fire truck Owingsville had was an old hand-drawn Howe pumper housed where the Hometown Mortgage office now stands.  Water was drafted from cisterns or wells into the truck via large rubber hoses as men used a lever/piston type mechanism to get water pressure through the cotton fire hoses.  The City Council voted to purchase a reliable fire truck and settled on a 1932 REO Speedwagon vehicle.  Unfortunately, the council meeting minutes from that era have been lost, so the actual date is unknown.  Current Fire Chief John Barry Staton recently sat down with Tom Byron and discussed some of the history of Owingsville’s ‘Old REO’.  In the early 1930’s, Owingsville’s water supply was upgraded with new fire hydrants to better protect the city under the direction of Ernie Downs.  Byron said that Downs was in charge of the water company and held a significant role in the city’s affairs.  He wasn’t sure of Downs was fire chief at the time, but Tom says his uncle, Ed Byron, was the mayor during this time.  “I believe Dinks Jones may have been the Fire Chief when the truck was bought,” said Tom.  “Jones actually went to St. Louis and drove the fire truck all the way back to Owingsville".  This was an interesting feat due to the slow speed of the truck and the fact it was an open top.

The 'Old REO' stayed in service many years and was housed at the old city hall building which is located across from Gray's Funeral Home on Slate Avenue.  During this time, the fire truck was only allowed to respond to fire calls within the city limits; a policy that remained until more recent times.  Tom Byron said that the city bought another fire truck around 1953 or 1954; a Ford that with the Speedwagon, were the two front line trucks for the City of Owingsville. It was mentioned that the REO fire truck was an open topped vehicle, which maintains that vintage, classic look.  The padded wooden seat probably wasn't very luxurious or comfortable for long rides, but it served the purpose.  The truck's hose bed is wooden planks that were stained to protect against the wet cotton hoses that were stored until the next call.  Unlike today's fire trucks that hold 1,000 or more gallons of water, the REO Speedwagon only held maybe fifty gallons of water.  There is a coupling that is fitted onto the driver's side of the truck that hooked to a hose firefighters secured to a fire hydrant which fed water into the tank for larger fires.  In its day, the fire truck was a vibrant red with gold trimmings painted on it and Owingsville F.D. painted in gold on the hood.  A simple 'O.F.D.' was also painted in gold on each side of the truck's body just behind the cab.  Only a couple of people could ride in the open cab, which left the other firefighters to ride on the side boards or tailboard to the fire scene.  One can envision this classic sight of a fire truck roaring down the streets as firemen hung onto the sides.

Eventually, standards in firefighting were streamlined and certain rules were established regarding how much water a fire truck needed to flow to effectively extinguish a large fire, rendering the REO Speedwagon truck obsolete.  The truck went out of service sometime before the fire department reorganized in 1975. Jeff Adkins, who has been a member of the Owingsville Fire Department since 1984, recalls seeing the 'Old REO' sitting at the service station that once stood where Owingsville Fire Department's station is now located.  Around 1982 or 1983, the truck was even decorated as a parade float and pulled through the May Day Parade.  As time went on, the REO Speedwagon was moved to the old water plant that used to be along Slate Avenue, and next door to Tom Byron.  Tom told Chief Staton that he was talking to the late Mayor William Steele and the mayor told Tom, "this old truck needs to go away somewhere soon".  Understanding the historical and local tradition the old truck had, Byron purchased 'Old REO' , saving it from being scrapped.  The truck was moved to a barn Tom owned and there it stayed for twenty-eight years. 

About a month ago, Tom Byron needed help repairing a tractor that was on the farm.  Randy Ferrell, who owns a local repair shop and tow service on East High Street, came to help Tom.  Along with him was Jeff Adkins, who had always knew the truck was somewhere on the property.  With permission, Jeff opened up the door to a barn and before him was "Old REO".  Randy and Jeff negotiated with Tom and was granted permission to haul the vintage fire truck out of the barn to the shop on a journey of restoration.  The truck is in quite remarkable condition; the vibrant red and gold paint has faded and oxidized, the tires have dry rotted and seat cushions are gone, but the truck is just stunning to look at. 

