Kiwanis Bridge between Bells Mines and Sturgis

 Long Journey for the Bridge Across Tradewater River from Bells Mines to Sturgis

People that lived in the northern section of Crittenden County was cut off from nearby Sturgis in Union County by the Tradewater River. The community of Bells Mines was much closer to the town of Sturgis than the 20+ miles to Marion, but no bridge across the Tradewater River sometimes made it difficult to get to Union County. A small ferry boat was available most of the time or you found your own means to cross the span of water. From the articles in the old Crittenden Presses as early as 1897 the fiscal court knew a bridge was needed in this area.

As with many new projects that cause change this one had its problems and setbacks too. Here is the story of the Kiwanis Bridge with the idea starting as early as 1897 and finally was finished 29 years later in 1926.

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April 8, 1897, At the regular term of the Fiscal court on Tuesday April 4, J. N. Culley (Culley was magistrate for the district of Bells Mines) and E. L. Nunn were appointed commissioners to report on the most practicable place to build a bridge across Tradewater; also as to the kind and probable cost of such a bridge. It was also ordered that the county judge of Union county be requested to appoint similar commissioners to act in conjunction with the Crittenden County commissioners.

Several years past without any further news or updates of this much needed bridge. Perhaps Union County wasn't interested just yet.

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April 6, 1916 – Want a Bridge Across Tradewater

H. L. Culley, Horace Smith, John Wascomb, Hon. Phil Winston, all of Sturgis, Ky., F. L. Black, Wm. Brown, Hon. E. L. Nunn of this county, and others came before the Crittenden County Fiscal Court in the interest of a bridge across Tradewater at the mouth of Cypress Creek

This is one of the main county roads and a bridge should be built there at once to give the people of that section an outlet. Union County will build a turnpike to the county line at the crossing, so that people will have a solid rock road to market all the year.

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August 19, 1920 – The Federal Highway To Be Built

On last Friday August 13, a few citizens of Sullivan, Union County were in our city agitating the question as to the location of the Federal Highway, and the crossing on the Tradewater River.

It has been our information that former Commissioner Rodman Wiley settled this question more than a year ago, and why some few of our citizens will listen and continue to assist a few disgruntle citizens of another county to rob the citizens and taxpayers of our own county of the prospect of a road that rightly belongs to them is somewhat a mystery.

On the 18 day of June 1918, every man who voted for the $150,000 road bond did it with the specific understanding that the road should cross Tradewater at or near the mouth of Cypress. Every man who signed pledges to donate money to augment this sum for road purposes signed a paper that was explicit in stating that the road should cross Tradewater at this point. A resolution unanimous adopted by the Fiscal court, published and put before all the people of the county designated Cypress for crossing.

We believe this road should come into this county by crossing Tradewater at or near the mouth of Cypress, because it was promised the voters by those in charge of the campaign; because it will benefit directly all the northern part of the county while the other will not; because it will connect, directly, almost all of the county with the coal fields of both this and Union county; because the assessors books show that the farm lands touched by the Cypress are valued at $30,000 or more. Why a suggestion of another route has been talked about is a little bit mysterious and one wonders about the motive of the talk.

They Cypress route serves ten to one more Crittenden County people and furnishes ingress and egress to a far more extensive and productive part of the county than the other.

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June 23, 1922 – Bridge Meeting

Some forty or more citizens of Morganfield and Sturgis, representing the Kiwanis Clubs of these cities drove over from Union County Tuesday to attend the bridge meeting held at the court house here Tuesday. Owing to the lack of proper advertising only a small number of Crittenden County people were present at the meeting.

County Judge E. Jeffrey Travis gave the opening address explaining the object of the meeting. He told them he wanted the bridge. He said the people of the two counties were not as closely allied as they should be. Mayor Kern of Sturgis gave the next address. He advised co-operation between the two counties and said the building of the bridge would be the means of more closely uniting the people as neighbors and friends.

Supt. Herbert of Bell Coal & Navigation Co. said the citizens of the northern part of Crittenden deserved and ought to have the bridge. He said that in the days of Daniel Boone and the Indians when they wanted to cross Tradewater they crossed in a boat. He told them that in that respect that part of the county had not improved – they still had to cross in boats. He said it was not right to force those people to endanger their future lives by cussing like a blue streak every time they tried to cross Tradewater and got stuck in the mud.

The meeting closed with an address by J. F. Dogge in which he said he was interested in both counties and wanted the bridge so that he could better make the trips back and forth.

