A Princeton, Kentucky Mystery

Princeton, Kentucky in the 1880’s

Do you ever walk into an antique shop and find something that completely draws you in? Well it happened to my wife and I as we were perusing an antique shop in downtown Cadiz, Kentucky. My wife pulled down this photo and showed it to me. I had to have it. It had all the cool things in life: Horses, booze, food, and guns. We flipped it over and written in pencil on the reverse, “Princeton, Kentucky, 1880’s. That was enough for me. I am a history buff and most of my family are from Kentucky, so naturally I wanted it. Plus it is just a cool picture!

So for $15 we walked away with this little gem. We get it home, and really start inspecting the photo. What in the world is going on in it? At first, I think it might be an election of some sort, or a church gathering. Why do they have guns? Why is there a ham hanging in a tree? There is so much going on in this picture that I have no idea why these people are posing like they are. Is this a staged photo?

I am sharing this story, not because I have figured out what this photo is about, but because it is still a subject of mystery. And now, I am sharing this problem with you! And, it is just too cool not to share. If this photograph intrigues you, please share in the comments!

Discovering Nashville’s Gems: A Family Day Trip

Many people ask us how we manage to visit so many amazing places. Our secret? Exploring our own area first! You’d be surprised how many wonders you can find in your own town or region. In our case, we ventured into Nashville with my wife and two kids, eager to explore. We simply hopped in the car and drove, creating an itinerary as we went. Here’s what we did on our recent trip:

• Morning coffee conversation with my son led to a visit to Newsom’s Mill, a historic grist mill ruins located on the western outskirts of Nashville. We had a blast checking out what’s left of the dam and mill building, which has viewing decks that allow you to see the remaining remnants.

Newsom’s Mill

• Feeling hungry by 11:30 a.m., we headed to The Loveless Café, a Nashville landmark. Though the wait for a family of four was 1 hour and 45 minutes, we opted for takeout and enjoyed our delicious food on picnic tables outside the original café building.

• Next, we headed to downtown Nashville and visited the Tennessee State Museum, now housed in a brand new building. The museum’s prehistoric exhibit, featuring a mastodon jaw bone, was a hit with my son. We also enjoyed the museum’s many exhibits highlighting Tennessee’s rich history.

Tennessee State Museum

By the end of the day, we had discovered some of Nashville’s hidden gems and had a great time doing it! So, next time you’re looking for a family day trip idea, consider exploring your own area first. Who knows what wonders you might find!

Toledo Zoo

Hippopotamus at the Toledo Zoo. It is a really interactive zoo.

View of Cincinnati, Ohio from the Kentucky side of the Ohio River and Purple People Bridge

Nostalgia of Holidays

As the 4th of July is steadily approaching, I can’t help but get all nostalgic. I start thinking of Independence Days that have long past. I start thinking about the swimming pools, hot nights, and the booms and cracks that carry on well into the midnight hours. Or am I thinking about that scene from The Sandlot? The truth is, I don’t know if holidays ever hold a candle to those in the movies and shows that I grew up with. It’s funny how movies give us a since of nostalgia that we only seem to experience through television.

Whenever Christmas season arrives, I get all excited for the smells of sugar cookies and claymation Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, but it most always ends up with burnt cookies and a crappy antenna reception. Never the less, I still get all nostalgic and my expectations are always heightened because you never know if you’re going to have a television worthy kind of a holiday.

If you were wondering about The Sandlot reference.

If Destruction Be Our Lot

Woodland Mound Park overlooking the Ohio River

“From whence shall we expect the approach of danger? Shall some trans-Atlantic military giant step the earth and crush us at a blow? Never. All the armies of Europe and Asia…could not by force take a drink from the Ohio River or make a track on the Blue Ridge in the trial of a thousand years. No, if destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men we will live forever or die by suicide.” -Abraham Lincoln

Dinsmore Homestead in Burlington, Kentucky

Family Adventures

Who doesn’t like to throw their little scream machines in the car and head off on a great expedition? Well, it’s not always the easiest thing. We have a two year old boy and a three month old little lady, and sometimes just getting to the door takes about two hours. Regardless of the difficulties, we think it is important to give them experiences that take them out of the house and out into the world.

This past weekend we decided to keep it local and head down to the Lunken Airport for their Aviation Days. My son is a sucker for airplanes (they make him go crazy) and this was basically a car show for WWII warplanes. I do love to see the happiness on my son’s face, but it was pretty difficult to harness my giddy enthusiasm when taking in a B-17 Flying Fortress as it emerges from the clouds and rumbles down the runway.

B-17 Flying Fortress

This was a great chance see firsthand, these majestic pieces of history. They were the machines that changed the world and helped to preserve the freedom that we so often take for granted. We were pretty much happy with walking around scarfing down free hotdogs and gazing at cool helicopters and airplanes. As we were heading to the car, we passed a booth where one of the Greatest Generation was autographing a book written about his war service. This man, Herbert Heilbrun, was a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot who flew 32 combat missions during World War II. I thought to myself that this would be a chance of a lifetime to get a picture and autograph from one of a quickly fading generation of heroes and to thank him for his dearly bought contribution.

Herbert Heilbrun, WWII B-17 pilot

I am a pretty sentimental person so I had him dedicate the book to my son. My thinking is that when he gets older, he can open the book, check out the autograph and pictures of the day, and think about what this generation did to preserve his freedom. Herb was extremely personable and friendly and included a warm message for my son in the book. We then posed for a quick picture and we were off to enjoy another adventure because of people like Herb who fight everyday to keep us free.

Herb, my son Waylon, and me

War planes at the Lunken Aviation days in Cincinnati, Ohio.