Owingsville's REO Speedwagon fire truck will be restored back to its original state over the course of the next several months.  If you attended the May Day Parade last week, you saw the truck poised upon

Randy Ferrell's roll back truck with Mayor Gary Hunt and Owingsville Fire Department junior member Jacob Purvis atop it.  Randy said that over the past month, several people have stopped to snap pictures or even asked to buy it.  The truck still belongs to Tom Byron, who has the original title dated 1932, and there are no immediate plans to sell it anytime soon. There are only 7,000 original miles on the REO Speedwagon, most of which were tacked on when the maiden trip from St. Louis to Owingsville was made. One piece of equipment that isn't on the truck is the old bell, which was donated to the Bath County Memorial Library in honor of Mayor Robert Gilmore, but an old pike pole and section of hose is still there.  The spotlight and red beacon light is still on the truck and appear to be in great condition.  Randy said the power plant six cylinder motor is in remarkable shape, and has been pulled out to be restored along with the rest of the truck.  As months go by, it will be interesting to see the restoration progress of this vintage gem of a truck; a true visual relic of Owingsville's history.

Hand crank type windshield wiper

Add caption

Faint Owingsville FD on the hood

Thomas Deye Owings, Military and Civic Leader



Colonel Thomas Deye Owings, 28th US Infantry

The War of 1812 is regarded as America’s Second Revolution.  The British Government had restricted trade during their war with France and had captured several thousand American merchant sailors and hundreds of ships loaded with goods.  They also opposed the annexation of America into the remaining British held territories of the Northwest, which is now the upper Midwest near the Canadian border.  In return, the United States opposed British support of the Native American tribes who fought the pioneers expanding westward past Kentucky.  In June 1807, the British ship Leopard engaged the USS Chesapeake, a frigate with deserters from the Royal Navy, at Norfolk, Virginia.  While on blockade patrol, Salusbury Humphreys, captain of the Leopard, ordered the Chesapeake to submit to a search.  Captain James Barron refused the order from the British naval officer, prompting the Leopard to fire on the American frigate.  The crew of the Chesapeake only managed to fire a single shot before being nearly decimated by the furious cannon fire.  Three of the Chesapeake’s crew had been killed with 18 wounded, including Captain Barron.  Realizing the gravity of the situation, Barron lowered his flag, signaling surrender.  Humphreys ordered the Chesapeake to be boarded regardless of the surrender, and four men were taken off the stricken ship, three of which were American sailors who had previously served on British ships.  This act sent shockwaves across the Untied States and a cry for retaliation was sounded.  President Thomas Jefferson responded with the Embargo Act of 1807; choosing to treat the issue diplomatically rather than with force.  This incident, known as the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair, helped spark the declaration of war five years later.

During this time, Kentucky was the known as the far western territory. The Mississippi River was the westernmost point in the United States, with territories in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan being mainly frontier occupied by natives.  American expansion into these territories and into Canada was hindered by native tribes who were supplied by the British.  Kentucky was a young state of only twenty years at the time war was declared in June, 1812.  A vast majority of those who would fight against the British and Natives came from Kentucky, including Owingsville’s namesake, Thomas Deye Owings.  Owings was the owner of the Bourbon Ironworks and successful businessman, securing a government contract in 1807 to supply the newly formed US Navy with cannon balls, grapeshot and canisters.  The war material was taken by oxcarts to a shipping point in Maysville, then loaded onto boats and floated down the Ohio River to the Mississippi to New Orleans.  When the War of 1812 broke out, Owings raised a regiment of 377 soldiers; mostly soldiers from Bath and surrounding counties.  On April 3, 1813, Owings was commissioned as a colonel of the 28^th US Infantry and attached to General Isaac Shelby, who, consequently, was Kentucky’s first governor and Revolutionary War veteran.  Shelby was again governor at the outbreak of the war, and was asked to supply troops to support the Northwest campaigns.  He was personally asked by future president General William Henry Harrison to join the fight and lead more volunteers in June, 1813, raising a force of 3,500 soldiers to fight the British and Native Americans.  Thomas Deye Owings’ regiment, under General Shelby’s force, was part of the recapture of Detroit in September 1813 and in October, participated in a significant battle that would help change the course of the war.

