African Americans in the Bluegrass
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IIDEA GGUIDE AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE BLUEGRASS Lexington Visitors Center Whether you are spending a day, a week or longer in the Bluegrass 215 West Main Street Region, you and your family will learn fascinating information about Lexington, KY 40507 (859) 233-7299 or (800) 845-3959 African Americans. Gleanings from your travels will become answers www.visitlex.com to questions that you might not ever have thought to ask. History in the Heart of Downtown stood near Main Street. The historical marker giving an The public square at the center of downtown account of the sale of African Americans stands in the was platted in 1780 as the site of the courthouse for the northeast courtyard on Short Street. It was placed on newly established town of Lexington. The square has the former site of the whipping post, erected by order of always been, and still is, a place where significant events town trustees in 1806. and community activities have occurred. Archive The impressive Romanesque design courthouse, records tell of a fight between a school teacher and a the fourth built on site, was erected between 1898 and wildcat, controversial slave auctions, military drills, Civil 1900. The Tandy and Byrd Construction Company, War skirmishes, riots, hangings, speeches and fires that owned by African Americans Henry Tandy and Albert destroyed previous courthouses. This history has been Byrd, laid the brick under the stone façade. The building inclusive of African Americans both enslaved and free. was renovated in 2018, and now houses several business - By 1789, an area of the es including the Lexington Visitors square had been designated as a mar - Bluegrass Note: A number of Center. ketplace and named after the market nationally known individuals started In 2009, Cheapside once again in London, England - Cheapside (old their lives in Kentucky. Vertner Tandy became an open-air market when (1885 - 1949), son of constructor English ceapan means to buy). area farmers and merchants began Henry Tandy, became the first African selling fresh produce and food William Tucker (1787-1837), a free American licensed architect in New products every Saturday year- African American, was one of the York and a founding member of the merchants who advertised the sale of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternal organization. round. The pavilion also serves as household items and spices from his He designed the New York mansion of performance space for musicians stall. Farmers and others, during Madam C.J. Walker, the hair care during “Thursday Night Live” and product millionaire and Berea Hall their monthly visits to transact legal shelters those who attend local fes - dormitory on the campus of Lincoln tivals, events and celebrations. business, bought, sold and swapped Institute, Simpsonville. livestock and agricultural products. Walk around the square to read The sale activity, known as Court Day, ended in 1921. the wayside markers and stroll our downtown streets to Historian J. Winston Coleman, Jr. documented two view other points of interest. Historical Highway dozen dealers in Lexington who bought and sold the Markers are located throughout Lexington. Those high - enslaved between 1833 and 1865. This commercial enter - lighting African American history include: Doctors' prise established Lexington as one of the largest slave offices at 118 N. Broadway; Historic Pleasant Green markets in the south. The Cheapside Auction Block Baptist Church at 540 Maxwell Street; Lyman T. Johnson who integrated the University of Kentucky on sports superstars during the early development of the Administration Drive; Polk/Dalton Infirmary at 217 Thoroughbred racing and Saddlebred horse industries. Elm Tree Lane; African Cemetery No. 2 at 419 East There are memorials to Isaac Murphy, the first African Seventh Street; The Colored Orphan Home at 644 American jockey to win three Kentucky Derbies, and Georgetown Street; The Agricultural and Mechanical the famous thoroughbred, Man o’ War and his groom, Fair of Colored People at Georgetown Street past Will Harbut. "The Buffalo Soldiers of the Western Nandino Drive; and Maddoxtown Community on Frontier" is a permanent exhibit housed in the Huffman Mill Road. Main Street Baptist Church placed International Museum of the Horse. Pick up a DVD a historic marker at their church in 2015, celebrating 151 produced by the American Saddlebred Association enti - years at their West Main Street location. tled "Out of the Shadows,” the story of African Take part in the Downtown African American American trainers and owners. (859) 259-2746. Heritage Interpretive Signage Program created by African Americans played an important role in Together Lexington. Walk and discover the rich history the development of the racing industry. Stop by the of African-Americans in Kentucky. These signs feature Lexington Public people and places that played a significant role in the Library downtown Bluegrass Note: The Aviation advancement of equality. Stories stretch from times of and you’ll see a Museum at Bluegrass Airport slavery, through Jim Crow discrimination, and up to the mural highlighting a off Man-O-War Boulevard and Black Freedom Struggle. A great place to begin is at number of influen - U.S. Hwy 60 has an exhibit Courthouse Square where you will find an orientation tial early African about the Tuskegee Airmen of Kentucky as well as other avia - sign and a map of sign locations. American jockeys, tion history. 