Tag: Daviess

Remembering Wendell H. Ford (1924-2015)

Wendell H. Ford Bust at Daviess Co. Courthouse. Nate Kissel.

I, along with the rest of the Commonwealth, learned this morning of the passing of one of Kentucky’s political greats of the 20th century. Wendell H. Ford was 90. In 2012, NRK wrote Along the Elkhorn Vale about the former Kentucky Governor and US Senator and revised excerpts from that post are included below:

Although it would have been fitting to place the bust of Wendell H. Ford anywhere in the Commonwealth, it appropriately sits on the courthouse lawn in Owensboro. Wendell H. Ford was born in Owensboro in 1924.

From 1967-71, he served as the Lieutenant Governor during the administration of Gov. Louie Nunn. He was then elected Governor, serving from 1971-1974. From the Governor’s Mansion, Ford ran for and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1974. Ford, a Democrat, served Kentucky in Washington from 1974 until 1999. His service was marked with stints as both minority and majority whip.

Ford was born in Daviess County in 1924. After serving in the Army, he went to school and entered the insurance business with his father. Ford then entered politics by serving as an executive assistant for Governor Bert T. Combs. For a short time, Ford served in the state senate before being elected Lieutenant Governor in an era when the Governor and his Lieutenant were separately elected. This resulted in the unusual situation where Gov. Nunn, a Republican, had Lt. Gov. Ford, a Democrat, a heartbeat away from the Governors Mansion. During his time as Lieutenant Governor, Ford essentially rebuilt the organization of the Democratic party in the Commonwealth.

His election as Governor in 1971 resulted in his overcoming one former governor in the Democratic primary (Brett Combs) and another in the general (Happy Chandler mounted an independent bid to retake his old position). By defeating two former, popular Democratic governors, Ford cemented his stronghold on his political party and end some of the sectionalism that had traditionally plagued state Democrats.

The Wendell Ford administration was marked by efforts toward efficient government, consolidation, and raising certain taxes. The coal severance tax was imposed and both the corporate tax and the gasoline tax were raised; these revenues helped to offset the elimination of the sales tax on food items. Kentucky also passed the Equal Rights Amendment and the University of Louisville was transferred to state control while Wendell Ford was governor.

In 1974, Ford ran for and was elected to the U.S. Senate. In Washington, Ford was decisively pro-Kentucky, pro-coal, and pro-tobacco. Among his accomplishments, the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act reduced aircraft noise and required airlines to better inform consumers. He supported the increase in the federal minimum wage, welfare reform, research of clean coal technology, and increased retirement benefits for coal miners. A final accomplishment which would have saved the government millions of dollars by using recycled paper and printing in volume through a centralized printing operation was never realized because Congress became stymied in the 1998 impeachment trial of President Clinton.
After Ford’s retirement in 1998, his Senate seat became occupied by Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer Jim Bunning, a Republican. Ford’s public papers are at the Owensboro Museum of Science and History along with a replica of his Senate office.

He was a great Kentuckian. A true icon and ambassador for the Commonwealth.

Pappy Foreman’s Old Hickory Bar-B-Q is the Favorite of Locals in Owensboro

Old Hickory Bar-B-Q – Owensboro, Ky.

For a lot of people like me, barbecue is an intensely personal thing. I think its because of how we as a country eat barbecue – it’s an intensely American food that dates back to the Native Americans, and is usually the food that accompanies our biggest celebrations. Whether it be church picnics or family reunions, barbecue is commonly an important part of the celebration.

I was born in Kansas City and spent my first 11 years there. In Kansas City, barbecue is a form of art. My father was a barbecue junkie, and had very specific tastes when it came to who had the best ribs, baked beans, potato salad, etc.

At age 11, we moved to Alabama and my dad was shocked at how different the barbecue was. He hated it. Instead of the savory sweet Kansas City flavor, Alabama has a vinegary mustard style sauce that has a completely different flavor. Over the years, I’ve grown to love all styles of barbecue – you just have to recognize that every region has its own style, and that there is no REAL barbecue1.

Which brings me to Owensboro.

Owensboro is Kentucky’s unofficial barbecue capital. What makes Owensboro different is the primary meat: Mutton. No where else can you find barbecued mutton, and no where else can you find a better version of barbecued mutton’s most delicious offspring – burgoo. Burgoo is an old tradition in Kentucky – a stew made from all manner of ingredients brought together by a community and cooked to be eaten by everyone. Commercial barbecue began in Owensboro in 1890, when Henry Green, an African American, opened the first stand.

My wife has family in Owensboro, and while Moonlite Inn is the tourist destination for visitors, I’ve been told that Old Hickory is the favorite of the locals. It’s always been my favorite too.
Old Hickory’s burgoo is the best I’ve ever had, and the the chopped meats are awesome. You owe it to yourself to give it a try next time you’re in Owensboro. Old Hickory’s history goes back six generations to when Pappy Foreman, an Owensboro blacksmith, put down his tools and started cooking mutton back in 1918.

1 – The moderator of this site tends to agree with the author of this post; I enjoy most types of bar-b-q. I think that is because I didn’t grow up in a bar-b-q eating household. As a result, I just learned to like the dish as I experienced it. The reference to no real bar-b-q is not intended to be inflammatory (though some bar-b-q can be). Even so, pretend like the comment was so intended and defend your favorite bar-b-q in the comments.

Courthouses and BBQ. Plenty in Owensboro!

Daviess County Courthouse – Owensboro, Ky.