Shawnee Chief Tecumseh led a Native American tribal confederacy and was allied with the British Army commanded by Major General Henry Procter during the war.  Tecumseh opposed the treaties between the Federal government and the native nations, and wanted to reclaim the territories as their own.  With the coalition of the British, the confederacy was well equipped to match the Americans and had gained significant victories early in the conflict; notably the capture of Fort Detroit and control of Lake Erie.  A fierce naval battle on September 10, 1813 resulted in the British losing Lake Erie and cutting vital supply routes the British needed to sustain Detroit and other occupied territories.  Colonel Owings and 28 others from the 28^th Infantry joined Commodore Oliver Perry’s fleet as sharpshooters hidden in the rigging of the frigates during this crucial battle.  Immediately after this battle, General Procter began a retreat to a position near Lake Ontario at Burlington Heights; an act that would threaten to leave the native confederacy to fend for themselves.  Tecumseh objected to the retreat and argued to stay and fight the Americans, but relented and joined General Procter. 

General William Henry Harrison, with a force of around 3,500 infantry and cavalry which included a detachment of the 28^th Infantry including Colonel Owings, pursued the fleeing British a few days after the Battle of Lake Erie.  The army captured several abandoned boats and encountered several stragglers that were taken prisoner along the way.  The British army consisted of around 800 troops from the 41^st Regiment; Tecumseh’s warriors numbered around 500, both greatly outnumbered and outgunned.  The armies would finally meet along the Thames River near Moraviantown in present day Ontario.  Around daybreak, October 5, 1813, General Procter formed a battle line in an attempt to surprise and trap the American army.  Tecumseh positioned his warriors along a swampy area to the right of the British position to try to flank Harrison’s troops.  Unfortunately, Procter failed to fortify his position and left the field of battle unbroken.  James Johnson was ordered to make a frontal attack with his mounted Kentucky riflemen, breaking through the line under a hail of bullets from Tecumseh’s warriors.  The British were overrun; General Procter and 250 men retreated while the rest surrendered.  Tecumseh and his warriors stayed to fight, inflicting flanking fire into the Americans.  A charge led by Colonel Richard Johnson into the natives’ position was quickly stopped by intense firing, with fifteen of Johnson’s soldiers killed or injured; Johnson was reportedly hit five times.  The main force became bogged down in the swampy marsh during the fight, and at some point, a bullet fatally struck the great Shawnee Chief.  American reinforcements began to assist Colonel Johnson’s troops, and soon the native’s flank began to fail.  The warriors became disheartened after Tecumseh’s death and began a hasty retreat from the battlefield.  This victory was a crushing blow to the British and natives; securing the Northwestern front and Detroit in favor of the Americans.

After the war, Thomas Deye Owings returned to Owingsville, and welcomed as a war hero.  Word of his bravery and indirect assistance in the killing of Tecumseh fueled that sentiment among those around the already successful man.  He elected into the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1815 until 1818, and as State Senator in 1825.  In 1835, Texas sought to gain independence from Mexico, and Colonel Owings pledged 1,500 troops to support the Texas Revolution.  His own son, Robert Smith Owings, joined Captain Burr Duvall's army based in Bardstown and was sent to New Orleans to await orders to march into Texas.  From letters sent to various parties during this time, it seems Colonel Owings was financing the recruitment and munitions for the Kentucky army's Texas campaign.  On March 27, 1836, the Goliad Massacre took place when over 400 US prisoners of war were killed by the Mexican Army, including 75 Kentuckians an Owings' son.  In April, Colonel Owings and a regiment of troops numbering around 1,500 left Maysville on a steamer bound for New Orleans.  From there, the regiment planned to move into Texas, but the Texans' victory at San Jacinto ended the fighting before Colonel Owings' regiment could see battle. 

