| 1981 MONTHLY PICTURE |
|
 (click on picture to see an enlarged view) 1981 calendar art winner - (Old Harrison School - drawn by Cheryl Denton - 11th grade) |
Harrison School was built in 1901 or 1902 by the parents of children in the school district without any tax money from the County. The following year, the County began helping finance the construction of schools in other districts. Some of the early teachers were Jake Hood, Kenneth Garrison, Harry Read, Noel Harper and Rose Anthony. The building has been moved to the nearby farm of Woodrow Hughes and converted into a dwelling house. |
 (click on picture to see an enlarged view) JANUARY - (Lee Williams Home - drawn by Lee Tonda Minix - 11 Grade) |
This two-story frame house resplendent with its gingerbread trim was located on West Cherry Street, occupying the site of the present Allen County-Scottsville Middle School. Known as the A. Lee Williams residence, the house was built by W. H. Read on a portion of a 16 acre plot of land which he purchased shortly after the end of the the civil War. Having served as a Confederate soldier during the entire war, Mr. Read saw much action but had the good fortune to never receive a wound or be taken prisoner. He was elected Allen County Court clerk in 1882 and served until 1890. In 1905, he was elected treasurer of Allen County. The home was purchased from the Reads by Mr. A. Lee Williams and wife, may, in the early 1900's and here it was that their 3 sons and 3 daughters grew to adulthood. Mr. Williams served Allen County as Sheriff during the years 1918-1822. As a Mason, he served as instructor of candidates in the ritualistic work of the Masonic Order and was also a Shriner. The home remained in the possession of the Williams family until 1940 when the site was purchased by the Allen County Board of Education for the purpose of erecting the first county-wide high school. Upon the completion of the new Allen County High School in 1970, it became the middle school housing graded 6 through 8. |
 (click on picture to see an enlarged view) FEBRUARY - (Town Square - drawn by Elizabeth Shook - 12th grade) |
This picture of the Northeast portion of the public square was made from the yard surrounding the octagon-shaped courthouse. From left to right, O.S. Bryant's store, now occupied by Marsh's Variety; Miss Jenny Mulligan's millinery and notions shop, upstairs over the millinery shop was the law office of Bishop Huntsman. The next building is unidentified but owned by Scott Brown who had a law office upstairs over it. This building and the adjacent one - which at one time housed the firm of Settle & Welch, became part of the National Store. The next building was a drug store owned by Rice Hendrick with offices upstairs which housed Gilbert M. Mulligan's law office and a picture gallery operated by Alfred Settle. the next and last building was a general store owned by S. T. Hughes. Opposite, was a public well and watering trough. |
 (click on picture to see an enlarged view) MARCH - (Mt. Aerial Store - drawn by Brenda Kay Willoughby - 12th grade) |
Mt. Aerial store located in West Allen County on Highway 265 and is one of the oldest country stores in the county. It was common in the early part of the nineteenth century for the country store to also be a Post Office to serve the people in the area. Records show that a Mr. Willis E. Arnold was Postmaster at Mt. Aerial in June 1854. At one time there was a drug store across the road from the store and a Dr. Russell lived next door, a Dr. Alexander lived at Mt. Aerial (He was the Father-in-law of Mr. E. H. Hancock, Sr. who now lives in Scottsville). In 1907 when this picture was made, Mr. Presley Harrington was owner and Postmaster. The Post Office was later moved to Trammel and Mr. E. H. Hancock, Sr. was the first Rural Mail Carrier. Other owners of the Mt. Aerial Store were, Euclid Wade, Hayden Eaton, Ezra Payne, Ezra Davis, Audrey Duncan, Harry Willoughby, Ernest Willoughby, Sr., Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Willoughby bought the store in January 1954. After Mr. Willoughby's death in 1962 Mrs. Willoughby continued to operate the store until November 1979. Present owners are Mr. & Mrs. R. C. Herrington (as of 1981). |
 (click on picture to see an enlarged view) APRIL - (Read-Thompson Home - drawn by Maria Brogli - 10th grade) |
The home of E. H. Read, state legislator and civil War veteran, was built in 1874 on the Old Jackson Highway which is now 31-E. Timber on the farm provided material used in the constr4uction. Bricks for the fireplaces and chimneys were also made on the property. The original house had a small portico; in 1910 this was replaced by a full length front porch. The old stile block which was used for mounting horses still stands on the front lawn. This house presently is the residence of some of the Read descendants; it has been family owned for 106 years. |
 (click on picture to see an enlarged view) MAY - (Bald Field or Meng's County Store - drawn by Leanne Calvert - 12th grade) |