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June 9, 1922 – Bridge To Be Built Across Tradewater

The Union County Fiscal Court met in a call session on last Saturday and voted to build a bridge across Tradewater at the mouth of Cypress, at the same time voted $12,000 or more if necessary for construction of same. A date was set for a joint meeting of the Crittenden and Union County courts to meet at Sturgis to discuss the final plans for the much needed bridge.

This bridge has been needed for the convenience of all the northern part of the county and Judge Travis says he is doing all he can to have it completed before the year is out. (But not to happen yet for it seemed several of the fiscal court members were “agin” the whole thing and a lot of the town people wasn't convinced it was a worthwhile project to spend money on.)

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August 10, 1923 – Fiscal Court News

The Fiscal Court met with Judge E. J Travis and County Attorney E. D. Stone and all the magistrates being present. The court adjourned to meet with the Fiscal Court of Union county to confer as to whether the bridge at the mouth of Cypress built by order of the two counties would be accepted or rejected.

The party of officials motored over and consisted of County Judge E. J. Travis, E. D. Stone, P. R. Taylor, Miss Leaffa Wilborn, L. A. LaRue; F. M. Davdison, P. F. Paris, S. F. Peek, Charles LaRue, Will Hardesty, J. L. Rankin, R. L. Holt and Henry Simpson.

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August 27, 1926 – Tradewater Bridge Now Open To Traffic

The bridge across Tradewater river, on the Highway between Sturgis and Marion, was opened to traffic for the first time Saturday of last week. The structure, one of the largest all concrete foundation bridges in Kentucky, was finished about July 15^th. Messrs. W. M. and J. S. Quirey, who had the contract to make the fill at each end of the bridge, completed the work in about thirty days. Between five and six thousand yards of dirt was moved in order to do this. Since the Kiwanis Clubs of Union County worked so hard to see this bridge built it has since been known as the Kiwanis Bridge.

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                                        The Kiwanis Bridge built in 1926.

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The old one-lane Kiwanis Bridge which was so hard fought for, for so many years, had served it's purpose, and needed replacing many years later. In 1982 it was replaced with a new two- lane modern concrete bridge. The new bridge was constructed just downstream from the location of the old one.

Working on the new bridge that is there today - 1982

The old Trail of Tears

 Following the trail once traveled by the Indians on Trail of Tears.  Starts at the Crittenden/Caldwell County line at the bridge. 

The old roadbed runs north west across country that casts the impression of land that had been long ago cleared for farming, to what is now known as the Campbell Cemetery. 

As the road then curved and took a more directly westward course past the old T. H. Stephenson (Nancy Tabor's home) and across present Highway 70 and the ICRR tracks 

past the old Cookseyville meeting house, now called Sulphur Springs Church. 

The road then reassumed its northwesterly course running over Clements Hill and through the beautiful View Valley and across Claylick Creek at the fork-off of the Wallace Ferry Road, now known as the Sisco Chapel Road. 

 It then followed the route of the road now call Salem-View Road over Childress Bluff to what is now the New Salem Church on Highway 60. It then followed the old Salem road which runs about a quarter of a mile north of Highway 60 to a SR 133 junction at the present main street of Salem .  It followed SR 133 through Lola, Joy, passed Mandy Falls and Mantle Rock (where the Indiana stayed) before traveling on to Berry's Ferry to cross over into Golconda. 

Livestock Field Day Set At Quarry

 This interesting article appeared in The Crittenden Press, June 8, 1972

Livestock Field Day Set At Quarry, By John Lucas

Acting area extension agent Rankin E. Powell urges all county farmer’s and interested persons to attend the Crittenden County Livestock Field Day which is slated for Wednesday June 14.

 

The field day is sponsored by the area extension office, Production Credit Association and the West Kentucky Land and Cattle Company.

 

A full day of activities are planned which will include viewing the underground feed lots located at the Alexander Stone Company, touring farms owned by Gaines P. Wilson of Louisville, seeing modern hay handling equipment, a free bar-b-que lunch, and afternoon speeches by the field day sponsors.

 

Activities are scheduled to begin at the Alexander Stone Company located approximately seven and one-half miles north of Marion on Highway 60. Powell said that those coming should arrive around 9 a.m. and that the tour of the underground pens would begin at 9:30 a.m. 

 

Using the approximately 40 acres of tunnels that the Alexander Stone Company has quarried for limestone was first envisioned by Edward O’Nan, Wesley Nick and Gaines P. Wilson as a way of treating calves which had pink-eye.

 

It was later expanded to a full scale operation. Presently there are only about 200 cattle and 450 hogs being housed in the quarried tunnels, but plan are being made so that they hope to eventually house up to 4,000 or 5,000 cattle and an undetermined number of hogs. In charge of the operation presently is Froman "Hoppy" Lovell.

