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TODAY IN KENTUCKY HISTORY

November 11, 1836, Bacon College in Georgetown opened its doors.  By 1837, it had 203 students.  The college would change cities and names over the years while merging with other existing higher learning institutions.

November 11, 1899, the Carnegie Corporation of New York awarded Louisville $450,000 to build nine libraries in the city.

November 11, 1918, Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day,” when the Germans and allies ended World War I.

November 11, 1921, the 1st dedication of the well-known American Naturalization Tree at Camp Zachary Taylor took place.  The monument read, “On this spot several thousand aliens took the oath of allegiance to the United States during the World War 1914-1918.”  Erected 1921, by members of Fincastle Chapter, Daughters of American Revolution.”  A new tree dedication took place again in 2017.

Naturalization Tree Camp Zachary Taylor

November 11, 1931, Deputy Sheriff Boyd Westin Hatfield, Pike County Sheriff’s Office, died from a gunshot after responding to a disturbance call.

November 11, 1932, Patrolman Neil Regan, Covington Police Department, died as he exited his patrol car upon arriving at a man with a gun call.  Other officers returned fire, mortally wounding the suspect.

On November 11, 1940, as war raged in Europe, Africa, and China, Kentucky joined the nation and paid tribute to soldiers who gave their lives in WWI.  Federal, city, and county offices closed for the day.  In Lexington, locals held a brief memorial service at the War Mothers’ Memorial Tree at UK’s main entrance and another service at Curry Breckinridge American Legion marker on Courthouse Square.

November 11, 1950, a two and half-ton Army truck drove down Broadway with fancy floats and high-spirited marching bands in downtown Louisville while four F-15s roared overhead.  Fifteen thousand citizens enjoyed the Armistice Day festivities in unseasonal freezing weather.

November 11, 1954, America officially observed Veterans Day in place of Armistice Day for the 1st year to include veterans of WWII and the Korean War.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Lexington native Mary Gaitskill, born in 1954.  Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s Magazine, Esquire, The Best American Short Stories, and The O. Henry Prize Stories.

November 11, 1960, an estimated 10,000 people turned out in downtown Louisville with 50 military units to witness the Veterans Day Parade in low-freezing weather.

On November 11, 1969, Governor L. Nunn announced he cut 4,000 state jobs in four months, leaving 24,567 employees.  Later in the press conference, Nunn answered questions after his GOP “ally” attacked him over sour grapes when he didn’t get his way.  With two years remaining in his term, he declined a future run at the U.S. Senate but showed sincere interest in a federal judgeship.

Kentucky Trivia: In 2022, Kentucky employed 1,920,135 people—85% of whom worked for the private sector, 8.7% with the local government, 4.1% by the state, and 1.8% by the feds.  The state employed 79,485 people (4.1%) of the total employment.  Most (65.4%) worked in the education and health services sector.

November 11, 1971, Army SP5 Danny T. Jett from Sadieville died fighting in the Vietnam War.

November 11, 1971, the U.S. Senate approved a foreign military aid bill authorizing $1.5 billion to allies to spread “democracy.”

November 11, 1971, U.S. National Historic Landmark added Liberty Hall, a historic house museum at 218 Wilkinson Street in Frankfort.  American statesman John Brown built the home from 1796-1800, known for its fine Federal-style architecture.

Photograph By Christopher L. Riley

November 11, 1972, Kentucky played their final football game at Stoll Field/McLean Stadium.  Kentucky beat the Vanderbilt Commodores 14-13.

Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Louisville native Stephen Garrett, better known as Static Major, born in 1974.  The Grammy-winning rapper, producer, singer, and songwriter wrote Aaliyah’s hit Try Again.  He died in 2008 on a hospital operating table due to complications relating to a medical procedure.

On November 11, 1978, Americans renewed celebrating Veterans Day on the 11th day of the 11th month after celebrating it in October for several years.  The U.S. celebrated Veterans Day in October from 1971 to 1977.

On November 11, 1980, environmentalists braced for what they feared would be strong efforts to weaken federal clean air laws when President R. Reagan entered the White House.  They worried over potential delays in the already set mandatory auto exhaust inspections, relaxed regulations monitoring air pollution for manufactures, and cleaning up Bullitt County’s Valley of the Drums.

