Classic Auction and Raffle, Mystery-Themed Fall Camp, Unpublished Dolly Parton Album, and More
Dear reader, fall is just around the corner!
As we move into a new season at the Frazier Museum, we have much to look forward to while we continue to celebrate America250 through four incredible exhibits currently on display: I Too Am a Kentuckian, Revolutionary Threads, Pursuit of Happiness, and Louisville to Liberty.
A bottle and barrels at the OH Ingram Distillery.
Two-barrel Webley & Scott combo shotgun with a carrying case and shooting accessories.
At the end of September, we will host our eleventh annual Frazier Classic Sporting Clays Tournament. But you can support our fundraising efforts now! From now through September 25, you can bid in our online auction and purchase raffle tickets for a Webley & Scott two-barrel combo shotgun.
Our silent auction features amazing packages for sports, outdoors, Bourbon, travel, and food enthusiasts with a variety of local items and experiences. There’s a private tour for ten at the OH Ingram Distillery and a handcrafted five-piece chef’s knife set custom made for the event that you won’t find anywhere else! You’ve got to check everything out!
Webley & Scott is a British gun manufacturer that has been making finely crafted firearms since 1790. Our raffle features a two-barrel combo shotgun with a carrying case and shooting accessories. Raffle will be drawn on September 25 and the winner need not be present to win. Secure your chance to win!
Today’s issue of Frazier Weekly rolls out our fall camps, offers a book recommendation tied into one of our programs, and tells you where you can see a copy of the Declaration of Independence for just a few more days. We also have the amazing story of a local author who was gifted an amazing gift by Dolly Parton over their shared love of literacy.
Have a great week and say hello to September!
Hayley Harlow
Sr. Manager of Fundraising
Frazier Kentucky History Museum
This Week in the Museum
Unravel Mysteries with Us this Fall at Camp Frazier!
Okay, I know your kiddos just went back to school from their summer break vacations, but who doesn’t need a vacation from their vacation? As stores are already lining their shelves with spooky decorations and pumpkin spice–flavored everything, it doesn’t feel like much of a stretch to conclude that some of us are already looking ahead at fall and thinking about what plans to make for fall break.
For a fun time your campers won’t forget, register at Camp Frazier for our History’s Mysteries! Fall Break Camp.
During this camp, campers will hone their detective skills as they explore some of history’s greatest mysteries (both solved and unsolved)! Learn about heists where the culprits were never caught, hear tales of ancient ruins that historians are still trying to understand, and more. Make arts and crafts, explore the Frazier’s exhibitions, and make friends both new and old. Frazier’s History’s Mysteries! Fall Break Camp will take place September 28 to October 2. Registration will be pay-by-the-day, and camp will be geared towards kids in grades 1–5. We would love to see you there, so don’t wait and register your camper here today!
I also want to remind you that our America250 Family Day is just a week away! The Frazier’s America250 Family Day will take place Saturday, September 12, with admission from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.—and we are so excited to partner with five different local community organizations to bring you fun and engaging activities for the whole family! Learn about the history of the American Revolution and its connection to the Bluegrass State from Sons of the American Revolution, Kentucky Historical Society, and Historic Locust Grove! Watch a storytelling performance from StageOne Family Theatre. Afterwards stop by the Louisville Free Public Library’s table and grab a free America250-themed book.
Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to learn and make memories with the whole family. Mark your calendars and join us in September!
Tori Kennedy
Manager of Youth & Family Programs
Object in Focus: Pack Horse Librarian’s Book Crate, 1930s
Pack Horse Librarian’s crate on display in the Frazier’s exhibition I Too Am a Kentuckian, August 27, 2026.
Pack Horse Librarian’s crate on display in the Frazier’s exhibition I Too Am a Kentuckian, August 27, 2026.
On display in our new exhibition, I Too Am a Kentuckian, which celebrates the 250th anniversary of the United States, is a crate once used by a Pack Horse Librarian out of Barbourville, Kentucky. In the 1930s, women hired by the WPA traversed the hills and hollows of Appalachia on horseback and foot, carrying books, magazines, and pamphlets to families who had little or no access to libraries.