 

Water is being piped into the caverns from reservoirs about ground. Not only does the operation use ground which can’t be used for anything else, the underground system maintains a constant temperature of near 60 degrees and produces no weather or fly problems. Lovell said that the animals seem to stay calm and quiet in the subdued atmosphere.

 

 

After touring these facilities, plans are made to tour the farm of R. R. "Shorty" Holland and the Gaines P. Wilson farm which joins it. 

 These are located approximately four miles north of Marion on highway 60.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the main drawing cards on these farms will be the exhibitions of modern hay handling equipment.

 

This equipment will be shown with an emphasis on field stored hay. This will include equipment capable of making t he regular and large round bales and equipment which will make the stack. All of this equipment is designed to produce a bale which will shed water to protect the hay from the weather.

 

If the weather permits, actual demonstrations are planned. Otherwise, examples of the stacks and round bales will be on display.

 

Powell said that many area farmers are turning to this type of hay storage because of the difficulty of getting labor to put the hay in a barn and because the cost of doing so was prohibitive. He added that when the hay is left in the field there is also no added cost of taking it from the barn to the field.

 

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FYI: Another interesting fact about the quarry tunnels - From February 24, 1972.

Shelter Approved.  The tunnels at Alexander Stone Company, which has recently been surveyed and approved by the Army Corps of Engineer's as a fallout shelter for Crittenden County.  The tunnel complex would serve 15,6954 according to Murray Fox, Chief of the Civil Defence branch.  The survey was conducted at the request of Charlie Hodge, Crittenden County Civil Defense director. 

(In 1972, the general danger of a nuclear bomb was high as the world was in the midst of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union) 

 

The Old Folks Meet - 1897

 

Crittenden Press, July 22, 1897

The Old Folks Meet

The old folks meeting at Sugar Grove Saturday was one of the most unique and joyous events ever had in the county.

The young folks frequently have their gatherings, but it is not often that the line is drawn at sixty years, and all beyond that mark "especially invited." Such was the gathering in the beautiful grove at Sugar Grove church Saturday.

While others were there, and welcome, too, it was the old folks’ occasion, and never did the light heart of youth beat with as sincere pleasure as thrilled the souls of these our honored friends whose silvery locks tell us that they, have been with us "lo, these many years," as they shook hands with each other Saturday.

It was a favorable day for the occasion and everything possible was done to make it a day pleasant and profitable to the venerable sires and matrons who should gather to enjoy the day. A very large congregation assembled, many more than could be seated in the beautiful and commodious church house of Sugar Grove.

At 10:30 a prayer service was conducted by W. T. Oakley, and the prayers had the old time ring of the days past and gone – prayers full of fervency and of pleading for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

At 11:00 the congregation enjoyed a very able and comforting sermon preached to the old people by Rev. J. T. Barbee, pastor of the church.

At noon an excellent dinner was spread of sufficient variety and excellence to satisfy the appetite of all the most fastidious. The old people all ate together and were amply supplied with that greatest of luxuries, excellent hot coffee. The noontide hours were delightfully spent in social chat in which the old folks recounted many striking reminiscences of the past.

The afternoon hours were spent in an old fashioned prayer meeting, conducted by Uncle William Hill.

It was a very interesting meeting. Several of the gray haired veterans of the cross led in prayer, the old songs were sung, several earnest talks were made, and the services closed with an old fashioned hand shake and general rejoicing.

Doubtless there were more old people present than been together for a long time. Quite a number testified that they had been Christians forty eight or fifty years, and they were not tired of the way. The day will be crowned with sweet memories by those who were present.

The following is a list of the names, and the ages of the old people who attended the Sugar Grove Old Folks Day" Saturday, July 17, 1897.

E. H. Porter, 66 

Rev. W. B. Crowell, 77 

H. H. King, 70

W. D. Givens, 70 

W. M. Brown, 67 

W. H. Asher, 70

J. D. Boaz, 67 

J. A. Jacobs, 63 

A. D. Crider, 62

W. J. Brantley, 74 

Field Brantley, 72 

R. C. Lucas, 73

W. P. Lamb, 76 

W. B. Crider, 64 

Joe Newcom, 73

F. M. Stevenson, 65

 L. B. Hunt, 64 

H. C. Gilbert, 76

J. C. Brown, 70 

Elijan Hughes, 65 

R. L. Wilson, 61

I. N. Cain, 62 

Jas. Btler, 72 

W. J. Bruce, 73

H. B. Stembridge, 62 

P. H. Woodsides, 64

 B. A. Enoch, -

M. A. Lamb, - 

Sue Pickens, 68

 Huldah Lamb, 81

M. A. Newcom, 73 

M. A. Steward, 70 

Mrs. E. Hughes, 61

L. E. Redd, 71 

S. C. Nunn, 64

 M. V. Beard, 61

P. E. Williams, 67 

M. M. Campbell, 78 

N. E. Wheeler, 65

Mary Long, 71 

M. L. Jacobs, 61 

J. Bugg, 68

(P.S. I wish they had used their full names instead of just initials)

