Localtonians wish George Rogers Clark a Happy Birthday , born in 1752 in Albemarle County, VA. At age 20, George made his 1st trip to Kentucky via the Ohio River at Pittsburgh. He spent the next two years surveying land and learning about the area’s natural history and Native American customs. At 22, Clark’s military career began as a captain. During the American Revolutionary War, he was the highest-ranking American Military Officer on the Northwestern Frontier. In 1778, Clark traveled down the Ohio River and stopped at the Falls of the Ohio. He brought with him many soldiers and families who wanted protection from the Natives. He named their starting point Corn Island. Clark set up camp there, marking Louisville’s 1st settlement, earning one of his many nicknames, “Father of Louisville.”
November 19, 1804, John Caldwell, the 2nd Lt. Gov. of Kentucky , died in office, the 1st and only Kentucky Lt. Gov. to do so. He served under Governor C. Greenup, the 3rd governor. John Caldwell is the namesake of Caldwell County.
November 19, 1806, the Kentucky legislators elected Henry Clay, a Democratic-Republican, to his 1st U.S. Senator term despite being younger than the constitutional age minimum. He took the Class III seat a month later to replace John Adair’s term after the fall out from the Burr Conspiracy. Clay served four Senate terms, one in Class II and three in Class III, for a total of 16.5 years. His 3rd term lasted 11 years as a Whig, 20 years before the Civil War.
November 19, 1850, Richard M. Johnson, the 9th U.S. V.P. passed away in Frankfort . Born in Beargrass, VA, now Louisville, he was also Kentucky’s 9th Class II U.S. Senator for a decade. His wife, Jemima Suggett, “came from a wealthy and politically connected family.”
November 19, 1863, President A. Lincoln gave his three minute Gettysburg Address .
Tuesday, November 19, 1889, the 2nd Battle on Broadway occurred, seven days after the inaugural event . Agricultural & Mechanical College of Kentucky/Kentucky State/(UK) defeated Kentucky University (Transy), 7-1, to tie the football series.
Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Winchester native John Allen Tate , born in 1899 and the Commonwealth’s Poet Laureate from 1943 to 1944. During a summer visit with the Robert Penn Warren in Kentucky, he began a relationship with writer Caroline Gordon, whom he married years later. In 1928, along with other New York City friends, he went to Europe. In London, Tate visited with T. S. Eliot, whose poetry and criticism he greatly admired. In 1928, Tate published his 1st book of poetry, Mr. Pope and Other Poems , which contained his most famous poem, “Ode to the Confederate Dead.” That same year, Tate also published a biography, Stonewall Jackson: The Good Soldier .
November 19, 1909, Patrolman William Murphy of the Louisville Police Department died while investigating the sounds of gunfire near 19th Street and Baird Street off duty. When he arrived at the scene he located a shooting victim and was told that the shooter, the victim’s neighbor, had just entered his house. When Patrolman Murphy went to the suspect’s door and identified himself the man shot him, fatally wounding him. The suspect was apprehended but had his case dismissed on the technicality that Patrolman Murphy had no right to enter his home.
In November 1933, the Kentucky Association disbanded, sold the track’s grandstand, clubhouse, and demolished the stables. Due to financial difficulties, the 65 acre Lexington club disbanded after 107 years to construct a federal low-cost housing project. Keeneland’s front gatehouses with initials K.A. are among the few known markers left over from the historic track. Horse Racing in Central Kentucky and Jefferson County; Marjorie Rieser University of Louisville
November 19, 1945, Governor S. Willis appointed William A. Stanfill to fill Senator Happy Chandler’s Class II seat in Washington after Happy left to become the Baseball Commissioner. Stanfill served less than a year.
November 19, 1948, click to see mule-drawn wagons haul 21,000 pounds of tobacco into the Geary-Wright Tobacco Warehouse at 1086 South Broadway in Lexington. R. E. Tipton of Belmont Farm grew the crop.
November 19, 1951, the UK Wildcats, Coach Bear Bryant, and AD Bernie Shively accepted an invitation to play in the Cotton Bowl , its 3rd straight major post-season football game.