This crate carried the books, and a horse carried the crate. But the woman carried more. She brought news, connection, and education to help patrons feel included and valued by their distant community.
While this crate, with its impressive size, helps illustrate that concept, the story really comes to life in The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, a novel by Kim Michele Richardson. The book follows Cussy Mary Carter, a fictional Pack Horse Librarian who travels the mountain roads delivering books to isolated families. While her personal story is vividly and authentically imagined, the world she inhabits was very real.
It just so happens that Mrs. Richardson is the owner of this crate! And she has entrusted the Frazier Museum to display her precious treasure for the run of this exhibition. The crate and her novel speak to one another across time: One carried books through the Kentucky mountains; the other carries those journeys into the imaginations of readers today.
As we celebrate America’s semiquincentennial, this crate represents a unique story: that our nation’s journey and success is also made of quiet journeys and generous acts by ordinary, yet extraordinary, people with a passion to help others. The Pack Horse Library Program was determined to strengthen and grow communities at a truly grassroots level. The Frazier Museum is thrilled to show off this rare and unique artifact with a tangible, and wholly Kentucky, connection.
Marcy Werner
Collections Manager & Registrar
From left, childhood photos of Dolly Parton and Kim Michele Richardson.
2021 People Magazine cover featuring Dolly Parton. In the issue, Dolly names Louisville author Kim Michele Richardson’s book The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek as “the book I devoured.”
Dolly Parton was a modern day “book lady” with all she did to promote literacy with her Imagination Library, which helped countless children—including children here in Kentucky. When I heard Dolly had passed, I called another “book lady” I know, author Kim Michele Richardson, who brought the Pack Horse Librarians to light with her many books and programs, even here at the Frazier. Kim had a personal connection to Dolly and an amazing gift from her; and I knew her death would be felt deeply. Kim reached out to me with this tribute to Dolly to run in our newsletter, saying to me: “This old Kentucky girl’s got her music!”—Rachel Platt, VP of Mission
As many know, Dolly was a ‘Book Lady’—a title she loved and greatly honored with her incredible work with literacy and children. We both grew up in poverty—Dolly in the hills of Tennessee and me in a rural Kentucky orphanage in the 1960s.
Dolly read my novel The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek years ago and sent a letter that said among other things, “I read and loved the book and was inspired to write some songs. I enjoyed writing them because I am the Book Lady with my own Imagination Library. Additionally, I related to the people and a lot of things in it.”
Then she gave me an extraordinary gift: Dolly generously created and recorded an unpublished fifteen-song album for me that she titled The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, asking for nothing in return.
In one of those songs, Dolly let me know, “The sweetest gift is to twice give it.” This verse stayed with me a long time and made me realize that we are given two hands, one to help ourselves and one to help others.
I have since shared my book earnings with libraries, provided funding for flood relief, and also started an initiative called Courthouses Reading Across Kentucky & Beyond. The Indiana State Supreme Court and Appellate Justices asked if they could join my effort, and now between two states, we have over 100 Little Free Libraries across Kentucky and Indiana counties. This initiative was dear to me because many children and families passing through scary courthouse doors cannot buy basic necessities much less afford a book.
Dolly’s support and love of my books meant the world to me, inspiring me to dream bigger for myself and others. That she was moved by my words and placed me as a small rhinestone in her big life will never cease to amaze me. The fact that she kept my book on her nightstand for years and recommended it to others in People Magazine and ELLE has been a gift and cherished memory of a lifetime.
Listening to her unpublished album this week has reminded me: Dolly saved a seat at the table for everyone. She was a giver, and I truly feel she wanted to inspire all of us to be givers. I am blessed and honored to have crossed paths with her in this lifetime.
Kim Michele Richardson
Author
Guest Contributor
Rare Declaration of Independence Reproduction up at SAR Until Saturday
So many local cultural institutions and beyond have leaned into the America250 celebration. We have four exhibits right now at the Frazierthat commemorate this milestone anniversary, which began with grit and determination with the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. We want to remind you that our neighbor on Main Street, National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, have a remarkable reproduction of the DOI. And time is running out to see it . . . Keep reading to learn more!—Rachel Platt, VP of Mission
As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, visitors to downtown Louisville have a unique opportunity to see a remarkable piece of American history: the 1823 Stone Declaration, now on display at the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) Genealogical Research Library.
