Museum Director

Thursday night's Second Thursday program at the Bluegrass Heritage Museum has been canceled because the speaker, Estill Pennington of Paris, is ill. Pennington, who was to speak on "Master Works by Kentucky Painters," will be rescheduled. "We regret this, but these things happen," Sandy Stults, museum director, said. "It's just too late to find another speaker. " She added it was the first time in the nearly three years the museum has held Second Thursday programs that one has been canceled.

Wednesday is the final day for making reservations for next week's Second Thursday program at the Bluegrass Heritage Museum, 217 S. Main St. The June 11 program will feature a fundraising barbecue and Bluegrass music on the museum's patio. Music will be provided by Custom Made, featuring Van Ramey of Winchester. Reservations may be made by calling 745-1358 by 4 p.m. Wednesday. "The fundraiser is to help us reduce our debt," said Sandy Stults, museum director. She noted that it is especially important because of recently completed work on renovating a large section of the third floor.

Winchester Public Works employees, from left, Donald Lyle, Lee White and Pat Clark spread a layer of sand for a brick Memorial Sidewalk being laid in front of the Bluegrass Heritage Museum on South Main Street on Monday morning. Watching their progress in the background were museum director Sandy Stults and volunteer Chuck Witt. Witt places engraved bricks in the sidewalk. Anyone interested can purchase an engraved brick, either in honor of someone or in someone's memory, for $50 from the museum.

The Bluegrass Heritage Museum will offer the public a Halloween treat by extending its operating hours two days next week. In addition to its normal hours of noon to 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, the museum will be open until 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday nights. "This is a way for those who cannot come during regular operating hours to visit the museum and see all we've added," said Sandra Stults, museum director. Visiting speakers will be present to interpret the museum's various galleries relating to Clark County history, Stults said.

Volunteers are needed to help with tours at McDowell House Museum, South Second Street. Spring is a busy time at the museum when school tours are booked in April and May, said Carol Senn, museum director. Volunteers are needed for the docent program and also to help out with office work. Those interested will be provided a training manual, a DVD of a tour and tours from experienced guides to help new people learn how to lead tours. Individual training also will be scheduled to suit a volunteer's schedule.

"An Evening with Daniel Boone," will be presented at the Bluegrass Heritage Museum, 217 S. Main St., at 6:30 p.m. March 22.Steve Caudill, a native of Clark County, will portray Boone as he reminisces about a variety of events from 1778 to 1779, including the capture of Boone and other settlers by the Shawnee chief Blackfish and his braves while they were getting salt at Blue Licks and Boone's eventual escape and return to Fort Boonesborough to warn...

The Bluegrass Heritage Museum is seeking the public's help in updating and reissuing a 50-year-old history of the Civil War. “Civil War Days in Clark County,” a compilation of old newspaper articles, private journal entries, lists of soldiers, etc., was collected and originally published by the late Kathryn Owen, a noted local historian, to commemorate the war's centennial. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the war, the museum plans to reissue Owen's work, along with additional material, including maps, photos, articles and other material that was not available for the original publication, according to museum director Sandy Stults.

FORKLAND, Ky. - The Lincoln Museum at Forkland Community Center has new exhibits for the summer, said Wayne Thurman, museum director. Thurman said the museum has research materials about Forkland families and others in the surrounding area and new displays of wedding attire from people in the community. A new photo display and information about local churches and schools are also on exhibit. Wedding gowns, schools and churches are among the new things added to the museum. A half dozen wedding outfits worn by residents in the community are scattered about the museum.

Time is running out for submitting historical photos, maps and sketches for the Clark County Pictorial History Book being compiled by the Bluegrass Heritage Museum. "We have had a great response to the book, with people submitting hundreds of pictures," Sandy Stults, museum director, said. "In addition, we'll be including pictures from the museum's archives in the book," Stults said. The deadline for submitting photos, maps, sketches, etc., for inclusion in the book is Monday, Nov. 30. Material may be brought to the museum, 217 S., Main St., during business hours, noon-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The Bluegrass Heritage Museum, 217 S. Main St., recently received $1,000 each from three Winchester residents in honor of the late Maurice Dudley Flynn. Flynn, a retired rural mail carrier and farmer, died Feb. 22 at the age of 88. The three donors, who asked to remain anonymous, noted Flynn's interest in local history, and said they hoped their donations would inspire others to contribute to the museum's construction fund. "This $3,000 is very much appreciated and will help with installation of our new elevator," said Sandy Stults, museum director.