4316 Hanger Drive, and the world’s behind the airport largest ceiling clock. (859) 231-1219. Equine Industry Superstars (859) 231-5501. Plan a visit to the Kentucky Horse Park by trav - eling down Hwy 922, Newtown Pike, to Iron Works Pike. On the way, you’ll pass the Coldstream Research The Stories of Slaves and Soldiers Farm on the left. It was once the thoroughbred breeding Another day's tour can take you just outside farm McGrathiana, owned by H.P. McGrath. On this Lexington to Waveland , site of a restored historic man - farm worked Oliver Lewis, the African American jockey sion and slave quarters. Head south on Nicholasville who won the inaugural Kentucky Derby in 1875. The Road, then turn right onto Waveland Museum Lane. winning thoroughbred was Aristides, trained by The stone building where the enslaved were housed and renowned African American Ansel Williamson. worked has been preserved and furnished with period Williamson was inducted into the National Museum of artifacts. The guides tell you the history of enslaved on Racing and Hall of Fame in 1998. the property in conjunction with Outlining a portion of the origi - the story of the Bryan family, rela - nal boundary of the farm is a Bluegrass Note: The rock fences seen tives of Daniel Boone, who lived in as you travel the roadways are of lime - rock wall fence. A sign designates the Mansion house. (859) 272- stone that was uncovered in fields during that it was crafted by African cultivation as well as quarried. Most were 3611. American masons who had dry laid - without the use of mortar. The Leaving Waveland, turn right replaced the Scottish and Irish Lexington Fayette Urban County govern - onto Hwy 27 again and travel immigrant stone masons of the ment has ordinances in place that encour - south past Nicholasville, taking 1840s and 1850s. age the preservation and restoration of the 27 Bypass. Signs let you know Admission to the area stone fences. The nonprofit Dry you are approaching Camp Stone Conservancy has taken on the task Kentucky Horse Park includes Nelson , established in 1863 as a of preserving and restoring the stone both the International Museum fences by conducting workshops to train supply camp for the Union Army of the Horse and the American new masons in old techniques. Look for during the Civil War. It became Saddle Horse Museum. African signs that designate the dates, styles and the third largest recruitment and Americans were the national builders of these fences. training center for African Americans who formed the regiments known as the zenith, the estate encompassed over 600 acres which United States Colored Troops. Kentucky recruiters were developed, cultivated and harvested by 50 enslaved enlisted 23,700 African Americans, primarily among at one time by Mr. Clay's telling. The farming opera - those who were enslaved. Some tions also included active livestock 10,000 began their training at Camp Bluegrass Note: The town of breeding of horses, sheep and cattle. Nelson. Nicholasville is the birthplace of An interpretive history of the work The camp originally encom - Morgan and Marvin Smith, the performed by the enslaved in the passed 4,000 acres and held 300 twin brothers whose photography management of the farm and house - buildings which were dismantled fol - captured images of Harlem, New hold is presented. There are archival York between 1935 and 1952. lowing the war. The house that was panels along with a sketch of Charles used as headquarters was saved and Dupuy, a member of the family has been restored. Guided tours are available. A self responsible for the personal care of the Clay household. guided tour of the grounds will lead you to the camp's The Dupuy family traveled to Washington, D.C. when earthen fortifications which are being restored. A num - Henry Clay was appointed Secretary of State in 1825 ber of artifacts which have been unearthed can be and lived in the Decatur house, the Clay’s official resi - viewed in the interpretive center, a replica of a barracks. dence. The story of Charlotte Dupuy's lawsuit filed in Camp Nelson Heritage Park was added to the National 1829, petitioning for her freedom as well as that of her Parks Underground Railroad Network to Freedom in two children, is truly fascinating. Charlotte did not win 2007. the suit, but Henry Clay did finally emancipate her and The third weekend in September, the park cele - her two children, Charles and Mary Ann, in the 1840s.