Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Georgetown native and controversial Union General Stephen Gano Burbridge , born in 1831. The “Butcher of Kentucky” commanded the Kentucky forces in 1864. When guerrillas carried out attacks against Unionists, he responded with martial law and handed out punitive actions against them.
August 19, 1881, Pulaski County native Brent Woods, 26, fought in New Mexico against Chief Nana and a small band of Apaches. After six men in his cavalry died, Woods took command and saved many of his comrades lives. Thirteen years later, he received the Medal of Honor for his action. Born a slave and freed at the age of 8, Brent joined the Army at 18 in Louisville. He died at 50 or 51 and rests in Somerset at the First Baptist Church.
By Unidentified photographer
August 19, 1884, City Marshal Jesse Offut of the Franklin Police Department , died as he and the city’s deputy marshal accompanied a prisoner to a local saloon. They had arrested the man for drunkenness and agreed to let him go to the saloon to secure a bondsman. As they walked along the street the prisoner fell back a few steps, pulled out a gun, and opened fire.
August 19, 1899, Fulton County lynched Squab Bolin, black male, for murder and robbery.
Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Perry County native Ronald Coleman “Spec” Lacy , born in 1929. After graduating from Winchester Shawnee High School; he attended UK and the Lexington Bible College. In 1955, he won Mr. Kentucky. In 1957, he won Mr. America and later voted the Most Muscular Man in America.
On August 19, 1933, the Kentucky Theatre reopened . The Phoenix Amusement Co. acquired the Kentucky Theatre and the State Theater in 1933. This opening night showed off improvements in the new sound equipment, repainted/recovered seats, and a raised floor to minimize future flood damage. In 1933, the company also owned the Strand and Ben Ali theaters.
August 19, 1934, Sheriff P. L. “Fay” Little, Menifee County Sheriff’s Office , succumbed to injuries sustained three days earlier when struck by an automobile while standing with a group of people at the scene of a fatal shooting.
August 19, 1946, Harcourt, Brace & Company published Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men .
August 19, 1951, Army SGT Alfred G. Borkland, Jr. from Jefferson County died in the Korean War.
On August 19, 1955, North Koreans shot down a plane with two Americans onboard. An observer, Charles Brown from West Louisville, went missing with the pilot. The story captured the nation’s headlines.
On August 19, 1960, the Air Force celebrated history’s 1st aerial catch of a capsule ejected from an orbital satellite, bringing man’s journey into space a giant step closer. They caught the device over Hawaii, which contained data from spy and missile warning satellites. Earlier in the month, the military tracked and found a Discoverer XIII Capsule in the ocean. Meanwhile, Washington began to talk about medical aid for the elderly. JFK favored the legislation, while President Eisenhower opposed it.
August 19, 1967, Damascus, with the “Shoe” on board , unleashed a powerful rush leaving the backstretch to win the 98th Travers Stakes by 22 lengths in record-equaling time in the slop. He had trailed by 15 lengths in the early goings. The second-largest crowd of 28,576 stood in awe.
August 19, 1968, Marine Corps PFC Herman G. Payne from Whitesville in Daviess County died in the Vietnam War.
August 19, 1971, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans preformed at the Kentucky State Fair on opening night.
August 19, 1978, the 109th Travers stamped its mark on one of the greatest seasons horse racing fans ever enjoyed when Alydar and Affirmed met for the 10th and final time. This running provided one of the most memorable objections in racing.
On August 19, 1982, Louisville’s airport authority finally approved plans for a new $50 million terminal and extended runways. It took a governor and a general to get it done. Governor John Y. Brown, Jr. and Brigadier General Carl Black worked together to make it happen.
On August 19, 1987, the Louisville Zoo announced they became a private foundation to expand and improve the 18-year-old facility, to hopefully make it self-supporting. A campaign to raise millions for a Great Ape House rose to the top of the agenda.
August 19, 1995, the D. Wayne Lukas-trained, Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner , captured the 1 1/4-mile Travers Stakes, in the slowest time in 14 years.
On August 19, 1999, the Kentucky State Police sold their confiscated weapons at auction for the 1st time, as required by the new state law. The state sold 214 guns for $33,800 and then bought protective vests. The Louisville and Lexington police departments refused to hold auctions in 1999 and still oppose the law today.
On Saturday, August 19, 2000, Tiger Woods clung to a one-shot lead, the same as Friday’s, at Valhalla Golf Cub in Louisville for the PGA Championship. No one reported parking issues.
August 19, 2003, a former Pulaski County deputy sheriff and his friends admitted to complicity in killing Sheriff Sam Catron. They gunned him down immediately after his campaign speech in April. The former deputy sheriff was running for sheriff against Catron at the time of the murder.
On Friday, August 19, 2005, Mayor T. Isaac signed a contract with SkyTel to provide downtown Lexington with Wi-Fi for the 1st time. Downtowners would now surf while walking outside or in buildings not connected.
August 19, 2008: a Lexington jury awarded the DiGiuros family a record-setting $63.3 million in a wrongful death lawsuit against Shane Ragland.
August 19, 2010, Army SPC Christopher S. Wright, 23, of Tollesboro in Lewis County , died in Afghanistan, fighting in Operation Enduring Freedom.
Wednesday, August 19, 2015, more than 1,000 UK students moved into their dorms . UK welcomed a record 6,600 students to campus housing in 2015 thanks to several new dorms.
On August 19, 2019, an Ashland doctor agreed to pay $1.4 million to settle accusations of defrauding Medicare, Medicaid and excessively pushing drugs on addicts . The settlement did not include a finding of wrongdoing. Drug pushers in white coats need to start going to prison instead of slaps on the wrist if the opioid crisis is to get better.
August 19, 2021, seemed to be a very stressful time for many Kentuckians. Schools across the state had difficulty finding employees, especially ones who would drive a bus. Governor A. Beshear warned that the state had reached a critical point with hospital capacity and staffing, and the facilities would be overrun with patients very soon. Nursing homes also faced challenges with vaccine mandates that contributed to labor shortages.
On August 19, 2023, the governor posted.
