McDonald's Park

 McDonald's Park, one of Crittenden County's almost forgotten places. 

McDonald's Park (This little article was found in The Crittenden  Press, July 20, 1961)

Cruce McDonald and wife, Gustava, and daughter, Sandra, were hosts to a Crittenden County officers' Picnic July 7, at their park located on the north side of Little Piney Creek in a beautiful level spot hemmed in by a steep hill and the winding creek. 

 

 The land is fairly level, populated with stately old trees and carpeted with green grass pleasingly kept. This park is located on the McDonald Farm and is known all around as the McDonald Park. 

 

There were over 85 people that attended the picnic. Those who were present sincerely hope that the event will be repeated again where friends and neighbors may gather together and discuss the problems of the day and ways and means of making the community better. 

 

There are numerous facilities for picnickers pleasure including an outdoor cooker, lights, a small shelter house and some seats. The park is located just off the Old Flynns Ferry Road

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Sandra McDonald Belt, shares with us that her father, Cruce, created the park, and the facilities.

 

 With large rocks located in the area and a large metal screen, he built the large outdoor cooking pit, also built the small shelter and provided picnic tables for the visitors. 

 

 He also provided the electricity so the park would be usable at night. He also kept the grounds in top shape by mowing and cleaning.

 

The beautiful little park was well known and people from miles around came to use the park for family reunions, church gatherings, and just simple fun picnics with the family. 

 

 At the time the Riding Clubs of both Marion and Fredonia were a big thing and they would have trail rides to the park. Most would ride their horse to the park and they would even stay all night, preparing their night and morning meals on the open fire pit. Their horses were well cared for also with the fresh water from the creek that ran close to the park. 

 

 Here are some folk enjoying the park.  Must have been a Sunday School picnic by the way they are dressed.

Press Honors Our Senior Citizens in the year 1928.

 In the year 1928, The Crittenden Press did several issues of honoring the county's citizens that were eighty years old or older.  This is one of the articles.  It was honoring Mrs. Fannie Travis that lived on Brown Mines Road in Frances, Ky.  Dated August 31, 1928.

August 31, 1928

Mrs. Fannie Travis was born February 13, 1844, in the home of her father, William Redd, which was then located on the Dycusburg and Salem road.

Her mother, Elizabeth Waddell Redd, was born in Virginia and came to Kentucky when about seven years old, her parents having located in Trigg County. Mrs. Travis paternal grandfather, also named Wm. Redd, came of a long line of distinguished ancestors famous in both English and American history, located in Trigg County about 1800.

He built a large brick home which still stands near Cadiz. His son, Wm. Redd, Mrs. Travis’ father, came to Crittenden about 1840 as manager for the Cobb Foundry Company, of Cobb’s Furnace which was located about one and one-half miles below Dycusburg near the Cumberland River. This was at that time a thriving center of industry and commerce. The town, dwellings, stores and offices are now gone but at that time the furnaces alone employed more than fifty white men and over 200 negroes. Mrs. Travis remembers very vividly this hustling, bustling town now vanished for the map.

She was married in 1866 to Lt. William L. Travis, who was born in Livingston County, son of Blake Travis, and who organized Co. K of the 17^th Kentucky Cavalry at Dycusburg, following the robbery by Confederate forces of his store at Canton, Kentucky (also on the Cumberland River.)

Mrs. Travis had ten children. The following named eight are still living: Mrs. Tom Wring; Mrs. Etta Stubblefield; Mrs. Pollie Patton, Mrs. Birdie Peek, Mrs. Nellie McKinney, Mrs. Maye Perkins, Mrs. Miriam Simpkins, all of Crittenden and Mr. Phil S. Travis of Salem. Her only brother, Wm. Redd III, also resides in Marion.

Mrs. Travis did not witness any action during the Civil War but was near the fight at Salem. He stories of the earlier days of Crittenden County are very interesting and historically valuable.

In spite of her eighty years she is very active and more alert mentally and physically than many people half her age. Her friends say that they have never seen her angry nor heard her say an unkind work of any one.

(Note) Mary Frances “Fannie” Travis died March 7, 1936, and her husband William L. Travis died Dec. 30, 1905. They are buried in the Owen Cemetery, near Frances, Ky.

Marion Band of 1910

Years ago band concerts, held in the courthouse yard, were very popular.

In 1910 these were the local men that made the music.  Front row left to right:

Douglas Clement, Jim Hicklin, Ollie Tucker, Bandmaster Mr. Lawson, Ashley Kemp, Jim Travis, Harry Hammond, William Rochester and Medley Cannon.

Back row: Walter Guess, W. E. Potter, Carey Henry, Mr. Lawson's son, Noble Hill, Jeffrey Travis, Dugan Ramage, Ira Sutherland and Lee Easley. 
 

The old gazebo was a favorite gathering place to hear the local band play on week-ends.

North Main Street 1919 Fire, (post #2)

 An old article found in The Owensboro Messenger, Owensboro, Kentucky, Wed. July 23, 1919, gives more information on the fire of July 22, 1919 that destroyed a section of Marion Business section.  Since The Crittenden Press office was destroyed in this fire, it's good to have information saved in another newspaper for details that we wouldn't know.

Marion, KY July 22, 1919.  More than half of the business section of this own was completely destroyed by fire of unknown origin, which broke out at an early hour this morning.  the loss is estimated at about $250,000.  Most of the buildings were well insured.

When discovered at 3 o'clock the fire was raging in the Crittenden Press building, owned by S. M. Jenkins, of this city.  It soon spread to the Marion Bank building, which was also destroyed and then consumed the R. F. Dorr furniture store, the Haynes Drug Store, Moore's grocery store, Asher's grocery, D. O. Carnahan's dry goods store, Marion dry goods store, Chandler & Chandler's grocery store, Mayes & Mayes dry goods store,  and all other buildings in the block -except the Masonic Temple.

In all, eight two-story brick structures were absolutely gutted. 

 It is believed that the fire many had originated in the Crawford Rankin Dry cleaning establishment.

The town has no water works system and the fire was fought solely by bucket brigades, in which practically all of the men of the city worked strenuously.

The flames spread very rapidly, although there was no strong wind, and this latter fact was responsible for the saving of the business buildings that were not burned.

No lives were lost and no injuries suffered.

Although the Crittenden Press building was owned by Mr. Jenkins, the paper was recently sold to J. S. Hogard.  The newspaper plant was wholly destroyed.