Thomas Owings was awarded land grants in Texas and settled in Brenham for the last sixteen years of his life.  He was prosperous as a land owner and businessman, but only returned to Kentucky for occasional visits.  His home in his namesake town of Owingsville became an inn and hotel and is still standing today as the Owingsville Banking Company.  The Bourbon Iron Works, the first iron industry west of the Alleghenies, made its last blast in 1838 and left to abandonment.  The stack for the furnace stands as a roadside park and is on the National Register of Historical Places. It is said that Owings was nearly bankrupt and at one point had over 250 lawsuits either as plaintiff or defendant due to his business ventures and land disputes.  At the end of his life on October 6, 1853, Thomas Deye Owings was given a Masonic burial in Brenham, Texas and still hailed as a hero of the War of 1812.
His family lineage stretches far and wide, with ancestors still living in the area around Bath County, Texas, Missouri and Maryland.  While it is commonplace now for those in military service and wartime campaigns to be awarded medals and ribbons, the War of 1812 only bore the award called the Congressional Gold Medal.  It is unknown if Colonel Owings received such a medal, but his service record is of remarkable distinction.  The First Division, 28th Infantry that Colonel Owings served under was deactivated and reorganized as 2nd Battalion, 19th Infantry during the Indian Wars in 1866 and lasted until 1869, when it was finally reflagged wholly as the 19th Infantry.  A third version of the 28th Infantry went into service during the Philippine War from 1901 until 1904, and fought with distinction in all major US conflicts through Vietnam.  Although not part of the original 28th Infantry Thomas Deye Owings was a commanding officer of, the 28th Infantry was my Army Basic Training unit at Fort Jackson, South Carolina (Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry).  While most Bath Countians only know what is written on the bronze historical marker outside the Owings House, the history of Colonel Owings' military and civic leadership is one that reflects well on the town that bears his name some 212 years later. 

The Old Springfield Presbyterian Church

The Old Springfield Church, April 2016

The cornerstones of any community are the houses of the holy.  This is especially true in Kentucky, where churches of varying faiths are quite abundant.  Early immigrants from Europe came to what would be the United States to exercise a freedom in religion; we all have read about the Pilgrims who sailed from England on the Mayflower in order to break away from the teachings of the Church of England and the Catholic churches, which they felt strayed from the true meanings of the Bible.  After the colonial settlements and mass migrations to the New World began, many others followed suit and sought to teach the Gospel, establishing places of congregation and worship along the wild, wilderness trails.  According to the history of Fort Boonesboro, Reverend John Lythe from the Church of England performed the first formal Christian religious service in Kentucky on May 8, 1775, under a large elm tree near the fort during a meeting to establish a colony called Transylvania.  A piece called The Kentucky Baptist History compiled by William D. Nowlin states the first organized church in Kentucky, called Severn's Valley, was constituted June 18, 1781 near present day Elizabethtown.  South Elkhorn Christian Church off Harrodsburg Road in Lexington was founded as early as 1784 and the Walnut Hill Presbyterian Church, also in Lexington, was organized in 1785 as a small cabin for pioneers to congregate and worship.  The Stanford Presbyterian Church was recognized in 1788; however, the church wasn't built and established until 1792.

Cane Ridge Meeting House, circa 1934

The Cane Ridge Meeting House, located in  Bourbon County, Kentucky near Paris was built around 1791 as a one room log structure made of roughly hewn logs and wooden slat siding.  It was the site of The Great Awakening Revival in 1801 and reportedly attracted over 10,000 people.  Today, the original structure is enclosed within a brick building and still in use today. 