The Gold Rush - Reunion of "Fortyniners"

 On January 24, 1848, at Sutter's Mill in Coloma California, Jim Marshall saw a yellow object glistening in the mill race.  Picking it up he found it to be a small nugget of gold.  Thus began the California gold rush.  

Every color, nationality and class was represented in the Forty-Niners - young men of rich families shopkeepers, farmers, workman, including a large number of criminals of the worst type.

 Many who started for California in the gold rush died on the way, and all suffered extreme hardships.   

Word of this great find also reached Crittenden County and several from this area went to find their fortune.  There is very little to be found about who traveled from Crittenden County to California, we have a few names. Some of the men that traveled to the west were: Tom Robinson, George Boaz, George Adams, William Barnes, Jim Barnes and William H. Franklin.  We do not know if all the men that returned to Crittenden and Livingston counties struck it rich in the gold fields or not, but they were considered to be men of influence in the business world at their deaths.  I wish they had shared their adventures when they returned to Crittenden. 

To add some more history and information on this subject, from the Crittenden-Record Press – May 26, 1905 was the following article.

A Gathering of Veterans of the Plains

Wednesday was a bright pleasant day and with the beginning of the day there was clustered around the entrance to the New Marion Hotel a small bunch of men with snow white hair and frosty beard. There were ten in all and it represented almost all of those who survived of the many who crossed the western plains from 1849 to 1852 to seek a fortune in the California gold fields, and who at this time reside within fifty miles of Marion. They have a little organization, which they call "The Forty-Niners", and they had gathered here to hold their annual reunion. 

 

After spending the forenoon in making inquiries, one of the other, of some friend of the plains, and calling up incidents that happened on the plains, they then followed their chairman and historian John Montgomery of Providence in the dining room of the New Marion Hotel where with a few invited guests they partook of a bountiful repast.

 

After the noon hour they met in session to reorganize and Montgomery was re-elected chairman. Time was then devoted to the calling up of events of the plains, and Rev. James F. Price of this city, one of the guests, was called upon to read Montgomery's history of the trip across the plains. The various parties that crossed the great plains and the great mountains from the Mississippi Valley to California from 1849 to 1852, made the trip in about six months. The parties making this journey consisted of from ten to twenty-five in each party. 

 

The names of pioneers attending this meeting, together with their age and place of residence, is as follows:

John Montgomery, 72, Providence 

Judge J. F. Ingram, 70, Princeton

Robert B. Nunn, 73, Owensboro

 D. L. Bryan, 72, Marion

James R. Stalion, 79, Carrsville

 James A. Trimble, 70, Carrsville

George M. Cash, 78, Kuttawa 

 Thomas Robinson, 75, Lola

B. J. Spratt, 81, Princeton 

Marcus Dunkerson, Lisman

After the meeting, the "Forty-Niners" thanked the citizens of Marion for their interest and the many courtesies shown them, and hoped to meet them in Marion again soon.

AMERICAN LEGION, Ellis B. Ordway Post 111

 

The American Legion Formed

Crittenden Press, November 7, 1919

It is well known by our readers that early this year a movement was set on foot by some of our soldiers returned from overseas service to organize into some kind of an association, to preserve the military traditions, and lessons learned from the great war.

 

This movement has met with approval of the majority of our soldiers, sailors and marines, and in many states chapters have already been formed, with local county organizations.

 

Here in Crittenden County this movement was started at the dinner given our boys by the Good Road Association early in June, and it is a matter of much regret that no further action was taken by the officers elected at that dinner, which would have resulted in a permanent organization.

 

The Press believes in Crittenden County, and stands ready to aid, in every way, to the limit of its power, in the up-building of this county. We believe that a county organization of our boys would be a mighty good thing – good for the boys and good for the county.

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November 1921 – American Legion Post Organized

Several ex-service men met at the Marion Barber Shop Monday evening to organize an American Legion Post for the men of this county who served in the late war.

 

A large representation was present and much enthusiasm was manifested. preparations were placed on foot to get a permanent chapter.

