In this episode, I dive into the life of Mildred “Milly” Lucas, a woman often credited as the first female jailer in Kentucky—though her journey to that role was anything but straightforward. What begins as an exploration of early female jailers in the state becomes a gripping true story of violence and political upheaval.

After the brutal murder of her husband, Daviess County Jailer William Lucas, during a racially motivated lynching in 1884, Mildred stepped in to run the jail. Her fight to hold the office—despite widespread gender bias, legal battles, personal tragedy, and even a jailbreak—reveals both the extraordinary challenges she faced and the rigid societal barriers of the time.

Content Warning:
This episode includes descriptions of a lynching and racially motivated violence. Graphic details are minimized but the events remain disturbing. Listener discretion is advised.

Learn how William Lucas, a Confederate veteran turned jailer, moved his family to Owensboro and became widely respected for maintaining the courthouse square—despite constant dangers inside the jail walls.

Hear the newspaper-reported account of Richard May, a young Black farmhand accused of assaulting a white woman—a claim that rapidly escalated into fear, rumor, and mob justice.

In the aftermath of her husband’s murder, Mildred—described by some as “delicate,” yet brave and unyielding—was appointed interim jailer.

Despite winning the next election “by a large margin,” Mildred’s eligibility was fiercely contested.

Following her forced removal, Mildred’s life was marked by sickness and profound loss. She died of consumption in 1898, after losing three of her children the same year. Newspapers remembered her as a “good woman” and the widow of a “martyred jailer.”

This episode exposes:

• The racial terror that shaped Kentucky’s past

• The challenges women faced in pursuing public office

• The human cost of mob violence and community silence

• The resilience of a woman who stepped into danger and leadership during crisis

Selected newspaper accounts from the Owensboro Messenger and other 19th-century Kentucky publications.

If you enjoyed this episode or want to share your thoughts:
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What happens when a newly elected Governor of Kentucky finds his political career consumed by corruption scandals, a burning state capitol…and his son’s sensational murder trials? In this episode, we dive into the dramatic rise and infamous downfall of Governor Joseph Desha — and his son Isaac, who may have been one of Kentucky's first serial killers.

We begin with Joseph’s early life as a frontier soldier turned influential political powerhouse. He championed national expansion and state infrastructure — while waging a bitter political battle to reshape Kentucky’s judiciary.

Just months into his term as governor, flames destroyed the state capitol, public trust collapsed, and an even darker scandal erupted. Joseph’s son Isaac was accused of brutally murdering a traveling attorney named Francis Baker — a case filled with shocking evidence, political interference, and multiple controversial retrials. And the story didn’t end there…

When Isaac fled Kentucky under an alias, another man wound up dead thousands of miles away — leading newspapers to brand him a monster and fueling rumors that stretched all the way to Hawaii.

This episode includes discussion of violence and attempted suicide. Listener discretion advised.

What You’ll Learn

• How Joseph Desha rose from frontier militia to Governor of Kentucky

• The political chaos of the “Old Court – New Court” controversy

• The mysterious 1824 fire that destroyed Kentucky’s state capitol

• The sensational murder trial(s) of Isaac Desha — and a governor’s abuse of power

• How a second suspicious death sealed Isaac’s reputation

• The truth behind the long-standing “Desha in Hawaii” conspiracy

• What became of the Desha family after the scandal

Resources & References

Primary newspaper accounts referenced include:

• Lexington Weekly Press

• Frankfort Argus

• The Olive Branch and Danville Advertiser

Additional research includes state historical records and modern historical analysis.

Connect With the Show

Have thoughts on this story? Email: kyhistoryhaunts@gmail.com
Follow KYHH on social media —

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review, and share. It truly helps the show grow.

Send Jessie mail:

9115 Leesgate Rd, Suite A

Louisville, KY 40222

This episode explores the rich history and significance of the Brown Theater in Louisville, detailing its evolution from a premier theater to a movie house, its role in civil rights protests, and its modern-day significance as a community resource. The discussion also touches on ghost stories associated with the theater and the importance of the arts in society.

Special thanks to Christian Adelberg and William Richards with Kentucky Performing Arts for taking the time to speak with me.

Visit www.kentuckyperformingarts.org to check out upcoming shows at all three venues.

