TODAY IN KENTUCKY HISTORY

Kentucky Trivia ● Kentucky Tweets

June 27, 1778, George Rogers Clark’s army of about 200 faithful followers landed on nearby Owen’s Island at Falls of Ohio.  A small hunting party appeared soon afterwards, giving valuable information about the Kaskaskia.  Clark recruited them and proceeded under severe hardship to defeat the British and save Illinois Country for the U.S.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Louisville native Mildred Jane Hill, born in 1859.  Mildred composed the melody for Good Morning to All, later used as the melody for Happy Birthday to You.

June 27, 1860, the Queen’s Plate’s inaugural running took place at the Carleton Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.  The colt Don Juan earned 50 guineas with Queen Victoria’s blessing.  It is the oldest continuously run race in North America.

June 27, 1899, Fulton County lynched Henry Stewart, a black male, for an alleged robbery and assault.

June 27, 1906, the Louisa – Fort Gay Bridge officially opened at 4 p.m., connecting two rivers (Levisa and Tug), two states (Kentucky and West Virginia), two counties (Lawrence County, KY and Wayne County, WV), and two towns (Louisa, KY and Fort Gay, WV).

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Blackford native Robert Allen Baker Jr., born in 1921.  Robert is a psychologist, professor of psychology emeritus at UK, skeptic, author, and investigator of ghosts, UFO abductions, lake monsters and other paranormal phenomena.

June 27, 1932, Calumet Farm recorded its 1st victory in a thoroughbred race with the two-year-old Warren Jr., who won by a nose at Arlington Park.  He earned $850.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Kentucky’s 58th governor, Brereton Chandler Jones, born in 1939.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Lexington native and horse trainer John Veitch, born in 1945.  John won the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Proud Truth in 1985.

June 27, 1951, Army 2LT Jason R. King from Fayette County and Army PFC George W. Willett from Carroll County, died in the Korean War.

June 27, 1953, Army CPL Raymond F. Ringo from Menifee County died in the Korean War.

June 27, 1959, Chief of Police William Page Mason, Ravenna Police Department, died from a gunshot while attempting to make an arrest.  The suspect was also shot and killed in the incident.

June 27, 1968, a truck overturned off U.S. 421 in Leslie County and spilled 5,000 pounds of fatty acid into Beech Fork Creek.  The highly toxic acid killed all wildlife living in the water for an eight-mile stretch down the river.  As a result, the state threatened to implement a 1966 law for the 1st time to recoup the cost of stocking/cleaning the pond from the truck company that caused the damage if they didn’t offer to make good.

June 27, 1967, Marine Corps LCPL Kenneth R. Wright from Paducah died in the Vietnam War.

June 27, 1969, Army CPL Ronnie Lawson from Siler in Whitley County died in the Vietnam War.

June 27, 1970, Army SP4 Charles D. Pedigo from Lexington died in the Vietnam War.

June 27, 1971, deadly chlorine gas, leaking from a barge on the Ohio River in Louisville’s Rubbertown area, killed one worker, injured 13 persons and killed some trees and plants nearby.

June 27, 1972, Muhammad Ali (37-1) fought Jerry Quarry (43-5-4) in the Las Vegas Convention Center.  Ali had little trouble in his second go-around with Quarry.  By the fifth round he was entertaining the crowd, telling the ringside media, “This is an easy way to make a living.”  In Round 6, Ali decided to try to close him out, but Quarry remained on his feet.  The fight ended early in the seventh round after Ali, seeing that Quarry had nothing left, asked the referee to stop the fight.

June 27, 1975, Louisville native Bobby Nichols (head), Jerry Heard (leg), and Lee Trevino (back) were struck by lightning and burned at the Western Open.

June 27, 1975, the Buckhorn Presbyterian Church and the Greer Gymnasium received admission to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, the only facility or entity to be on the list in Perry County.

June 27, 1986, jockey Kent Desormeaux rode in his 1st race ever, and finished 3rd aboard a $2,500 claimer named Ducknest Coal Mine, at odds of 35-1, in the 2nd race at Evangeline Downs.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Louisville native Dominique Hawkins, born in 1994, Kentucky’s 2013 Mr. Basketball.

June 27, 1999, Police Officer Joey Tremayne Vincent, Greenville Police Department, was shot and killed after being ambushed by a suspect to whom he served a mental health warrant on a week earlier.

June 27, 2005, in McCreary County, KY v. ACLU, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Ten Commandments could not be displayed in court buildings or on government property.  The court claimed it violated the Establishment clause of the 1st Amendment, which prohibits the government from endorsing or supporting one religion above others.  Ten Commandments displays at the McCreary County courthouse in Whitley City and at the Pulaski County courthouses instigated the national ruling.

June 27, 2005, a 7-year-old boy killed his mother’s boyfriend in Paducah.  He was the youngest child to be charged with murder in Kentucky in 35 years.

June 27, 2007, Jockey Julien Leparoux, a 25-year-old native of Senlis, France, rode six winners from nine mounts at Churchill Downs.

June 27, 2009, Rachel Alexandra, won her 3rd Grade I of the year, the Mother Goose.  She set the record for fastest time and margin of victory, topping the legend Ruffian’s record.

June 27, 2017, Louisville native Chris Smith made his MLB debut for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Effective June 27, 2019, Kentucky named and designated the Kentucky Springseat Saddle (Minihan) as the state’s official saddle.

On June 27, 2019, Senate Bill 150 took effect.  Kentucky citizens could carry a gun under their coats, in their pockets, in a hip holster, or anywhere they desired without a permit.

On June 27, 2019, the Kentucky hemp industry lost a true visionary and pioneer, Dr. David Williams.  Dr. Williams was an essential and influential leader in the hemp revival — from his research efforts to his role as an avid spokesperson.

June 27, 2020, since Kentucky began to reopen last month, the government claimed the coronavirus preyed on Kentucky’s Hispanic community at an alarmingly high rate.  The claim offered no number of deaths, just positive cases.  Meanwhile, the LBGTQ community joined forces with Black Lives Matter in Lexington and Louisville to protest police brutality and systemic racism.

June 27, 2021, a study showed that the economic impact of rock climbers visiting the Red River Gorge increased significantly in recent years.  They estimated climbers spent $8.7 million annually in a five-county area around the gorge.  That spending supported 104 jobs and $2.6 million in local wages.  A similar report released in 2016 estimated annual spending in the region by climbers at $3.6 million.