The “Stone” in Stone Declaration refers to William Stone, the renowned English-born engraver who was commissioned by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams to create an exact reproduction of the original Declaration of Independence. Completed in 1823, Stone’s engraving faithfully reproduced the Declaration, including the signatures of the fifty-six men who signed the historic document.
By the early 1820s, the original 1776 Declaration had already begun to deteriorate. Recognizing the importance of preserving its contents for future generations, Adams commissioned Stone to create a precise reproduction. Stone spent approximately three years producing the copperplate engraving, creating an enduring record of one of America’s most important documents.
Today, nearly 200 years after its completion, the 1823 Stone Declaration offers visitors a fascinating connection to both the Revolutionary generation and the early republic. The document is currently on loan from the City of Louisville and will be on display through September 4, 2026.
Located at 809 West Main Street in Louisville, the SAR Genealogical Research Library welcomes visitors to view the Stone Declaration free of charge during regular library hours. While access to the library’s research collections and services may require membership or payment, no admission is required to view this historic document.
Stop by and experience this extraordinary piece of our nation’s history during America’s 250th anniversary year!
Drew Hight
Marketing and Public Relations Manager, National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution
Guest Contributor
Frazier’s 120 on the Road Heads to Wolfe County on September 4
Come find us as we hit the road visiting all 120 counties in our Commonwealth. Our next stop is Friday, September 4, for Swift Silver Mine Festival in Wolfe County. Look for our 120: Cool KY Counties on the Road exhibit as we share stories and songs from each county and listen to your stories, too! We are where the world meets Kentucky and this week we’re meeting in downtown Campton in Wolfe County. Be sure to say hello to Jason and Megan as we join the kickoff ceremonies at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, September 4.
Canadian Scholar’s Book Follows Couple who Escaped Slavery in Louisville
You know how certain books capture your imagination? The ones that you tell all your friends and colleagues to read and have staying power at the top of your favorites list over the years? That’s what Karolyn Smardz Frost’s book I’ve Got a Home in Glory Land: A Lost Tale of the Underground Railroad is for me. I first read the book years ago when our education department received a grant to share Underground Railroad programming and curriculum. We were looking for local stories to share the content through, and boy did we hit the jackpot with this one. Lucie and Thornton Blackburn hold a special place as some of the most impressive Kentuckians to ever call the Commonwealth home.
The Blackburns’ escape from enslavers in Louisville in 1831 to their eventual home in Toronto, Canada, follows such an incredible story arc that it reads like a movie. At each turning point in their lives, they consistently choose love, family, and support for others—even when facing unimaginable hardship and risk.
Through our work creating The Journey and other offerings tied to the Blackburn story, I’ve also had the unique opportunity to get to know and work with Karolyn Smardz Frost, the award-winning author, archaeologist, and historian who pieced this story together after running the 1985 archaeological dig of the Blackburns’ home in Toronto. Although I’ve read the book multiple times, I always learn something new when I talk with her.
Don’t miss your chance to meet and learn from Karolyn Smardz Frost as well. She will visit us from Canada this fall and offer two public sessions.
First, on September 14, 2026, educators are invited to an evening professional development to learn about utilizing the story and related resources in the classroom.
Second, on the following evening, September 15, the Frazier will host a public program titled Louisville to Liberty: The Blackburns’ Journey in collaboration with community partners Roots 101 African American Museum and the (Un) Known Project. Reserve your spot here.
Karolyn’s book, I’ve Got a Home in Glory Land, is available in the Cool Kentucky Shop. Pick up a copy to learn the Blackburns’ remarkable story.
Megan Schanie
Sr. Manager of Educational Programs
Book your Holiday Party Experience at the Frazier!
Guests attend the opening of last year’s Lights on Main exhibition, December 4, 2025.
It’s that time of year again!
What do you look forward to most when it comes to the holiday season? It’s not the lights, the food, or the family—it’s the company party!
Last year we hosted a variety of holiday events, from intimate gatherings and heartfelt secret Santas to exuberant karaoke nights and sophisticated evening soirees. We’re ready to do it again.