The Presbyterian Movement can be traced back to Scotland, where a reform against the Catholic churches started around the 16th Century.  Reverend Francis Makeme is credited as organizing the first Presbyterian church in America at Philadelphia in 1706.  The sect of Presbyterians that came to Kentucky were derived from the Irish who had settled in Virginia.  David Rice arrived in Kentucky in 1783 from Virginia and is regarded as the 'father or Presbyterianism in Kentucky'.  He preached at the Stanford Presbyterian Church and was a member of the Kentucky Constitutional Convention in 1792.  As the region that would become Bath County was settled, the need for a place of worship was expressed. In the minutes of the Transylvania Presbytery Meeting held June 12, 1793, the Springfield congregation petitioned to erect a place of worship.  Located on the old road that connected Mount Sterling to Blue Licks, four-hundred acres of land was donated by William Robinson to build what would be known as the Springfield Meeting House.  At the time, this portion of land was considered part of Clark County; in fact, the Springfield Church as been, at some points in time, in parts of Clark, Bourbon, Montgomery and finally Bath Counties.

Map showing some of Kentucky's Counties, 1794

  Joseph Price Howe, a Presbyterian reverend, emigrated to Kentucky from North Carolina with his family and met with Robinson during the summer of 1794 to express interest in organizing the church, which would be located along the old Blue Licks road near a large spring that inspired the name Springfield.  That fall, Reverend Howe organized  what was at the time called the Springfield Meeting House with James Trimble as the first elder.  The first members were William and John Robinson, Jane McClure and William & Rebecca Moffatt.  The church was a small square log cabin built with the abundant timber that covered the area.  According to Edward Owings Guerrant's speech made at the Centennial of Springfield Church dedication on September 12, 1894, the church, at the time of its organization, was the only one in the area; the closest being at the Washington settlement in Mason County.  This is an interesting revelation, since the Cane Ridge Meeting House is regarded as being one of the oldest churches in Kentucky, and is nearer than the aforementioned church at Washington.  Another nearby church was organized in Montgomery County in 1794 along the banks of the Lulbegrud Creek near the Clark County line on Prewitt Pike; although the first record of a minister presiding over the congregation isn't noted in records until 1799.  It is also of interesting note that the Old Republican Meeting House was built around 1791-1793 (depending on which source is read) near Bethel, but the purpose of that meeting house has long been forgotten.  Aside from a very old cemetery adjacent to the location, nothing remains of the Old Republican Meeting House.  

A few weeks after the 1801 revival at Cane Ridge drew such an enormous crowd, Springfield hosted one of similar nature, but only drawing around 3,000 people, according to the diary of Reverend John Lyle.  Another revival in August, 1802 brought many more into the congregation over the course of a weekend.  By 1803, the Springfield Church congregation had increased partly due to the revivals and the small cabin was outgrown.  A larger, double log cabin was built by Andrew and James Richart in 1804 and used until 1820.  A third church was built on the spot we know today by Thomas Graves between 1820 and 1821; being a stone and brick structure. The title to the land donated by William Robinson didn't pass to the church trustees until 1816, when John Jones conveyed three acres that included the Springfield Church and adjacent cemetery to trustees James McIlheny, Rollins Burbridge John Lockridge, Andrew Shankland and James Graham.  It is unknown exactly how many people dedicated themselves to the Springfield Church during the tenure of Reverend Joseph Howe, but it is a fair bet that it was a large amount due mostly to his active role in the revivals.  An astonishing 384 marriages were performed at the church by Reverend Howe from 1795 to 1826; the first being Patrick McCollum and Elizabeth Saint Dreskie on May 7, 1795 (a list of these marriages can be found in Robert Stuart Sanders' 1954 book An Historical Sketch of Springfield Presbyterian Church, Bath County Kentucky). 