November 11, 1980, newly elected President R. Reagan and the Republican-led Senate delivered the largest defense budget to Congress.  They requested $3 billion more than the previous year’s $157 billion Pentagon budget.  Senators also requested that defense spending increase by 9% to 13% a year to allow for inflation.  Congress acknowledged the massive increase in military expenditures; however, they said it was important strategically.

November 11, 1984, after 42 years, America finally recognized the men of the 192nd Light Tank Battalion for their WWII fighting.  The acknowledgment came during a Veterans Day ceremony at Harrodsburg National Guard.  They all received a Bronze Star.

Kentucky Trivia:  Sixty-six members of the battalion, most of them from Mercer County, served in the Philippines in 1941, 18 days before Pearl Harbor.  Only 37 survived the war.  These men faced some of the most brutal combat Americans ever encountered.

November 11, 1990, America celebrated Veterans Day under the shadow of a Mideast War.  Alleged international war criminal, Secretary Dick Cheney, paid tribute to the American troops stationed in Middle Eastern countries.

November 11, 1995, in a lost season playing with a 4-7 record, Moe Williams would not go quietly.  He displayed remarkable skill running the football; the UK junior carried 40 times against UC for 227 yards in a 33-14 Wildcat victory.  He broke 31 Bearcat tackles.  Offensive guard Brandon Jackson said, ”It’s a privilege to block for someone like that.”

November 11, 1998, Hickman native Elvis Jacob Stahr Jr. died of cancer.  After graduating from UK in 1936; he attended Merton College at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar.  After World War II, he returned to the States and became a professor, and then dean of the College of Law before becoming president of West Virginia University.  Mr. Stahr’s other credentials include, U.S. Secretary of the Army, President of Indiana University, and President of the National Audubon Society from 1968 until 1981. 

November 11, 2000, Lexington held its 1st community-sponsored Veterans Day ceremony since 1968 when U.S. Rep Ernie Fletcher spoke to 300 locals at a Methodist Church.  About 150 gathered at Camp Nelson National Cemetery in Nicholasville, one of many ceremonies held around the state.

November 11, 2008, Jockey Julien Leparoux, 27, from Senlis, France, rode seven winners on the Churchill Downs Veterans Day card, which matched Pat Day’s June 20, 1984 feat.

November 11, 2011, Kentucky defeated Marist College 108-58 in the season opener to secure the 34th consecutive win in Rupp Arena under John Calipari, setting a new record for successive victories in the building.

November 11, 2016, Katie Schaftiein delivered quintuplets on her 26th birthday!  The four girls and one boy were born in Lexington.

November 11, 2018, the Kentucky International Convention Center hosted the 2018 American Bully Kennel Club’s 12th annual confirmation event; the 1st time the Bullys came to Kentucky.

November 11, 2018, UofL fired Bobby Petrino as head football coach with two games remaining in the season.  This happened during his 2nd stint (36-26).  His overall record for nine years was 77-35.

On November 11, 2020, Gulf War-era veterans accounted for the largest share of the American veteran population, surpassing Vietnam-era veterans.  Simultaneously, 91% were men, while 9% were women.  By 2045, the percentage of female veterans may double to 18%.

Imagine Entertainment released Hillbilly Elegy in select cinemas on November 11, 2020, before its streaming release weeks later, by Netflix.  JD Vance recalls his childhood in Middletown, Ohio, with his mother “Bev” and her parents from Jackson, Kentucky.  Ron Howard directed the story, which starred Glenn Close.

November 11, 2021, mask became optional at Oldham County Public Schools for students, teachers, and visitors.  

On November 11, 2022, several juveniles and staff members received injuries during what Kentucky State Police described as a “riot” at a juvenile detention facility in Adair County.  Troopers said some minors “assaulted a staff member, confiscated the staff member’s keys, and released other juveniles from their cells.”

By November 11, 2022, American taxpayers spent more than $1 billion on Afghanistan since the botched withdrawal, yet the Biden administration refused to account for the funds.  The State Department said it would not comply with an investigation request by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), to look at $146 billion in reconstruction expenditures since 2002.

On November 11, 2023, Thomas Massie sent one message in three posts.  (1/3): “Far better is it for ourselves, and for the cause of liberty, that, adhering to our wise pacific system, and avoiding distant wars of Europe…”  Post two and three are below.