Legacy of York, BOGO Beer Fest Deal, Kentucky Wide Podcast on Aaron Burr, and More
I am a believer in collaboration, and feel the more we come together, the better we serve and strengthen our community.
In that spirit with amazing community partners, here is your personal invitation to join us tomorrow evening, June 16, at George Rogers Clark Park, for the Legacy of York.
That park was formerly Mulberry Hill, the boyhood home of William Clark, who was part of the famed Lewis and Clark expedition.
Also part of it was York, a lifelong slave and personal servant to William Clark. His DNA is not only a crucial part of George Rogers Clark Park, but also of that famed expedition.
York became the first African American to cross the continent and see the Pacific Ocean.
This program is part of the city’s Juneteenth Jubilee Celebration, and includes special insights from Jim Holmberg, Ed Hamilton, and Frank X Walker. They have all studied York, sculpted him, and written poetry and books about him. Mayor Craig Greenberg will have a special welcome, as will Dr. John Chenault of the Juneteenth Jubilee Commission.
There will be tours, talks, poetry readings, singing, and free snacks thanks to the city’s Office of Equity—and free admission for anyone who wants to come and learn about this American explorer.
It all gets underway at 6 p.m. Click here for the entire rundown of the evening events, and where they are located. Enter George Rogers Clark Park by the tennis courts on Thruston Avenue.
And, as I said, I am believer in collaboration—so thank you to the Filson Historical Society, Kentucky Center for African American Heritage, Roots 101, Locust Grove, Louisville Public Media, Louisville Juneteenth Jubilee Commission, Metro Louisville’s Office of Equity, and Louisville Parks and Recreation. We are better together.
Also in this edition of Frazier Weekly, our Collections Manager Marcy Werner introduces “Re-collections” just in time for Father’s Day, join us for Downs After Dark, Sippin’ with Stephen is serving up Trackside, and Kentucky’s First Dog Winnie leaves her paw print on our Summer Camps.
Rachel Platt
VP of Mission
Frazier Kentucky History Museum
This Week in the Museum
Save with Father’s Day BOGO Deal on GA Tickets to Beer Fest!
We apologize for the heat, but this sale is on fire!
Whether you are buying a gift to give your dad for Father’s Day or you just want to get a great deal on the Frazier Summer Beer Fest, I wouldn’t sleep on this sale. Buy 1 GA ticket and get 1 FREE when using code BEERBOGO during checkout!
Explore from a vast selection of 250 beers on August 1 to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with friends, family, live music, food, and more. This deal will not last much longer, so get it now while it lasts. Cheers!
Greg Schoenbaechler
Sr. Marketing Manager
Re-collections: Walks Down Memory Lane Through Objects in our Collections
The Frazier collects objects—and I, physically, along with a paper trail that would make your head spin, care for them. I do my best to ensure these treasures stick around for a long time to come. Our curator researches these objects, finding a thread of meaning, story, and relevance to create exhibitions that educate, entertain, and provide ponderance for our audience. Here, in “Re-collections”—my new segment for Frazier Weekly—I’m bringing you one object that serves as a carrier of meaning and memory, not just for me, but maybe for you too. These won’t always be my stories, but to start us off, this one is.
Red Belknap Hardware Bluegrass bicycle. Part of the Frazier Kentucky History Museum’s collections.
One of the first things I see when I enter our collections area is this: a vintage Belknap Hardware Bluegrass Bicycle in a cheerful shade of red.
Having this item in our collection allows us to illustrate a variety of stories: Kentucky manufacturing, mid-century design, transportation, and recreation.
To me, it reminds me of Father’s Day. When we were kids, my brother and I cut grass for a few of our elderly neighbors. We were mostly paid in baked goods and old comic books. But one time we were given an old rusty red bike. As we pushed it home on flat tires, we decided to fix it up for our dad for Father’s Day. We had two weeks to get it in shape and worked on it every day: sanding, painting, oiling, shellacking, and patching the inner tubes. Our dad pretended not to notice the bike-shaped lump under an old bed sheet in the corner of the garage, and we continued to think of ourselves as geniuses in the art of cloaking his future present. Nowadays we would describe that fixed up bike as “a hot mess”—but when we gave it to our dad, he hopped right on and took off down the sidewalk with a genuine smile on his face, the likes of which I still remember. It was a thoughtful, internal smile, like memories of his childhood were bubbling up to the surface. He didn’t seem to notice we’d covered up the rust spots with nail polish, or the gloopy, uneven shellac. He laughed when brakes squeaked as he eventually came to a stop. “Let’s go to Dairy Queen,” he said. My brother and I grabbed our own bikes, and we rode like a little gang, taking up the entire road. We treated him, as well as ourselves, to sundaes.
By the time we got home, his tires were flat. My brother and I were devastated and embarrassed. Dad said he’d stop by the hardware store after work the next day for new tires and inner tubes and he’d be ready to ride by the following Saturday. All summer, every Saturday, we rode to Dairy Queen, doing our part to keep them in business.