Grave site of Rev. Joseph Price Howe

Reverend Howe remained the pastor at the Springfield Church for thirty two years. He also preached occasionally at the Little Mountain Church in present day Mount Sterling and the Point Pleasant Church in Bourbon County. The last sermon Reverend Joseph Price Howe preached was at the Peeled Oak Church in 1827.  He passed away at his home in Mount Sterling July 11, 1827 at the age of 62 and is buried next to the church he organized.

A host of pastors manned the pulpit over the years at the Springfield Church, but the one of the most known aside from Reverend Howe was Edward Owings Guerrant. Guerrant was born in nearby Sharpsburg, Kentucky February 28, 1838.  After graduating Centre College in 1860, he received by the Ebenezer Presbytery as a candidate for ministry.  At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Guerrant joined the Confederacy and served as a staff officer for General Humphrey Marshall.  Later, he achieved the rank of captain in John Hunt Morgan's 2nd Kentucky Cavalry and participated in many campaigns during his time in service.  After the war, Guerrant studied medicine, graduating from Belvue Medical College in 1867.  Guerrant moved back to his native Kentucky and practiced medicine in Mount Sterling until 1873.  He was ordained and licensed by the West Lexington Presbytery October 30, 1875 and preached at Springfield Church, and others in Clark County, Louisville, Wilmore and Woodford County.

Rev. Edward Owings Guerrant

The Springfield Church's Centennial celebration was held September 12, 1894 and Reverend Edward Guerrant delivered the address.  He gave an historical account of the church's organization and a comparison of notable events and the age of the church, such as the birth of Kentucky in 1792 and the Indian raid at Morgan's Station that occurred the year prior to the organization of Springfield Church.  The entire address was published in the Mt. Sterling Gazette and provides some great information about the origins of the church.  Reverend Guerrant presided over the American Inland Mission and received the degree of Doctor of Divinity during his ministry.  He also became a well known author and published a memoir of his time with John Hunt Morgan that gave an intimate insight of a soldier's life during the Civil War.  It is said that Reverend Guerrant's oratory skills and dedication to the church was one of great favor among the congregations he preached to.

The dilapidated Old Springfield Church, circa 1951

Time and wear began taking its toll on the Springfield Church during the early 20th Century.  Spot repairs were made to make the building usable through the years as offerings would allow, but the congregation began declining.  Reverend Thomas Jackson Ray presided over the congregation from 1936 until 1943.  At the time of his death at age 40, Ray did dual duty at Springfield Church and the Menefee Memorial Church in Sharpsburg.  After his death, the Springfield Church lay dormant and fell into a shape of disrepair.  The doors closed and the people moved to other churches, leaving one of Kentucky's oldest churches and cemeteries to the elements.  Nature began taking the old burying grounds over; the tombs of Reverend Howe and many other early settlers disappeared under thick vegetation.  The church's roof and floor timbers began decaying as termites fed on the 120-plus year old structure.  Trees and native bushes crept up the walls, cracking the old brick and displacing the aged mortar.  It seemed the church would collapse and be lost forever.  In March, 1954, H.D. Bastin, Chairman of the Presbyterian Home Extension Committee, set out to revive rural churches, including the Springfield Church.  He appointed a local committee comprised of Frank Taylor, William and Mark Smathers, Stanley Brown and Frank Hill to see what was needed to restore and reopen the historic church.  A community call was put out and soon, a great many people came to rescue the ailing house of worship.  All of the labor and a vast majority of the material was donated.  The floors and window sills had to be completely replaced; the old wooden floor was torn out and 40-50 loads of rock were hauled in to fill the underfloor prior to the concrete being filled in.  The cemetery was cleaned up and the old stones replaced and uprighted as needed.  By September 19, 1954, the Old Springfield Church was again ready to accept a congregation.  Three services were held that day, morning, afternoon and evening.  The morning service had around 300 people present, the dedication service was at 2:30 p.m. and had over 500 in attendance.  A fellowship dinner was held at noon and many people from all over the state and even other surrounding states attended.   Visiting members of the Presbytery were in attendance and brought messages, including Versailles Presbyterian Church minister emeritus Dr. Robert Sanders, Lexington-Ebenezer Presbytery Executive Secretary Reverend Walter Maude, and  Elder H.D. Bastian.  The Sharpsburg Christian Church choir, along with the Stanton Presbyterian Church and Elizaville Presbyterian Church choirs, performed as August Schmidt from New Orleans played the piano.  Frank Taylor, the minister of the newly dedicated church,  praised the tireless efforts of the people of Bath and surrounding communities during his service by saying, "We have reopened Old Springfield, and we intend to keep it open."

