February 11, 1785, the Virginia General Assembly granted John Craig a ferry franchise. He opened Valley View Ferry, which continues to carry traffic across the Kentucky River between Madison and Jessamine Counties. The State Transportation Department operates Kentucky’s oldest continuous business.
On February 11, 1828, the General Assembly passed “an act to regulate civil proceedings against certain communities having property in common,” enabling citizens to sue communities such as the Shakers.
Kentucky Historical SocietyFebruary 11, 1867, Kentucky charted the Lynnland Female Institute, a private women’s liberal arts college in Glendale, a small community in Hardin County. One of Kentucky’s oldest women’s colleges closed in 1915.
On February 11, 1888, William Kelly died in Louisville during a quiet retirement. Credited to be one of the modern steel production inventors, he injected air into molten iron in the 1850s. Due to a financial panic in 1857, a company that had already licensed the Bessemer process also purchased Kelly’s patents using the Bessemer name. Kelly’s invention for the steel process is not well known.
February 11, 1914, State University, Lexington (UK) hosted and defeated the University of Tennessee, 21-14, in the Woodland Avenue Auditorium. Covington native Ralph Morgan was the only player to score in double digits, racking up 10 points for Kentucky.
February 11, 1920, the Phoenix Hotel in Lexington hosted a banquet to honor Kentucky’s legislatures. James H. Mulligan debuted his poem In Kentucky.
February 11, 1930, a delegation of Mammoth Cave National Park enthusiasts from Louisville and Bowling Green spoke to the General Assembly. They asked to move $1,500,000 from the road fund to an account that assisted in making the cave a National Park. They reached their goals 11 years later.
February 11, 1933, Judge Hardin, in Inez, ordered John H. Mills, 36-year-old cult leader, jailed for the strange “sacrifice” slaying of his mother at the height of a fantastic cult ceremony. Police also detained six other members of the cult.
February 11, 1937, Patrolman Willis Arthur Coy, Louisville Police Department, succumbed to injuries sustained four months earlier after a motorcycle accident while on patrol.
February 11, 1942, token fares on Louisville street cars and buses increased from 3 tokens-for-20 cents to 2 tokens-for-15 cents. The cash fare remained at 10 cents.
Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Benham native Bernard Tyrone Bickerstaff, born in 1944.
February 11, 1951, Army CPL Johnny W. Gibson from Pulaski County, Army CPL Allie C. Jones from Daviess County and Army PVT Howard J. Stewart from Fayette County, died in the Korean War.
February 11, 1953, the government announced they discovered a rare photograph of President Lincoln at Gettysburg in their archives. At one time, it was thought no picture of the President existed on the day of his famous speech.
February 11, 1960, the Army announced that for the 1st time, a supersonic missile killed another supersonic missile in mid-air on purpose. Star Wars had begun.
February 11, 1967, Army SP4 Marcus D. White from Berea died in the Vietnam War.
February 11, 1968, Army SP4 Given W. Bradley from Paducah and Navy PO3 Stephan L. Bechtel from Harrodsburg, died in the Vietnam War.
February 11, 1969, Army SP4 Kirk A. Woolley from Louisville died in the Vietnam War.
February 11, 1971, Lt. Gov. Wendell Ford told the Sierra Club that he would enforce the 1966 federal strip-mining law if elected governor. He then indirectly accused Governor Nunn of strip-mining violations.
February 11, 1979, Trooper Clinton Eugene “Clint” Cunningham, Kentucky State Police, died in a Franklin County ambush. He was shot in the back while investigating a false report of a burglary at a grocery store.
February 11, 1984, Kentucky’s Sam Bowie and Auburn’s Charles Barkley battled for position at Rupp Arena. #6 UK won 84-64 even though 7-foot-1 Bowie scored only eight points while 6-foot-6 Barkley scored 18 for the #16 Tigers.
February 11, 1988, UK History Professor Mark Summers balanced an antique chair atop his head as he pedaled home near the UK campus. “I purchased the chair at a downtown antique dealer,” Summers said, “and this was the only way I had to get it home.”
February 11, 1989, Kenny Walker won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest three days after his father’s death.
February 11, 1993, the James M. Lloyd House, a historic home in Mount Washington, was placed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
By Jennifer Mansfield-JonesFebruary 11, 1995, Cigar returned to graded competition in the Donn Handicap (GI) at the classic distance of 1 1/8M. The Donn was Cigar’s 4th victory on his 16-race win streak and Holy Bull’s last race.
February 11, 2000, Kentucky tobacco farmers told the world they were taking their fight directly to the White House after facing record quota cuts, slow sales of drought-stricken crops, and now the new threat of contract farming.
February 11, 2006, Maysville native and Volunteer Christopher Franklin “Chris” Lofton made a school-record nine three-point shots en route to a career-high 33 points in an 83–78 win over Georgia.
February 11, 2016, newly ex-Governor Steve Beshear aggressively attacked Governor M. Bevin’s new healthcare policies, stating, “Governor Bevin will be held accountable.”
February 11, 2019, Lowell Milken, chairman and co-founder of the Milken Family Foundation, surprised fifth-grade teacher Angie Beavin with Kentucky’s 2018-19 Milken Educator Award and $25,000, changing the outstanding educator’s life forever. Governor M. Bevin and Commissioner of Education Dr. Wayne Lewis, Jr. attended and helped with the surprise.
February 11, 2021, Governor A. Beshear declared a state of emergency after an ice storm battered most of the Commonwealth, leaving 70,500 people without power. He also unveiled dozens of new vaccination locations. To date, close to 500,000 Kentuckians had received their 1st dose. Meanwhile, in D.C., the 2nd Trump impeachment trial continued.
On February 11, 2022 Rand Paul tweeted about small businesses in his district.
On February 11, 2023, Rex Chapman sent 36 tweets. The most popular; a repost of the world’s largest aircraft that looked just like a big butt. He wanted his 1.1 million followers to read the comments.
On February 11, 2024, Mitch mongered for war by asking other senators to give away American tax dollars to other countries for “protection.” Once again, he fought for foreigners’ needs and defense contractors’ profits ahead of his constituents. His post read, “The choice facing the Senate is simple: Will we recommit to the American strength our allies crave and our adversaries fear? Or will we give those who wish us harm one more reason to question our resolve? We cannot afford to get this wrong.”