Follow KYHH on social media for episode-related content:

https://www.instagram.com/kyhistoryhaunts/

https://www.facebook.com/kyhistoryhaunts

Email kyhistoryhaunts@gmail.com for corrections & suggestions

Some additional resources related to this episode:

⁠https://www.filsonhistorical.org/archive/news_v6n4_theater.html⁠

⁠https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/232566705.pdf⁠

⁠https://ket.org/program/living-the-story-the-rest-of-the-story/raoul-cunningham-892/⁠⁠https://youtu.be/Q9IZcywXtJg⁠

Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of a murder scene and a suicide. Please use care deciding when or whether to listen.

We pick up moments after Mayor Dr. George P. Archer is found shot beside his car outside his clinic in Prestonsburg, KY (July 12, 1973). A witness reports a beige-on-green Buick LeSabre fleeing the scene—similar to the car driven by Judith Archer, the city clerk and executive director of the Housing Authority, married to Archer’s cousin William “Bill Tom” Archer. As rumors snowball (including an alleged affair), timelines shift, pressure mounts, and within eight days Judith dies by suicide—before any arrest is made. A grand jury later calls dozens of witnesses but issues no indictments, and the case cools. Fifty-plus years on, questions about conflicts of interest, missing records, and political entanglements still shadow Prestonsburg.

Connect & Contribute

Have information, corrections, or family stories about this case?

• Email: kyhistoryhaunts@gmail.com

• Instagram: @kyhistoryhaunts

• Facebook: Kentucky History & Haunts

If you or someone you know is struggling, please consider contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.).

Send Jessie a note:

9115 Leesgate Rd Suite A

Louisville, KY 40222

Content Warning: This episode discusses a murder scene in detail as well as a suicide. Please use care deciding when or whether to listen.

In this episode of Kentucky History & Haunts, we travel back to 1970s Floyd County to uncover the high-profile—but surprisingly underreported—murder of Prestonsburg Mayor Dr. George P. Archer.

Born into a prominent Eastern Kentucky family of doctors and civic leaders, Archer carried on a legacy of medicine, public service, and political influence. From expanding healthcare access in rural communities to transforming Prestonsburg’s infrastructure and serving as mayor, Archer’s career was full of ambition and impact.

But his story came to a shocking and violent end on the night of July 12, 1973, when he was gunned down outside his medical clinic. The crime, committed in a well-lit, public space across from a drive-in theatre, stunned the small community. Despite early leads—including a suspiciously similar revolver attack on Archer’s home earlier that year, eyewitness accounts of a fleeing Buick LeSabre, and questions directed toward those close to him—the case was never solved.

Along the way, we’ll also trace Archer’s deep ties to Prestonsburg’s most powerful families, his clashes with the United Mine Workers Association, his role in reshaping healthcare access in Eastern Kentucky, and the political pressures of leading a coal town during a time of economic and social change.

This is the story of a man who seemed untouchable—until he wasn’t.

Southern Bell Data Phone Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsqHBzW6gS0&t=1s

To reach Jessie, email kyhistoryhaunts@gmail.com

Send a postcard to:

Jessie Bartholomew

9115 Leesgate Rd, Suite A

Louisville, KY 40222

In this episode of Kentucky History & Haunts, we head back to August 1925—a month of sensational scandals and small-town crime sprees that made big headlines.

First, you’ll hear the wild tale of Lucy Wagner McMills, a young woman accused of kidnapping her husband and tricking him into marriage after a whirlwind romance. Newspapers from Kentucky to New York branded her a “Modern Cavewoman,” while her groom swore he’d been too drunk to know he was saying “I do.”

Then, we dive into the chaotic, decades-long saga of the Alford family of Winchester, known as “the Bootleg Syndicate” during Prohibition. From barn raids to shootouts, jailbreaks to safe-cracking, the Alfords’ rap sheets stretched across generations. George Alford was dubbed the Bootleg King of the Bluegrass, while his children—including Virgil, Tommy, and Woodrow—made headlines for everything from moonshining to armed robbery.

This episode has it all: star-crossed lovers, outlaw families, jailbreaks, scandals, and tragedy.