Museum visitors often expect to be wowed by rare treasures, see items from famous people, or view relics from dramatic events. But objects speak two languages at once: one of history and one of human experience. When this red bike goes on display in the future, visitors may find their own meaning outside of the curator’s interpretation. And that’s a good thing! Objects can remind us that history is made in everyday moments and we are a part of that history. Personal stories expand the meaning of objects and connect us to the past and to each other. And, like I’ve done here, I think we should share those stories.
Marcy Werner
Collections Manager & Registrar
Cool Kentucky Shop: Cigar Holder Flask
Stephen Yates models a cigar holder flask sold in the Frazier’s Cool Kentucky Shop.
Some dads pack light. Others pack smart. This stainless steel flask and cigar holder accomplishes both. Let the good times roll—in style! Wherever he’s headed, this sleek accessory keeps a few of life’s finer things close at hand. Find it in the Cool Kentucky Shop and make Dad’s next adventure a little more enjoyable.
Frazier to Take Part in Downs After Dark this Saturday!
The Frazier’s Simon Meiners and Gwendolyn Gray staff an America250 activation at a Ken Burns documentary screening at Kentucky Performing Arts, June 8, 2026.
Free this Saturday? Celebrate in red, white, and blue as Churchill Downs honors 250 years of the American spirit! “Guests can enjoy thrilling live racing, festive drinks, standout style, and an electric atmosphere filled with all-American energy,” Churchill Downs says. Offered as part of America250KY, this special edition of Downs After Dark will pay tribute to America’s semiquincentennial with fanfare and excitement of the track on a beautiful June night.
As part of the celebration, Churchill Downs’s America250KY community partners—including the Frazier Kentucky History Museum—will be stationed outside Club SI on the first floor. Stop by to learn more about upcoming Louisville celebrations, community events, and ways to join the statewide commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary.
We’ll see you Saturday night!
Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist
Sippin’ with Stephen: Trackside Founder Release 2025 with Jeremy Dever
The Frazier Kentucky History Museum shares stories of the people, places, and producers of the Kentucky Bourbon industry. To learn more, visit our Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center or tour our Spirit of Kentucky® exhibition.
Today’s episode of Sippin’ with Stephen features my good friend Jeremy Dever, Vice President of Trackside Distilling Company. Trackside Distilling Company, founded by Jeremy and Master Distiller Jade Peterson, released the Trackside Founder Release Bourbon. The inaugural expression is a malt-forward blend crafted from barrels Peterson hand-selected over his decade in the whiskey industry.
Trackside offers two variations of this inaugural whiskey, both available in limited quantities at the Frazier’s Cool Kentucky Shop, the Kentucky Derby Museum, as well as other select retailers throughout Kentucky.
Jeremy and I review the story of Trackside and their Founder Release Bourbon 2025, bottled at 93 proof (46.5% ABV). It features a unique mash bill of corn, chocolate malted barley, and two additional grains, offering tasting notes of brown sugar, malt, and toasted oak. For additional information on Trackside Distilling Company, go to their website.
Cheers!
Stephen Yates
Community & Corporate Sales Manager
Latest Kentucky Wide Podcast Explores the Scandals of Aaron Burr
We’re only days away from Kentucky Center’s much anticipated 2026 run of Hamilton, and we couldn’t resist a good tie in! We’re keeping the America250 theme rolling with the newest episode of our podcast Kentucky Wide by looking at Hamilton’s notorious rival, Aaron Burr. Written by our own Tori Kennedy, this episode introduces you to Burr’s Kentucky connections, which—just like his relationship with Hamilton—were mired in controversy. Burr actually faced Kentuckian and United States Attorney Joseph Hamilton Daveiss on treason charges in Frankfort.
Burr had a way of besting Hamiltons, and he never faced punishment for his crimes. Learn more about Daveiss, Burr, and the independent nation he tried to start in this week’s episode of Kentucky Wide!
Mick Sullivan
Co-host of Kentucky Wide
Frazier Bourbon Ltd Club’s “Member’s Pick” Wins Double Platinum at the 2026 Ascot Competition
Member’s Pick Bourbon.
Bluegrass Bourbon Barrel Chief Spirits Officer Michael Sawyer.
The Frazier’s Bourbon Limited Club (BLC) provides its members with a bottle of a small batch Bourbon, blended uniquely for them from the best, well-aged barrels our Chief Barrel Officer, Mike Sawyer, can find. “Our singular mission for the Member’s Pick program is to craft the finest Bourbon possible,” Sawyer says. “We wanted every bottle to reflect an uncompromising dedication to quality, flavor, and true craftsmanship.” Each quarter the BLC creates a unique blend of “unicorn” very-well-aged barrels to produce a complex expression and bottle it exclusively for our members. We submitted Member’s Pick (Batch 2) to the prestigious Ascot Awards with confidence that we had created a genuine medal contender.
