Derby Merch, Ed Hamilton and Yared Nuguse at Thurby, Early Bird for Beer Fest Ends Tonight, and More
Good Monday morning!
Spring has officially sprung, the Easter Bunny has come and gone, and spring break for Jefferson County public and Catholic schools is underway. What’s more, Louisville is gearing up for two weeks of citywide Derby celebrations.
From parades and steamboat races to brunches and house parties, the social calendar is in full swing—and we’re feeling the buzz at the Cool Kentucky Shop!
Derby season products sold in the Frazier’s Cool Kentucky Shop.
Hosting? Our Mint Julep kits make the perfect gift for guests. For your table we have Derby napkins and jockey cap food picks.
Dressing up? Check out our Derby earrings, fun fascinators, and beaded clutches.
Feeling lucky? Grab a Pegasus pin—maybe you’ll strike gold. Plus, we have other lapel pins for the season.
And don’t forget your home—set the scene with our Winner’s Circle candle in a reusable silver julep or beautiful tea towels.
Derby season is here—so come get ready with us!
In today’s Frazier Weekly, Rachel tells us why Ed Hamilton is iconic and Amanda spotlights a Camp Nelson addition. Simon issues a last call for Early Bird tickets to Beer Fest (the discount ends at midnight!). Megan announces a new Homeschool Day and Gwendolyn introduces our new Membership Spotlight.
Thanks for reading!
Mindy Johnson
VP of Operations
Frazier Kentucky History Museum
This Week in the Museum
Ed Hamilton Joins Yared Nuguse as Iconic Kentuckians
Yared Nuguse celebrates his bronze medal in the men’s 1,500-meter during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games, August 6, 2024.
Sculptor Ed Hamilton.
We are so excited to again partner with Churchill Downs and Old Forester in celebrating Cool Kentucky day at the track on Thurby Thursday.
With that partnership, two iconic Kentuckians will be recognized in very public and special ways that day. We already announced the first Kentuckian, American record holder and Olympic medalist Yared Nuguse, who started his track career at duPont Manual High School in Louisville.
And now for our second iconic Kentuckian, drumroll please . . . sculptor Ed Hamilton!
Ed is a national treasure. When I told him about the honor, he said: “It makes me proud a homeboy can be recognized.”
Ed’s work is nationally renowned. We are so lucky to have one of his pieces—Westward Expansion, a sculpture commissioned by our founder Owsley Brown Frazier—on display in our Cool Kentucky exhibition.
Ed has also been gracious enough to loan us objects relating to his York statue on the Belvedere. They are featured in our Lewis & Clark Experience.
We are not alone in our love for Ed Hamilton, who represents everything cool and is so deserving of all the accolades.
He is someone who has made his mark globally but never left Louisville, his home.
He became emotional when talking about it, adding, “I didn’t leave town to find my way, I found my way here, and they found me.”
How cool is that?
And speaking of cool, if you know Ed you know he will be dressed to the nines on Thurby. My bet is on Ed being the “coolest cat” in the joint!
Rachel Platt
VP of Mission
Curator’s Corner: Camp Nelson Fiddle Added to 120 Exhibit
Objects representing Jessamine County in the Frazier’s 120 exhibit, April 1, 2026. Framed photograph of John Booker and fiddle with case, bow, and rosin owned by John Booker, c. 1900. On loan from the National Park Service, Camp Nelson National Monument, CANE 00200 and CANE 00490.
As mentioned in previous issues of Frazier Weekly, we recently updated the objects on display in the 120: Cool KY Counties case in our Cool Kentucky exhibition. One of the cubbies is now filled with objects from Camp Nelson near Nicholasville, Jessamine County. Camp Nelson first served as a supply depot for the Union Army during the Civil War. After African American troops were able to be recruited in Kentucky, the camp became the largest recruitment center for US Colored Troops in Kentucky and the third largest in the nation. By enlisting in the Union Army, African American men could earn their own freedom along with the freedom of their families. By the time slavery was ended in Kentucky, 23,703 African Kentuckians had enlisted, with over 10,000 of them enlisting at Camp Nelson.
One of those men was Jim Booker, who escaped slavery with his wife in 1865. They walked seventy miles to Camp Nelson from Pulaski County. The Bookers had three sons who were raised in Ariel, a community formed by the African American refugees living at Camp Nelson when the Civil War ended. The sons, Jim, John, and Joe, formed a popular string band. They performed for both Black and white audiences in South-central, Northern, and Eastern Kentucky. They played popular songs of the time on instruments such as the fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and banjo. In 1927, Joe and John Booker, along with a neighbor, recorded an album called Camp Nelson Blues under the name of the Booker Orchestra. It is believed to be one of the first racially integrated recording sessions in America.