The Springfield Church was known as the "Mother of Churches" as it's members spawned the organization of the Gilead Presbyterian Church in 1839 at Sharpsburg, the Sharpsburg Presbyterian Church in 1848, and the Owingsville Presbyterian Church, now the St. Julie Catholic Church, in 1876.  Indian Point Presbyterian Church in Maynard County, Illinois was also organized by members from the Old Springfield Church.   Several important meetings of the Presbytery were held at the church, including one in 1836 that debated the issue of slavery.   A petition to include the Old Springfield Presbyterian Church on the National Register of Historic Places was initiated in 1971, and finalized in 1979.  Today, a bronze marker is on the front of the church as a standing monument to the early settlers who paved a spiritual way of life in the wilderness of Kentucky.   In recent times, the congregation and ministers of Springfield Church have came and went.  According to the site Find A Grave, the cemetery holds 279 interments dating back to the late 18th Century to just recently.  Many of these graves are illegible now but for the most part, the stones are still standing.  Many other places where the ground is sunken are tell-tale signs of a grave with no marker and scatter the grounds here and there.  Several very old above ground stone boxes adorn the grounds, sealing the remains of those souls below.  The church once again is dormant and no longer holds services; I've been told it has been several months since the Gospel was delivered before a congregation. 

I recently visited the site for the first time and found it rather peaceful and intriguing; the history the site holds is immeasurable.  Just inside the wooden gate, there is a curious stone step-like structure that greets visitors.

Stones used for mounting horses

At first I thought it was maybe part of the original entrance to the cabin that was once there, but during the course of this research, I learned this was a step used by women to mount horses and coach buggies that once was the only means of travel.  The cemetery is quite large and extends well past the rear of the church over the three acre tract.  The church itself is locked tight and the stained glass windows offer no glimpse into the sanctuary; it would be sacrilege to gain entry illicitly.  It is my hope that the church and the hallowed grounds around it remain intact and taken care of until the doors open once more.

If you decide to visit this historic site, it is located on a remote back road that is populated with some families who are descendants of those who organized and worshiped in the Old Springfield Presbyterian Church; so be mindful and respectful.  Recent reality television shows have glorified paranormal experiences and people have been known to gather at the site to see if the spirits of those buried around the church are in a state of unrest.  Whether of not they have truly seen or heard something is a matter of opinion.  The fact is that the Old Springfield Church is a revered and hallowed place that has outlasted the times for over 222 years.

  

The Old Springfield Church is located on Springfield Road (KY Route 3289) in Bath County.  Directions are:  Off Kentucky Route 11 from Sharpsburg - head south out of Sharpsburg toward Mount Sterling approximately 2 miles.  Springfield Road will turn off to the left.  Go 3.6 miles down Springfield Road, the church will be on the right. 

From Mount Sterling, exit Interstate 64 at the 110 exit, go north on Kentucky 11 toward Sharpsburg approximately 7 miles.  Springfield Road will turn to the right.  The church is 3.6 miles down on the right.  An alternate route is to travel out Route 11 to the four-way intersection at Judy Drive In.  Turn right onto Kentucky 537 and travel approximately 3.5 miles.  Springfield Road turns left at a sharp curve, almost T-intersection.  The church is one mile down on the left.