Double Platinum Validation
The Ascot Awards honored Batch 2 with the coveted Double Platinum award. “This is the standard that all traditional Bourbon should be based on,” the judges raved. “Caramel and vanilla galore with a quality rye spice on the medium long finish. Bravo!” These accolades are added to Sawyer’s growing resume. Previously Mike introduced the club to his “John Parrott” Bourbon, which won gold at the prestigious San Francisco Spirits Competition’s straight Bourbon whiskey category. The latest batch of John Parrott will be returning to the BLC. Mike is hard at work crafting the next unique Bourbon for the BLC. He hand-picked eight-plus-year-old barrels from more than one source and has blended it into a complex expression with a dazzling start, middle, and finish. “We don’t rush Mike,” said Bob Marino, founder of Bluegrass Bourbon Barrel, the company that co-owns BLC and fulfills the shipments. “He does this as well as anyone in the industry. It’s exciting to be one of the first to taste his latest release.”
You can join the BLC and claim your Member’s Pick and other curated Bourbons from great distilleries here.
If you join, you can purchase some of those previous bottles, like the Ascot award–winning Batch 2.
Bourbon Limited Club membership grants you unique access to Member’s Pick and other medal-winning Bourbons. The membership is free, and proceeds from the bottle sales support the Frazier Kentucky History Museum.
From Barbie to Alexander the Great and Simon, Next Week’s Camp is About Influencers!
The Frazier’s Simon Meiners will teach lessons on being a museum influencer. Credit: Sarah Jemerson.
What do Colonel Sanders, Barbie, and Alexander the Great all have in common? They’re all influencers, of course! Join us for From Heralds to Hashtags, June 22–26, as we discuss some of history’s greatest influencers.
Our very own Simon Meiners, Communications and Research Specialist extraordinaire, will join us to show the campers what it takes to run social media for a museum. He might even teach them his signature spin move. This week is guaranteed to go viral as we learn why there are so many cities named Alexander and how a volcanic explosion influenced the creation of a genre that brings us iconic writing and films, including Frankenstein and Star Wars.
We have a long “history” of unique and engaging camps. Click here to see all our exciting themes this summer, and to sign up for From Heralds to Hashtags and more! Add a sibling in the same week and get $10 off the additional booking.
Have questions? We’d love to hear from you at education@fraziermuseum.org.
Nicole Clay & Sarah Jemerson
Education Team Members
Recapping the Start of Summer Camps and a Surprise Gift from First Dog of Kentucky, Winnie!
Winnie sitting at Governor Andy Beshear’s desk at the Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort.
Winnie’s two coloring book editions that she sent Frazier campers for their Wild Lives! animal camp.
As we get a start on our third week of Summer Camps at the Frazier, our education team has already had a ton of fun with our campers!
During week one of camp, Hometown History, we took a field trip to the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory to learn more about Jackie Robinson and tour the factory. We also got special presentations from our friends at Louisville Water Company and Cave Hill Cemetery!
During this past week of camp, Wild Lives!, we learned all about the various animals and places dedicated to helping animals in Kentucky. We got to visit with some real-life dogs through our friends at Animal Care Society and WAGS, who taught us so much about how to care for our four-legged friends at home and how they care for us.
We even got a surprise from the Office of the Governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear, who sent us a letter from his dog Winnie along with some cool coloring books featuring Winnie as she teaches readers all about the Kentucky State Capitol and Kentucky’s State Parks! Our staff was particularly excited about these gifts, and we even framed Winnie’s letter to our campers to commemorate it.
If you feel like you missed out on the fun don’t worry! Registration is still available for five more weeks of camp coming up, and we will even be revisiting our Wild Lives camp theme July 13–17. Our Camp Frazier 2026 Summer Camps are geared towards rising grades first through sixth. Don’t wait—learn more about these terrific themes and explore what others we have to offer by registering your camper today!
Tori Kennedy
Manager of Youth & Family Programs
Bridging the Divide
Obama Presidential Center Opens with Local Quilt Artist Part of the Fabric
The Obama Presidential Center officially opens to the public this Friday, June 19, coinciding with Juneteenth weekend.
And we know one Louisvillian who has a vested interest in that opening, “Sunshine” Joe Mallard, the quilt artist we have featured several times in Frazier Weekly.
His Obama Tie Quilt was accepted as part of the collection at the Center and will eventually be highlighted there.
When that happens, you can bet Sunshine Joe will be front and center in Chicago.
It was during a quilt program here at the Frazier that Sunshine Joe mentioned his lifelong dream of having his Obama Tie Quilt accepted at the Center, and many in our community helped make that dream come true!
In case you missed the story on Sunshine Joe and his quilt, you can watch it below.
Congrats again, Joe. I know you are still pinching yourself on this one.
The Frazier features another beautiful quilt of Joe’s in our Cool Kentucky exhibition. Stop by to see his amazing craftsmanship for yourself!
Rachel Platt
VP of Mission