In the 120 case, we are proud to display John Booker’s fiddle with its case, bow, and other accessories. We also have a photograph of young John Booker from around 1900. A huge thanks goes out to our friends at Camp Nelson National Monument for loaning these objects and allowing us to tell the incredible story of the Booker family. Be sure to check them out the next time you visit the Frazier!
Amanda Briede
Sr. Curator of Exhibitions
Early Bird Prices for Frazier Summer Beer Fest End Tonight at Midnight!
2026 Frazier Summer Beer Fest flyer.
Frazier Summer Beer Fest returns August 1!
It’s a block party in front of the museum on Main and Ninth Street featuring 250 specialty beers—ales, lagers, porters, stouts, hefeweizens, barleywines, and more—along with food, retail, live music, and activations. VIP tickets get you access to the museum’s indoors—including three floors of exhibitions, air conditioning, and indoor bathrooms—plus additional beers.
We recently announced Early Bird prices: $80 (VIP) or $40 (GA). Those are the lowest that individual ticket prices will go! So secure yours ASAP before our Early Bird rates end tonight, April 6, at 11:59 p.m.!
Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist
Frazier Partners with Louisville Water to Offer April 24 Homeschool Day
Uniquely Kentucky Homeschool Day flyer.
It’s always fun for us to partner with Louisville Water and we’ve done so in many ways over the years. This spring we are excited to collaborate on a homeschool day for the very first time! Families will enjoy hands-on stations, gallery investigations, live presentations, class sessions, and more. Check out the details, and how to sign up, below.
Uniquely Kentucky Homeschool Day
Friday, April 24, 2026
10 a.m.–2 p.m. (drop-in style)
Cost: $10 per student (one free adult per family) (free for kids age 0–4)
Kentucky is special and stands out in so many ways—including its people, geography, and culture, not to mention its water. Join us for a very special homeschool day offered in partnership with Louisville Water Company to explore the Commonwealth’s many unique features.
Families will have the opportunity to work on an investigation guide in the museum galleries, enjoy hands-on craft and activity tables, try their hand at Kentucky quiz questions on the museum’s big screens, and the option to view one of two live presentations offered in the museum theatre titled Boats vs. Planes: KY History! Each family also has the option to sign up in advance for one 35-minute classroom lesson run by a Frazier Museum or Louisville Water educator at no extra charge. Choices will include Water Filtration (for grades 3–12) and Properties of Water (for grades K–4).
Advance registration is required. To learn more, or to sign up, click here!
Have questions? Feel free to reach out to us at education@fraziermuseum.org.
Megan Schanie
Sr. Manager of Educational Programs
Frazier’s Melanie Duke one of LBF’s 20 People to Know in Events
Frazier Director of Events Melanie Duke.
Kudos, and cheers to one of our own!
When you can work with passionate, compassionate, and committed people who share the values of the organization, the term “work” takes on a completely different meaning. Watching those leaders then noticeably make others around them better is not just a joy, it’s an education.
Here at the Frazier Kentucky History Museum one of those people is our Director of Events, Melanie Duke. And I’m very pleased to share that we’re not the only ones to recognize it.
Late last week Louisville Business First named Melanie one of the top twenty people to know in Events in Louisville. Spot on!
If you’re one of the many wedding, corporate, or private event clients who’ve had the chance to work with Melanie, this announcement came as no surprise. Events at the Frazier are important. Many of them are once-in-a-lifetime moments that deserve more than just special attention, they require bespoke hospitality.
When clients work with Melanie and her team at the Frazier, that is exactly what they can expect. Every successful event has the potential to spawn several others, but only if everyone involved leaves glowing about the experience. It’s no secret: The Frazier team delivers results.
Congratulations Melanie, and thank you to Business First for recognizing what we have known for a long time. Melanie Duke is tops, no matter how long or short the list.