 

The name selected for the local post is the Ellis B. Ordway Post No. 111, being named in honor of the first of Crittenden young man who lost his life on foreign fields. He died of wounds received in action, on July 26, 1918 in France. His body was returned to the United States in March 1921, and buried with military honors at Crayne Cemetery. 

 

Twenty-one ex-service men have already signed up as members of this Post and others have signified their intention of doing so. Temporary officers were elected to act till the charter is granted. Rooms have been selected and arrangements are now under way to furnish them for the use of the members. These rooms will be open at all times and money for this purpose is now being raised. (The first American Legion location was in the upstairs rooms over Wheeler’s Antiques on East Carlisle Street.)

 

There will be another meeting of ex-service men at the Marion Barber Shop Monday evening at 7:00 o’clock and all ex-service men who served between April 1917 and November 11, 1918 are urged to be present at this meeting.

 

The Post will open their permanent quarters and club rooms the first of the month.

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The charter for Ellis B. Ordway Post 111, Marion, Kentucky, was granted on March 28, 1924.

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Total membership of this post on March 1, 1991 was: Two World War I members; Forty-one World War II members; and Ten Vietnam members. Total: 57

***

Due to lack of membership and interest in the organization by local veterans the Ellis B. Ordway Post 111 was disbanded in April of 2016.

Singing School at Hood's School house and Shady Grove

Hoods Singing School - 1911 

Singing Schools in Crittenden County

In the 1900s, singing schools were a significant part of American communities. These were essentially short, intensive courses in music instruction, usually lasting for a few weeks led by itinerant "singing masters." 

 

Singing school was a brief course of musical instruction devoted to the teaching of note-reading and sight-singing, with a focus on sacred music. The primary purpose was to improve congregational singing. Printed manuals, or tunebooks, containing instructions, scales, etudes and sacred choral music were used as teaching materials.

 

Singing masters taught basic musical literacy and the mechanics of singing. This often involved the use of shape notes, a simplified system of musical notation where different shapes represented different pitches, making it easier for those with limited musical training to read music. (This sounds difficult to me, but I never was able to carry a tune, even with music. I can’t imagine trying to sing a song by just looking at the shaped notes.)

 

Generally these schools lasted two weeks. The opening night would see the school divided into two groups. The beginner's group would be instructed in note reading, singing the scale and then singing by note. The advanced group would be composed of those who could do the above. They would be instructed in harmony and in "singing by parts", tenor, bass, alto and soprano in their individual classifications. The results accomplished were amazing. 

 

Singing masters went out to train people how to sing and to encourage young people to further their education. What these persons learned by the end of the school remained with them and enriched them for the rest of their lives. They knew the rudiments of singing. They taught others. The elementary training continued to bear fruit and help church singing wherever they went. They could get a few people together, select those with a little talent and soon had them singing as a choir.

 

Singing schools were more than just music lessons. They were important social gatherings that brought communities together, providing opportunities for interaction and even courtship.

 

From the archives of The Crittenden Press we can re-visit some of these musical affairs from the past.

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August 9, 1917 A Big Time At Shady Grove

The singing school convention at Shady Grove, Sun. July 29, under the management of Guthrie Travis was a grand success.

Although the weather was uncomfortably warm there was a large crowd gathered early in the day. there were six choirs present, Shady Grove, Blackburn, Cave Springs, Enon, Crewswell and Beckner’s Chapel.

Dennie Hubbard leader of the Shady Grove Choir, in his welcome address, made us feel like we had come to the right place. And James Canada, from Walnut Grove in a few well chosen words, made responses to Mr. Hubbard’s hearty welcome.

Then we had singing by the different choirs, and at the noon hour after we had refreshed ourselves by eating dinner, we spent the remainder of our intermission in having a good time speaking with our friends.

In the afternoon we had more singing by the different choirs interspersed with some special singing and then general discussion of the singing convention. After this all the choirs joined in singing that grand old song, "Sweet By and By," then we were dismissed and all went home with gratitude to Mr. Travis and the good people of Shady Grove for the nice time we had enjoyed.

***

Guthrie Travis

Guthrie Wynn Travis, the leader of these Singing School Conventions was the 3^rd child of W. C. M. and Georgiana Travis. He was born at Bells Mines in the year 1871. In his later years he and his family lived at Blackford and Providence, KY.

He taught how to read music and also trained many choirs in Crittenden and adjoining counties. He also wrote music for several songs, some of which found their way into books used in Sunday schools and church work. Guthrie Wynn Travis died Nov. 22, 1963 at the age of 92. He is buried at the Blackford Cemetery in Webster Co. KY.