📬 Got a spooky Kentucky story suggestion for the upcoming Halloween season? Email kyhistoryhaunts@gmail.com or send a message on social media.

🔎 Want me to research the history of your property? I’d love to dig into it! Reach out anytime.

👉 Don’t forget to follow the show on Instagram and Facebook, leave a rating or review on your podcast app, or send a postcard/book to my mailing address:

9115 Leesgate Rd Suite A

Louisville, KY 40222

In this offbeat episode, we take a break from heavy historical biographies and dive into something a little lighter. What started as a routine property history search for a Louisville listing led me down a rabbit hole of vintage newspaper clippings, culminating in an unexpected and fascinating journey through the early nudist (or naturist) movement in Kentucky and Indiana.

You’ll hear the bizarre headline that sparked it all—“Bee Intrudes as 2 Louisvillians Enter Ranks of Nudist Royalty”—and meet the surprisingly compelling couple at the heart of it. We cover the founding of Zoro Nature Camp in Indiana in the 1930s, its battles against public scandal and legal scrutiny, and how it became a hub for naturist conventions and moral high ground.

We follow the story of Bernard and Dorothy Harding, a deaf couple from Louisville who lived fascinating lives full of hardship, resilience, and—briefly—nudist royalty. Plus, we explore how lawmakers in Kentucky reacted to the idea of nudist colonies with 20-foot wall requirements, licensing fees, and statewide panic.

This episode has it all:

🔍 Historical deep dives📜 Archival weirdness👑 A nude coronation⚖️ Oddball legal history🧡 And a love story that’s almost too strange to be true.

Quotes to Remember:

🗞️ “We are unashamed of our bodies. It will take more than court orders and cold weather to stop us from leading our lives as we wish.”
👑 “A bee intruded itself upon the coronation scene… the ceremony was quickly finished.”
📜 “If a man wants to get off in the woods and gambol about in the nude, he ought to have that right.” – Rep. Henry Ward

Further Reading / Links:

In this episode, we explore the extraordinary life of Brigadier General Charles Young — a man born into slavery in Mays Lick, Kentucky, during the Civil War who went on to break barriers across the U.S. military and beyond. Despite facing relentless racism, repeated demotions, and exclusion due to his race, Young became a pioneer and trailblazer, achieving numerous historic firsts as a Black officer in the U.S. Army.

You'll learn about Young's journey from his family’s escape to freedom in Ripley, Ohio, through his tough years at West Point, his service with the Buffalo Soldiers, and his role as the first Black superintendent of a National Park (Sequoia & General Grant). We also learn about his friendships with figures like W.E.B. Du Bois, and his diplomatic posts in Haiti and Liberia.

This episode touches on Young’s incredible resilience, the legacy he left through public service, education, and advocacy, and his long-overdue posthumous promotion to Brigadier General in 2021.

*The transcript for this show is auto generated using AI. Robots make mistakes too y'all!

Connect with the show on social media-

Facebook: Kentucky History & Haunts

Facebook Group: Kentucky History & Haunts & More

Instagram @kyhistoryhaunts

Emails with comments, corrections, etc. can be sent to kyhistoryhaunts@gmail.com

Mail can be sent to

Jessie Bartholomew

9115 Leesgate Rd Suite A

Louisville, KY 40222

This episode is written, recorded, edited and marketed by Jessie. To buy her a coffee for her work on the show, Venmo @kyhistoryhaunts

https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=219094BE-2C76-4E63-85B3-8D8B46EFFFB5

https://brigadiergeneralcharlesyoungfoundation.org/timeline/

Episode 150 (hooray) explores the historical significance of the Passenger Pigeon, the life of Junius Booth, and the cultural impact of extinction. It delves into the tragic story of the Passenger Pigeon, once abundant in North America, and the role of hunting and habitat loss in its extinction. The discussion also highlights the life of Junius Booth, father of John Wilkes Booth, and his connection to the passenger pigeon, revealing the intertwining of history, theater, and wildlife conservation.