Andy Treinen
President & CEO
Membership Spotlight: John Hatton
We are starting something new in Frazier Weekly and it’s called Membership Spotlight. We wouldn’t be Kentucky’s Best Museum without the important people who support us and our mission of being lifelong learners. Our first spotlight is John Hatton, a long-time member and former volunteer who loves coming to our programs. He is a history lover and can trace that back to his upbringing. Keep reading to learn more about John. Become a member and experience the Frazier just like John does!—Gwendolyn Gray, Membership Coordinator
I grew up in a family who loved history. Our father would haul us kids to historic sites and museums and expose us to our heritage. During my time in the military, I traveled to eighteen countries and always sought to learn more about local people and their histories. I loved traveling the US and retracing the paths of both the pioneers and Native Americans. Upon retiring at age sixty I was free to give more of my time to volunteer activities. I spent a few years at the Frazier and at Jefferson Country Forest volunteering with youth and their parents to learn more about history.
History tells us how we got to where we are. It recounts both our successes and our shortcomings and failures so we can learn how to improve. I firmly believe in making our history available and interesting so future generations can benefit from the lessons history has taught us. I feel my training and thirty years experience as an educator helps in reaching out to people of all ages and backgrounds to share our human experiences and learn from each other.
John Hatton
Member, Frazier Kentucky History Museum
Guest Contributor
Germantown Residents Spearhead Neighborhood Cleanup
Germantown residents pose with trash bags during a cleanup at Gnadinger Park, Louisville’s smallest park, March 28, 2026.
A simple conversation with a neighbor can lead to positive things. Last Halloween I met a woman across the street and, on a whim, we decided we’d try to get all of our neighbors together for something good. Since then, we’ve stocked food pantries, donated pet supplies to the Humane Society, and most recently held a neighborhood cleanup. It’s important for kids to see this, but it’s also great for the community. We’ve met so many new friendly people and gotten to know others more deeply.
I also engaged with local government in ways I never have before—and found it easy, and rewarding. I called my Metro Councilwoman’s office and was given great advice on organizing, identifying focus areas, and promoting the cleanup event. They even lent us grabbers and tools. Then I set a pickup with Operation Brightside, who provided us with bags and gloves. We collected on Saturday morning and by Monday afternoon our mountain of trash was gone. We had a great time, and our neighborhood looks great. My kids also made wildflower seed-bombs for people to take, so in a few weeks, it should be more colorful too!
As we celebrate America250, it might be the perfect time to lean into what you can do in your community. If you’ve thought about doing something similar to a cleanup, I urge you to reach out to Operation Brightside and your Metro Council office. Civic engagement is good for everybody!
Mick Sullivan
Curator of Guest Experience
On the Trail with Abby: MB Roland Distillery in Christian County
Bourbon tourism is booming—and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® is growing faster than ever! Each week, the Frazier’s Abby Flanders takes readers on a digital stop-by-stop tour of this expanding adventure, spotlighting the distilleries, stories, and expressions behind America’s native spirit. Ready to hit the trail in real life? Start your journey at the Frazier Kentucky History Museum, home of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center.
MB Roland Distillery in Christian County, Kentucky.
This week on the trail, we head over to MB Roland Distillery in Western Kentucky. Founded in 2009 by husband-and-wife team Paul and Merry Beth “MB” (Roland) Tomaszewski, this distillery is nestled right amongst rolling Kentucky farmland. Featuring local white corn in each of their unique barrel proof Bourbons and whiskeys, MB Roland prides themselves on flavored, full-bodied spirits that are reminiscent of a pre-Prohibition style.
Barrels are wood-fired, grains are Kentucky-grown, and even the corn gets a smoky twist in their dark-fired expressions! Whether you’re sipping their Kentucky Straight Bourbon or something a little more playful like Kentucky Pink Lemonade, MB Roland manages to balance tradition with personality in a way that feels both grounded and distinctly regional.
Abby Flanders
Administrative Chief of Engagement
History All Around Us
Spring into Sustainability with Louisville Water
Spring into Sustainability flyer. Credit: Louisville Water.
We appreciate the good work of many of our partners and are happy to help promote their events. The Louisville Water Company is represented in the Frazier in a number of ways, including a replica of the Water Tower, and of course our “tap” water. Keep reading to learn about an important open house this weekend to help protect our resources.—Rachel Platt, VP of Mission
Join Louisville Water as we usher in spring with a special, sustainability-themed open house on April 12 from 12 to 5 p.m. at the historic Louisville Water Tower. This free event invites guests to explore the history and science behind our drinking water, as well as the importance of protecting our source, the mighty Ohio River. Hear from community partners and sustainability organizations, and learn simple ways to reduce waste, protect our environment, and support a more sustainable community—starting right at the tap.
Kayla Hanak
Supervisor-Community Relations, Louisville Water Company
Guest Contributor