Daviess County was established in 1815 from portions of Ohio County and is named for the lawyer who unsuccessfully prosecuted Vice President Aaron Burr for treason. Strong southern ties made Daviess County a southern hotbed. According to the Kentucky Almanac, Lincoln only received seven votes in the election of 1860. A large confederate monument stands on the courthouse lawn.

Confederate Monument – Owensboro, Ky.

Owensboro, originally Owensborough, is an interesting town. Though its cut off from Interstate access, its still the fourth largest city in the Commonwealth. Its location along the Ohio River spurred its early growth, along with the booming tobacco industry in the Green River region and its bourbon production following the distillery boom of the 1880.

Owensboro functioned as a manufacturing hub until the 1970s. On a more personal level, my wife’s family is from this area, and any visitor to Owensboro owes it to themselves to try the barbecue: Moonlite for the experience, Old Hickory for the quality.

Historic Public Buildings of Daviess County ca. 1864
Credit: David Rumsey Historical Map Collection

This is the fifth courthouse to occupy the site. All the previous courthouses were quite interesting, the third one having been burned by Confederate troops in retribution for black Union soldiers utilizing the building as barracks.

The fourth courthouse was Italianate with a huge cupola on top, but it was condemned and removed in 1927. It was also reportedly haunted. This fifth courthouse was built in 1963, after nearly 25 years of attempting to obtain funding for its construction. In 1989, a Judicial Center was also opened.

Along the Elkhorn Vale … Wendell H. Ford

Bust of Wendell H. Ford – Owensboro, Ky.

Although it would have been fitting to place this bust of Wendell H. Ford anywhere in the Commonwealth, it appropriately sits on the courthouse lawn in Owensboro. Wendell H. Ford served as Kentucky’s Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky from 1967-71 alongside Gov. Louie Nunn, then as Governor from 1971-1974. From the Governor’s Mansion, Ford ran for and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1974. Ford, a Democrat, served Kentucky in Washington from 1974 until 1999. His service was marked with stints as both minority and majority whip.

Ford was born in Daviess County in 1924. After serving in the Army, he went to school and entered the insurance business with his father. Ford then entered politics by serving as an executive assistant for Governor Bert T. Combs. Elected to the state senate in 1965, Ford was elected Lieutenant Governor two years later. Interestingly enough, Ford (a Democrat) served as second-in-command for Republican Louie Nunn at a time when the two office holders did not run as a slate. During his time as lieutenant governor, Ford essentially rebuilt the organization of the Democratic party in the Commonwealth.

The 1971 Democratic primary for governor was an eight-way race decisively won by Wendell Ford, impressive particularly given that former Governor Combs was among the challengers. The fall election was a four-way race with Ford winning again, beating an independent challenge by another former governor A. B. “Happy” Chandler.  By defeating two former, popular Democratic governors, Ford was able to cement his stronghold on his political party and end some of the sectionalism that had traditionally plagued state Democrats.

The Wendell Ford administration was marked by efforts of efficient government consolidation and certain higher taxes. Among them, the coal severance tax was imposed and both the corporate tax and the gasoline tax were raised. Offsetting these tax increases was the elimination of the sales tax on food items, something which Ford had previously sought the exemption of during the Combs administration. During his administration, Kentucky passed the Equal Rights Amendment and the University of Louisville was transferred from municipal to state control.  

Then, the Kentucky governor could not run for re-election to a consecutive term. Ford opted to run for the U.S. Senate in 1974 and was elected and re-elected until he retired in 1998. While in the U.S. Senate, Ford was involved in a number of issues and was decisively pro-Kentucky, pro-coal, and pro-tobacco. Among his accomplishments, the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act reduced aircraft noise and required airlines to better inform consumers. He supported the increase in the federal minimum wage, welfare reform, research of clean coal technology, and increased retirement benefits for coal miners. A final accomplishment which would have saved the government millions of dollars by using recycled paper and printing in volume through a centralized printing operation was never realized; although favorably reported out of committee, progress on the legislation was stymied by the Clinton removal trial following the President’s 1998 impeachment.
Ford’s seat was taken by Republican Hall-of-Famer Jim Bunning in 1998 and is now occupied by another western Kentuckian, Rand Paul. Today, Ford lives in Owensboro. His public papers are at the Owensboro Museum of Science and History along with a replica of his Senate office.

Natcher Bridge looms high up river from Owensboro

Natcher Bridge – near Owensboro, Ky.

The Natcher Bridge is enormous. Driving east out of Owensboro, the bridge looms before you even miles before you get close to it. It’s modern style is what I really think sets it apart. At the time of its construction, it was the longest cable stayed bridge over an inland waterway in the United States (4,505 feet long including approaches, yet only 67 feet wide). Opened in 2002, it was built to relieve traffic over the Glover Cary Bridge in downtown Owensboro several miles down river. The ultimate goal is for the bridge to be a part of a four lane highway system connecting Interstate 64 in southern Indiana and Interstate 65 at Bowling Green. The connector would utilize the existing Natcher Parkway would allow travelers to bypass Louisville.

Study for the project began in 1983. U.S. Rep. William Natcher and Senator Wendell Ford sought funding for the bridge. In 1988, Natcher secured the millions of dollars required for preliminary work, design and right-of-way acquisition. As with many projects of this size, there were significant construction delays and delays in federal funding. The bridge finally opened to traffic in 2002.

About Rep. Natcher: He represented Kentucky as a Democrat in Congress for 41 years. Natcher was a champion of the freeway system. He holds the record for most consecutive votes in Congress. When he was sick, a vote was delayed so that he could attend. He died in 1994, before construction of the bridge had begun, but even the proposed bridge bore his name before his death.