Get a copy of My Thoughts Be Bloody:

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/My-Thoughts-Be-Bloody/Nora-Titone/9781416586067

To leave Jessie a tip for her work on this episode, Venmo: @kyhistoryhaunts

Send a postcard or chotchke to Jessie:

Jessie Bartholomew

9115 Leesgate Rd Suite A

Louisville, KY 40222

Send comments or conerns to kyhistoryhaunts@gmail.com

Follow the show on Instagram @kyhistoryhaunts or find the page on Facebook or the group Facebook History & Haunts & More for additional episode information and photos!

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or rating on Spotify. Also be sure to leave a comment with feedback if you're listening on Spotify. I love to hear from you all!

*KYHH episode transcripts are auto-generated using AI and may contain errors

Mary Byron was waiting for her car to warm up in the parking lot of the mall where she worked on the night of her 21st birthday. She was about to head home to decorate the Christmas tree with her family. Instead she was shot to death by Donavan Harris, her former boyfriend.

Just a few weeks earlier, Harris was arrested for holding Mary hostage at gunpoint and assaulting her in the basement of her own home. He was released on bond, and less than a week later, Mary was dead.

This left the Mary's family, and the community, wondering if things could have been different if they had been notified of his release from jail. This case ultimately led to the creation of the victim notification service known today as VINE.

*Listener discretion advised*

Thanks to Christopher B. for recommending this case.

Thanks to Ms. Lillie for becoming a Patreon member!

Thanks to Neal for your donation and for hyping the show up while visiting local landmarks!

The 24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-844-BESAFE1 (237-2331)

Follow the show on Instagram @kyhistory haunts or look it up on Facebook by typing the show name in the search bar. Send emails to kyhistoryhaunts@gmail.com

Send mail to:

Kentucky History & Haunts

9115 Leesgate Rd, Suite A

Louisville, KY 40222

Dr. Britton was the first black woman in Kentucky to practice medicine... but there is so much more to her story! Born in Lexington in 1855, she grew up a free black citizen and went to private schools in Lexington, then Berea college. She studied medicine in Battle Creek, Michigan under Dr. Kellogg.

Dr. Britton helped open the Colored Orphans home in Lexington. She caused a stir at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. She protested the Separate Coach bill in the 1890s- her speech later published in the Lexington Herald-Leader.

She was a teacher, writer, doctor and activist.

*This episode briefly mentions suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

Let me know what you think of the episode by leaving a comment on Spotify or sending an email to kyhistoryhaunts@gmail.com.

My mailing address is:

Jessie Bartholomew

9115 Leesgate Rd, Suite A

Louisville, KY 40222

I research, write, record and edit every episode. If you'd like to leave me a tip you can Venmo me, @kyhistoryhaunts

Links:

https://bereaky.gov/for-visitors/community-profile/history/

https://networks.h-net.org/node/2289/blog/ky-woman-suffrage/2574422/1887-speech-mary-e-britton-danville-woman-suffrage

https://www.jstor.org/stable/23384055?read-now=1&seq=11#page_scan_tab_contents

In the late 1830s, the owner of Mammoth Cave hoped to attract more tourists to the area. One of the key figures in making that happen was a slave named Stephen Bishop. Stephen became one of the most popular guides in the caves history, as well as a brave and savvy explorer, responsible for the expansion of the cave system with his discovery of several 'new' areas like the Bottomless Pit and Ruins of Karnak.

It was stipulated in his owners will that Stephen was to be emancipated seven years after the owners death, and he was finally free in 1856, but unfortunately his story does not have a happy ending.

There is so much more to be said about the role of slaves related to the early exploration and management of Mammoth Cave than what's covered in this episode. For further research, I recommend starting with the following-

*Legendary tour Guides who were Enslaved Americans

A National Council for the Social Studies Publication Number58 • January/February 2017

*Mammoth Cave, Slavery, and Kentucky: Overcoming the Chains that Bind

Susan Farmer Western Kentucky University,

*https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/02/travel/in-kentucky-a-family-at-the-center-of-the-earth.html

*https://www.nps.gov/maca/learn/historyculture/african-american-history.htm

If you'd like to be pen pals, you'd like to send me holiday cards or some homemade jam, my mailing address is:

Jessie Bartholomew

9115 Leesgate Rd, Suite A

Louisville, KY 40222

Email kyhistoryhaunts@gmail.com topic suggestions, feedback or corrections. Connect with the show on Instagram @kyhistoryhaunts and search Kentucky History & Haunts on Facebook. Leave a comment on this episode if you're listening on Spotify and let me know what you think!

