What We Lost when Ashland was Saved
By Cameron Sumner Walpole After a monumental career as a senator, Secretary of State, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Henry Clay, the “Great Compromiser,” died in 1852 at …
Hello world!
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!
Reminiscences: The Ice Storm of 2003
You can always count on wild weather in Central Kentucky, and local museums and historic homes take great precautions in defense against extreme conditions. For Curator and Site Manager Eric …
Henry Clay’s Run for the White House: Teacher Resource
No mid-19th Century American presidential election was complete without Henry Clay! He ran for the presidency five times, winning his party nomination three times! As we know, however, there was …
Henry Clay’s Run for the White House: Teacher Resource Read More »
Creating a Place of Shared Identity
Did you feel that? It felt like the earth shifted on its axis and nothing seems the same. There is widespread anxiety and uncertainty about the future of this country. …
Family Bible
One of the more interesting aspects of some artifacts is the physical journeys they make. Kelly from Pennsylvania submitted her husband Mark’s family bible which has traveled a long way in its …
Chest and Trunk
As is often the case with Americans, we can trace our ancestry back to immigrants who came here searching for a new life. The same can be said of many …
Rookwood Pottery Tiles
Newspapers have been a part of Lexington life since the early years of its existence. For over one hundred years, the Lexington Herald and Lexington Leader were the two main …
Muskrat Skin Stretcher
The state of Virginia plays a prominent role in the family history of many Kentuckians. For Ken from Lexington, his roots run back to the tidewater of Virginia and this …
Banjo Ukulele
Music is a common thread that binds many Kentucky families together. While Steve from Lexington has ancestors from Ohio, he is still connected to them through music. This banjo ukulele belonged to his grandfather who played …
Family Quilt
Heirloom quilts like this one, submitted by Susan from Lexington, have long been passed through families. This hand-tacked scrap quilt was made by her great-great grandmother and passed from mother to daughter until it reached Susan. These …
Childhood Home Painting
Gaynell from Greenville, KY was born in Ohio County in a house that her grandparents previously operated as a hotel and riverboat stop on the Green River. They called it The Barnard …
Liberty Hall Clock
There are many museums in Kentucky that, like Ashland, make history every day. One that has many connections with Ashland is Liberty Hall Historic Site in Frankfort, the home of Kentucky’s first …
Campaign Medal
One of the great constants of U.S. history is politics. As long as there has been a United States, there have been presidential elections and many families have a tradition of …
Pocket Watch
For many years, people have kept time with pocket watches. Brad Clay from Ohio (a distant relative of Henry Clay) inherited this one. It was given by his great–great grandfather in Carter County, KY to his great-grandfather when …
Racing Silk Quilt
Few things are more “Kentucky” than Thoroughbreds and the quilt submitted by Sue from Lexington was meant to convey that Kentucky spirit. Though Sue is not a native Kentuckian, she has lived in the Commonwealth for …
Milking Stool
Kentucky has a long and rich artistic tradition and often Kentuckians make gifts of their art to people they care about. Diana from Lexington received this beautiful milking stool from her …
Sideboard
This sideboard (larger image on top) was made by Henry Clay’s brother Porter Clay. Sideboards were used to put out food or drink to be served in the dining room …
Arrowhead
Jerrye from Lexington collected this arrowhead while on a walk along the Licking River in Morehead in 1982 and has kept it as a family memento ever since. Jerrye’s family lived in Morehead, KY and enjoyed the …
Stereoscope
Right now, many people are stuck at home and are looking for ways to access the wider world without leaving the house. Bettye from Versailles did that as a child …