FORKLAND, Ky. - The Lincoln Museum at Forkland Community Center has new exhibits for the summer, said Wayne Thurman, museum director. Thurman said the museum has research materials about Forkland families and others in the surrounding area and new displays of wedding attire from people in the community. A new photo display and information about local churches and schools are also on exhibit. Wedding gowns, schools and churches are among the new things added to the museum. A half dozen wedding outfits worn by residents in the community are scattered about the museum.

The Bluegrass Heritage Museum is seeking the public's help in updating and reissuing a 50-year-old history of the Civil War. “Civil War Days in Clark County,” a compilation of old newspaper articles, private journal entries, lists of soldiers, etc., was collected and originally published by the late Kathryn Owen, a noted local historian, to commemorate the war's centennial. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the war, the museum plans to reissue Owen's work, along with additional material, including maps, photos, articles and other material that was not available for the original publication, according to museum director Sandy Stults.

Since the days when travel was largely done with a person’s own two feet, the history of human beings is a story of movement and transportation. Thanks to a partnership with the Kentucky Humanities Council and the Smithsonian Institute, the Bluegrass Heritage Museum will debut a new exhibit Saturday called “Journey Stories” highlighting the history of travel.  “It’s almost like the evolution of travel, first by foot, then horses. We have a whole section on airplanes,” said museum director Sandy Stults.The exhibit was developed by the Smithsonian Institute and will travel the country throughout the next year, including six stops in Kentucky.

A variety of special events has been scheduled by the Bluegrass Heritage Museum in the next few weeks. They will begin with Bluegrass and Barbecue from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25. Barbecue will be provided by Bob Tabor and live bluegrass music by Custom Made. The event will be held at the museum at 217 S. Main St., and is open to the public. Reservations are not required. A donation of $12 per person is suggested. Reservations will be required for Trolley Tours, scheduled Sept.

Time is running out for submitting historical photos, maps and sketches for the Clark County Pictorial History Book being compiled by the Bluegrass Heritage Museum. "We have had a great response to the book, with people submitting hundreds of pictures," Sandy Stults, museum director, said. "In addition, we'll be including pictures from the museum's archives in the book," Stults said. The deadline for submitting photos, maps, sketches, etc., for inclusion in the book is Monday, Nov. 30. Material may be brought to the museum, 217 S., Main St., during business hours, noon-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The Bluegrass Heritage Museum will offer the public a Halloween treat by extending its operating hours two days next week. In addition to its normal hours of noon to 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, the museum will be open until 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday nights. "This is a way for those who cannot come during regular operating hours to visit the museum and see all we've added," said Sandra Stults, museum director. Visiting speakers will be present to interpret the museum's various galleries relating to Clark County history, Stults said.

Wednesday is the final day for making reservations for next week's Second Thursday program at the Bluegrass Heritage Museum, 217 S. Main St. The June 11 program will feature a fundraising barbecue and Bluegrass music on the museum's patio. Music will be provided by Custom Made, featuring Van Ramey of Winchester. Reservations may be made by calling 745-1358 by 4 p.m. Wednesday. "The fundraiser is to help us reduce our debt," said Sandy Stults, museum director. She noted that it is especially important because of recently completed work on renovating a large section of the third floor.

Thursday night's Second Thursday program at the Bluegrass Heritage Museum has been canceled because the speaker, Estill Pennington of Paris, is ill. Pennington, who was to speak on "Master Works by Kentucky Painters," will be rescheduled. "We regret this, but these things happen," Sandy Stults, museum director, said. "It's just too late to find another speaker. " She added it was the first time in the nearly three years the museum has held Second Thursday programs that one has been canceled.

The Bluegrass Heritage Museum is offering Clark Countians an alternative to sitting in front of their television sets waiting for election returns Tuesday night. David Hurt of Berea, a Kentucky Chautauqua performer, will present a program of traditional mountain music on the banjo at the museum, 217 S. Main St. at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Many of the selections he will play and sing have not been heard in 50 years. Hurt, a retired farmer, plays both the guitar and banjo has acted at Stage One in Louisville as well as in Lexington theaters.

Gospel music will be featured at the Bluegrass Heritage Museum Friday night when Winchester native Jane Burnam appears in concert. Her performance at 6:30 p.m. will be the first in a series of special programs at the museum in conjunction with its special Smithsonian exhibit, "New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music. " Burnam received a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education, specializing in music, from Morehead State University in 1969. She retired from the Clark County public schools in 1996.