This country store was located 4 miles West of Scottsville just off the Bowling Green Rd. on the Old State Rd. and near a large spring that was once considered to be the site for Scottsville. Also this section of Allen County is known as "The Ball Field" because of a land grant given to the "Bald Family" of Virginia, this family is said to be the family of George Washington's Mother. After failure to claim the land it was divided and sold in tracts and in the late 1800's Mr. Posie Justice purchased a tract of this land and later sold the farm to the Guy Family, another land owner in this section was Mr. Willis Mitchell, in early 1900 Mr. D. R. (Doc) Gardner purchased a 4 acre tract from Mr. Mitchell and build a small store in 1910. In 1918 Mrs. Helen Gillmore Smith (Thomas) purchased the store from Mr. Gardner and enlarged the store to include living quarters Mrs. Thomas who now lives in Bowling Green and is known for her interest in History and Genealogy said "She sol everything in general merchandise but the "Buggy whip". Other owners and/or operators have been, George Lyles, Billy Meng, James Gillmore, Ina Meng. This building is still standing and is used as a garage for a private residence. |
 (click on picture to see an enlarged view) JUNE - (The Old Graham Mill - drawn by Jim Hogue - 12th grade) |
This old mill was located on the Chris Jones farm near what is now the Walnut Creek Boat Dock. In the late 180ss's during the "Granger" flood, the logs on the lower-side of the mill were washed away and weather-boarding was used on the lower-side of the building to replace the logs. |
 (click on picture to see an enlarged view) JULY - (Theophilus Read Home - drawn by Tina Gardner - 11th grade) |
The Theophilus Read house, located 2 miles north of Scottsville just off Ky. Hew 101 near Bay's Fork Creek and still standing, was built in 1811 on part of the 450 acres of land Mr. Read settled on when he moved to Allen County, Ky. (then Warren County) from Culpepper County, Va. with his wife Peggy Margaret Duncan Read in 1810. Theophilus Read was born in Virginia on Feb. 21, 1775 and died in Bourbon County, Ky. on Oct.3, 1821. Two of his brothers also came to Allen County around 1810. There were Samuel Read and Robert Coleman Read. The father of these 3 original Read settlers of Allen County was James Read of Virginia, his father was John Read who came to Virginia from England sometime before 1735. |
 (click on picture to see an enlarged view) AUGUST - (Mayhew's General Store - drawn by Diane Dedman 12th grade) |
Mayhew's General Country Store was built about 1910. It was located four miles west of Adolphus in the Pleasant Ridge community. It was built, owned and operated by Burt Mayhew. |
 (click on picture to see an enlarged view) SEPTEMBER - (Mt. Zion School - drawn by Rose Bewley - 11th grade) |
Holland, together with its neighboring community of Mt. Zion, contributed greatly to the early educational activities of Allen County. Local residents recall that in the early 1880's Andrew J. Dixon, a practicing physician, organized the Mt. Zion Academy and that he was assisted in 1891 by Miss Emma Guy, who as Mrs. Emma Guy Cromwell, later became Kentucky's Secretary of State in the early 1920's. In 1941 Mt. Zion was consolidated into the new Allen County High School as Scottsville, after the grades were moved to Scottsville in 1970 the building was purchased from the Allen County Board of Education by a corporation formed by citizens of the community and leased rent-free to Holland Industries, which increased the size of the building. |
 (click on picture to see an enlarged view) OCTOBER - (Early Sawmill at Gainsville 1904 - drawn by Tim Gardner - 11th grade) |
Shortly after the turn of the century this mill was operated on the I. N. Hunt farm at Gainsville, sawing axe handles from the timber in the foreground. Alex Hunt operated the mill in connection with a grist mill. On the same farm Mr. Hunt, pioneer tobacco dealer, bought tobacco in Allen and adjoining counties, graded and prized it in a large barn on this same farm and sent it to Lousiville. Buyers from all over the country came to Gainsville to buy the tobacco. |
 (click on picture to see an enlarged view) NOVEMBER - (Sulphur Springs Baptist Church - drawn by Jessie Bewley - 8th grade) |
Sulphur Springs Baptist Church is located about 2 miles off Highway 100 West in the New Roe community. It was constituted in 1798 by John Hightower who served as Pastor until his death about 1823. It is said to be by three years the oldest church in Allen County. It was organized under the authority of Old Union Baptist located on Drake's Creek in Warren County. Alexander Devin was a co-laborer of John Hightower in organizing the first churches in Allen and Warren County. Services are no longer conducted there, but a building is till standing. |
 (click on picture to see an enlarged view) DECEMBER - (Chapel Hill General Store & Bluing Factory - drawn by Tracy Mansfield - 11th grade) |
Chapel Hill General Store and Gluing Factory was located about 5 miles west on Ky. 100. It was owned and operated by the Graves Brothers, Pellie and Lattie who later became Doctors. the bluing factory was operated behind the store. The bluing was packaged in round boxes of sycamore made at a mill on John's Creek. They shipped this bluing to all surrounding states and as far west as Texas. |