November 19, 1953, three African American attorneys became members of the Louisville Bar Association. A first for the river city.
November 19, 1955, Millersburg native Blanton Collier’s Wildcats ended their season by defeating #17 Tennessee 23-0. Coach Collier ended his UK career against the Vols 5-2-1. Kentucky finished this year with a 6-3-1 record.
Localtonians wish a Happy Birthday to Frankfort native, Miss Elizabeth born in 1960. The UK communications graduate broke barriers and became famous.
November 19, 1966, Army PFC Marion Watkins from War Creek in Breathitt County died fighting in the Vietnam War.
By Ryan Emmick By David Benbennick November 19, 1967, Marine Corps SSGT Arthur J. Sanders from Ashland died fighting in the Vietnam War.
On November 19, 1972, U.S. Attorney Eugene Siler for Kentucky’s Eastern District announced sentences for men charged with operating a moonshine still in Science Hill (Pulaski County), Closplint (Harlan County), and Pine Knott (McCreary County).
November 19, 1977, UK defeated Tennessee to win their 9th game in a row to go 10-1 for Fran Curci . It was the 2nd consecutive win over the Vols. The Cats finished 6th in the final AP Poll; however, they were placed on NCAA probation in December 1976, primarily recruiting violations. Since the days of Babe Parilli and Bob Gain, the best Wildcat football team was ineligible for either the league championship or a bowl trip.
November 19, 1980, Stripes starring Bill Murray and Harold Ramis, filmed a scene at Fort Knox
November 19, 1983, the Kentucky Center for the Arts held its grand opening in Louisville. The legislature established the Center as “the Commonwealth’s official performing arts center.” The Kentucky Center is the largest state-built arts facility in the country and built through a unique partnership of state, county, city, and private funds. Kentucky Center is one of only four performing arts centers in the U.S. with a fully staffed, comprehensive education program.
On November 19, 1993, Floyd County’s private prison, Otter Creek Correctional Facility, held its grand opening with Governor B. Jones in attendance. Inmates had been arriving 25 a week since late October. Today, the lockup is named the Southeast State Correctional Complex. This became the fourth private prison in the Commonwealth.
November 19, 1996, Space Shuttle Columbia STS-80 lifted off with Franklin Story Musgrave; who grew up in Franklin.
On November 19, 2001, General Colin Powell, while on the UofL campus, addressed the nation regarding the current Israeli/Palestine War in his first primary address as Secretary of State. Fourteen months later, Colin addressed the United Nations and lied the U.S. into war. Meanwhile, the White House confirmed that President G.W. Bush would eat a pre-Thanksgiving meal with Fort Campbell soldiers.
November 19, 2010, a coal company owner donated $1 million to the $2.3 million Harlan County High School football stadium , the county’s 1st track and field stadium and one of the state’s best.
On November 19, 2016, Coach M. Stoops, in his 4th year, won his 6th game in a season and became bowl-eligible by defeating Austin Peay. The Cats went bowling for 1st time since 2010 but lost to Georgia Tech in the TaxSlayer Bowl 33-18. Meanwhile, Governor M. Bevin flew in the state’s private plane to Adventureland Park in Iowa with four bottles of Maker’s Mark, one of 67 out-of-town trips he made in two years.
November 19, 2018, Dunbar graduate and UK student Hadeel Abdallah became a Rhode Scholar , the 1st female and the 10th UK student, the last one selected in 1955. On the same day, a Central Kentucky farmer pleaded guilty to stealing $2.6 million through insurance fraud.
November 19, 2021, a jury cleared Kyle Rittenhouse after he shot three white men; two died. The jury agreed he killed in self-defense in riots over a white cop who killed a black man. The legacy press used his story to further divide the country after confusing the facts. The trial helped explain the details.
November 19, 2022, Governor A. Beshear took a swipe at Big Pharma.
On November 19, 2023, Governor A. Beshear posted to his social media account while scaffolding surrounded the Capitol Dome to replace the 80-year-old terra cotta tiles, make structural repairs, and remove algae and other organic material.” The multi-million-dollar project began in 2022 with an expected end date in 2025.