From Owingsville - Travel US 60 West outside Owingsville toward Mount Sterling, go approximately 6.5 miles to Van Thompson Road at the Montgomery County line. Turn right onto Van Thompson Rd (Kentucky 537) and go 2.5 miles to a sharp 90 degree left hand turn.  At that point, a road will go straight at the curve, that is Springfield Road.   The church is one mile down on the left.   

A Hoss is a Hoss, of Course

One thing about growing up in a small town is the community events that are held throughout the year.  Owingsville has several notable events that have become part of the local tradition; May Day and the Lion's Club Horse show are two lasting events that still draw crowds today.  But, not so long ago, there was a time when Owingsville was filled with vendors, food, and outhouses on hot July days....wait, outhouses?

There was a local tradition each July that brought Owingsville together much like the May Day Festival called Hoss Tradin' Days.  Now, for the folks who are not from a small town or have never heard of the term, a hoss is a southern term for horse.  Back in the early days, every second Monday was court day, and vendors filled the streets selling produce, farm implements and livestock.  Horses, hogs and cattle were bought and traded all through the day while local merchants opened their shops for all to browse and buy the latest things.  Local saloons and taverns (yes, at one time Owingsville had such places) would be busy with patrons quenching their thirst and telling tall tales.  The most busy times for court day activity were the months of March, April and October. In addition to all the livestock bartering, street minstrels played their songs to anyone who would hear them and toss a coin into a hat.  Politicians mingled and shook hands of prospective voters during election times, and ministers preached the Gospel to the crowds.  As the modern age approached, the street spectacles of court days in Owingsville and 'hoss' trading went by the wayside.

Owingsville and Bath County went through a revitalization period in the 1960's and 1970's with focus on bringing people back into the town.  The Chamber of Commerce proposed and helped organize a modern era trade day to go in conjunction with the Lion's Club Horse Show, dubbed Hoss Tradin' Days.  Although there wasn't any livestock paraded down Main Street, stores opened their doors, vendors set up food booths and a small flea market atmosphere brought the town alive each July.  It was similar to the annual May Day Festival, without the parade.  Usually, an exhibition of some sorts in the middle of Main Street entertained the crowds, while bands played in the 'pocket' behind the courthouse or behind the library.  Perhaps the most entertaining event during this day was the outhouse races.  Teams consisting of local business groups built mobile outhouse props, some quite elaborately made, and pushed them from the intersection of North Court and Main Streets to the stop light.  It was all in the name of fun and friendly competition, with prize money awarded, that was usually always donated to a charity.  Prominent business owners, political figures, and elected officials got into the outhouses and hoped that the wheels remained sturdy and the structure didn't fall apart during the short race.  One particular race I recall involved late businessman Parley Richardson, who was in an elaborately designed creation.  As the team pushed his outhouse to the finish line, Parley, being the jokester he was, darted out of the outhouse in a pair boxers and his pants around his knees.  The crowd roared in laughter as he ran across the finish line ahead of the team. 

In 1992, I was a firefighter recruit with the Owingsville Fire Department.  We made a simple outhouse for the race that July and I was chosen to ride upon the throne, pun intended.  Our team consisted of Norman Crouch, Mike Crockett, Ricky Faudere, and Fire Chief Wes Everman.  We raced against Champ Maze's Law Office and came in second that day, but it was a fun event to have been a part of.  That was the last true Hoss Tradin' Days event I attended, as I left for military service soon afterward.

Hoss Tradin' Days lost its spark sometime soon after I participated; time, funding and other methods of entertainment became the biggest culprits in the demise.  The Chamber of Commerce attempted to revamp Hoss Tradin' Days in 2012 and relocated it to the Miller Shopping Plaza just outside of town.  Several local vendors set up booths to sell items, but it lacked the excitement of the former days.  Eventually, the idea fell short and again, Hoss Tradin' Days was scrapped.  Many residents have fond memories of the summer festival in town, some have expressed a longing for it to return; perhaps one day, Owingsville will again see the days of rolling outhouses down Main Street.