ESallie’s in Town!
5/1/18 Written by (or more accurately, in the spirit of) the infamous Sallie Ward of Georgetown’s Ward Hall
Hello, Sweeties!
I am once again in my beloved Kentucky, visiting my Aunt Matilda and Uncle Junius at Ward Hall, and painting Georgetown as red as I possibly can. It is just the grandest Greek Revival-style house in all of Kentucky and my darling uncle, Junius Richard Ward, paid for it in gold. The house is worth every penny of the $50,000, too, right down to its 27-foot-high fluted Corinthian columns.
The old fuddy-duddies down the lane believe I am rather saucy, which, in all honesty, I am. It is just so much fun! I love to use my quick wit to leave others speechless.The old fuddy-duddies down the lane believe I am rather saucy, which, in all honesty, I am. It is just so much fun! I love to use my quick wit to leave others speechless.
I wanted to share with you what I have been up to of late, on the off chance that you have somehow missed hearing about my latest frivolities. I do so love to entertain my friends.
Awhile back, my in-laws hosted a rather boring party at their home in Boston. My dear mother-in-law was horribly rude to me when I showed up at her party in my white satin bloomers and jeweled slippers. After recovering from her shock and associated fainting spell, she demanded that I go upstairs to my room and change my attire.
I consider myself a free spirit, and I just don’t do well with demands. As I was climbing the stairs, I thought to myself, “No one tells me what to do!” So, I stubbornly stood my ground there on her staircase, and for good measure, proceeded to take off the bloomers and slippers which she was so opposed to, right there in front of her highfalutin, Boston society guests. Needless to say, my marriage did not last much longer after that brazen display. I was bored in the north at any rate and could not wait to return to Kentucky.
While my divorce from Timothy Bigelow Lawrence could very easily have ruined me, as a divorce would have done to most women, I escaped that situation remarkably unscathed.
With my reputation miraculously intact, I decided to make a trip to Louisville, Kentucky. I must say, the staff of the Galt House Hotel are good sports. They could have been extremely offended by my eccentric behavior, but they kindly showed tolerance – even when I rode my horse up the grand staircase, which for me is relatively tame.
Of course, soon after that incident, on a dare I also rode my horse through the marketplace in downtown Louisville, and admittedly, made a mess of things. People seem to be so easily offended by anything these days.
The Courier-Journal still considers me the Belle of Louisville, a title which I adore and flaunt happily. In fact, I’m here at Ward Hall because my Uncle Junius is throwing a ball in my honor. It’s quite lovely to hear folks around town discussing the latest fashions and whispering my name in the same excited breath. From the Sallie Ward hat to the Sallie Ward shoe, folks who wear Sallie Ward fashions are obviously the most fashionable of all.
I hope my eccentricities have kept you amused. I’ll write again soon when my next round of scandals starts making waves in polite society.
With all my love,
Sallie
PS Come explore Ward Hall and hear about all my scandals. Tours take place the first two weekends of every month from 1 to 6 p.m. Visit www.wardhall.net/calendar.html to see all the dates available throughout the year or schedule your very own private appointment by calling 502-863-5356.
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Pete, the famous Talking Crow
Written by Spirit of Pete the Crow
This guest blog was curated in the spirit of Pete the Talking Crow, who once made a memorable albeit unwelcome habit of starting horse races before they officially started.
“Go!”
Yep. That’s my signature squawk – and the squawk that got me in trouble with horse racing.
My name is Pete and, while I only lived in Georgetown for three years, I made an indelible impression on the whole town.
I used to crow “Go!” to the horses at the racetrack, which would get them all riled up and confused and galloping toward the finish line before the race had officially started. Obnoxious? Or legendary?
Whichever way you judge, it was enough to earn me a permanent nest at the Georgetown-Scott County Museum.
I like it here. There are some neat exhibits, like the model locomotive and stagecoaches and part of the old post office. Also some special exhibits like the Smithsonian’s Hometown Teams. I get to greet visitors, show off my wings – very sleek thanks to a thorough sprucing up Michael McCord gave me – and share my story.
You probably didn’t know I lived here from 1829 to 1832 with my human, Dave Adams, my constant companion. Dave had a hat shop in downtown Georgetown but, I’m relieved to say, he never plucked any of my feathers for his toppers. And horse racing wasn’t the only sport I enjoyed. I loved fishing, too. If you’ve ever been to Elkhorn Creek, you know why it’s such a great place to drop a line – best small mouth stream in Kentucky. Scenic, too, with lots of trees for the flock.
Dave and I liked to stroll to the park downtown, eat in the restaurants and make small talk with the other shopkeepers. I could have had a long, full and happy life in Georgetown, but then some kid with a rifle came along and – BANG! He shot me and it was all over, including the shouting. No more “Go!” for me.
The good people of Georgetown buried me on the grounds of Georgetown College – but I can’t tell you where. That’s one secret that won’t pass this beak. You can still learn about me, though, through my animatronic double at the museum.
As I mentioned, I’ve been restored by Michael, a math and computer science whiz who also provides my voice. Nice, huh? Check me out at the museum. My favorite hobbies now are preening and posing and chatting up visitors.
And, yes, I still yell, “Go!” every chance I get.
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