Please leave a review or rating on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen!

Welcome to another installment of 'A Century Ago in Kentucky', where I share some of my favorite newspaper clippings from Kentucky newspapers in 1924. This episode includes stories of prisoners celebrating behind bars, while others are set free in time for the holidays, hundreds of gallons of wine are poured into the sewer by the Feds, plus fires and other accidents, burglars, crossword puzzles, and a special appearance by my great-grandfather!

This episode includes clippings from the Louisville Courier-Journal and The Lexington Herald-Leader.

This podcast is researched, written, recorded and produced by me, Jessie Bartholomew. To leave me a tip for a cup of coffee, use the following link:

https://account.venmo.com/u/kyhistoryhaunts

For more on crossword puzzles:

https://www.alieward.com/ologies/enigmatology

https://time.com/5811396/crossword-history/

In the 1840s, a doctor from Louisville purchased Mammoth Cave. One of his motives for purchasing the land was to conduct an experiment by inviting tuberculosis patients to live underground during the winter months to cure them.

It did not go well.

For more on this topic, check out THE PURSUIT OF HEALTH IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE, published in the Bulletin of the History of Medicine, 1971, by Stanley Sides & Harold Malloy.

Follow the show on Instagram @kyhistoryhaunts and find it on Facebook by searching Kentucky History & Haunts. For feedback, corrections and topic suggestions, email kyhistoryhaunts@gmail.com

To buy Jessie a coffee for her work on this episode, you can Venmo @kyhistoryhaunts.

Thanks for listening!

On a cold January evening in 1925, after a long day of widening an entrance to a newly discovered cave, Floyd Collins lost his footing, knocked over his light, caused a shift in the tunnel and was pinned under a rock. Floyd was hopelessly stuck. Over the next two weeks, miners, geologists, engineers, family members and the Kentucky National Guard worked tirelessly to rescue Floyd. Floyd had passed by the time they reached him, but that wasn't the end of his story.

For more information on Floyd Collins, start here: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/tragedy-at-sand-cave.htm

And for photos of his second funeral service, go here:

https://westernkentuckyuniversity.pastperfectonline.com/byperson?keyword=Collins%2C%20Floyd%2C%201887-1925

This is part one of a two part series about the Fall family. Part one discusses the life of Phillip Fall, preacher, teacher, Southern sympathizer. Phillip Fall made connections with major religious figures in Kentucky during the Reformation movement. One of Phillip's sons, William, would later have a son named Albert Fall, who holds the infamous title of being the first U.S. Cabinet member convicted of a felony. Part two will focus on the life of Albert Fall, Phillip's grandson, and let me tell you, it's a very different story.

Much of the research from part one was from the Phillip Fall biography written for the Kentucky Historical Society by P. Burnley and from therestorationmovement.com.

It is likely I made mistakes in this episode as I am not well versed in the topic of religion. If I need to make a correction, or you have a future topic suggestion, please email kyhistoryhaunts@gmail.com

To buy Jessie a coffee for her work on this episode (remember, this is a one-woman show) you can send a tip through Paypal @kyhistoryhaunts or Venmo @kyhistoryhaunts

In the early 1990s, the Meade County police, Louisville police and Kentucky State police thought they had gotten it right when they arrested Garr Keith Hardin and Jeffrey Clark for the murder of Louisville native Rhonda Sue Warford. It took decades and assistance from the Kentucky Innocence Project to right the wrongs made during the investigation and trial. Let me know what you think. You can send mail to my work address- 9115 Leesgate Rd Suite A, Louisville, KY, 40222.

Send me your address to get on my mailing list!

Send your feedback and topic suggestions to kyhistoryhaunts@gmail.com Connect with the show on Instagram @kyhistoryhaunts or search the show name on Facebook. Be sure to join the Facebook group- Kentucky History & Haunts & More. Please leave a rating or review if you haven't yet! Thanks!

Cozy up with your bayberry candles, your Hoppin' John, your whiskey and your black buns. It's time to discuss New Year's traditions. I'm making sure you know how to prepare your meals, who to invite into your home, and how to clean your furniture as we enter the new year. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!