Starting November 18, the Frazier’s Lights on Main exhibition will be on full display throughout our galleries. This means our museum will be filled with 100 beautifully decorated Christmas trees. Otherwise known as free holiday décor for your event!
For those looking to minimize the decision-making process, we have partnered with RK Bluegrass to create all-inclusive holiday packages. AV, bar, food, space, linen, signage, parking, and labor are included in one price.
Choose the one that best suits you:
· Jingle & Mingle. This package includes passed hors d’oeuvres, a 1-ticket consumption bar (cash bar to follow), and 2 specialty cocktails.
· Deck the Hall Delights. This package includes an appetizer station, a 2-ticket consumption bar (cash bar to follow), and 2 specialty cocktails.
· Sips & Sleighbells. This package includes a decadent buffet, a choice between a 2-ticket consumption bar (cash bar to follow) and a full bar, and 2 specialty cocktails.
As for the specialty cocktails—the options include a S’mores Old Fashioned, a Peppermint White Russian, and a Winter Spiced Margarita!
Are you ready to bring on the holiday cheer this year? Check the website or reach out to me directly at swilcox@fraziermuseum.org.
Samantha Wilcox
Facility Rental Sales Manager
On the Trail with Abby: Rabbit Hole Distillery in Louisville’s NuLu
Bourbon tourism is booming—and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® is growing faster than ever! Each week, the Frazier’s Abby Stanton 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.
Exterior of Rabbit Hole Distillery in Louisville.
This week, we pop over to Rabbit Hole Distillery. Located in the vibrant NuLu area, Rabbit Hole is an architectural wonder on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®. Between their Core 4 Bourbon options and their Founder’s Collection, Rabbit Hole puts the focus on the creative spirit of Bourbon making.
Stop by for a tour. As a winner of North America’s leading Bourbon distillery from 2021 to 2025, the Rabbit Hole experience is unique and punches above the rest.
Cheers!
Abby Stanton
Administrative Chief of Engagement
History All Around Us
It’s Magic! poster. Credit: Louisville Magic Club.
Magicians are a tight-knit community with a deep history in Louisville. It was on full display in 2018 when several magicians including Lance Burton made sure Thomas Tobin had a head stone where he is buried in Cave Hill Cemetery. Tobin had made his way from London to Kentucky and died in Louisville in 1883. Many of his illusionist techniques are still used today by magicians. Both Lance Burton and Mac King are featured in our Cool Kentucky exhibition and packed the house when they joined us for a program a few years ago. There’s another big magic show coming to town to celebrate the eightieth anniversary of the Louisville Magic Club. Thanks to Mike Raymer, a past president of the Louisville Magic Club, for telling us about it.—Rachel Platt, VP of Mission
Long before the Louisville Magic Club was founded, Louisville had become an important stop on the national touring circuit for the world’s greatest magicians. Throughout the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, legendary performers including Hardeen, Harry Blackstone Sr., Harry Blackstone Jr., Doug Henning, and David Copperfield all brought their shows to Louisville audiences.
One of the city’s most spectacular magical events took place on September 25, 1907, when Hardeen—Harry Houdini’s younger brother and fellow escape artist—promoted his Louisville engagement by leaping from the Eighteenth Street Bridge over the Louisville & Portland Canal, which connects to the Ohio River. Handcuffed and heavily shackled, Hardeen plunged nearly sixty feet into water only about six feet deep before escaping his restraints beneath the surface and reappearing safely before an estimated 10,000 spectators. The daring stunt made newspaper headlines and demonstrated Louisville’s fascination with the art of illusion and escape.
This rich tradition of visiting performers, combined with a thriving local community of magicians, helped establish Louisville as one of America’s enduring centers for the magical arts.
The history of organized magic in Louisville began in 1946 when two local magic enthusiasts, Jerry Kannapel and Fritz Drybrough, founded the Louisville Magic Club. Their goal was simple: to bring together people who shared a love of the magical arts, whether as professional performers or dedicated hobbyists.
Just one year later, in 1947, the club became officially chartered as Ring No. 64 of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (IBM), one of the world’s oldest organizations devoted to the art of magic. The Ring was originally named in honor of Louisville magician Silas Blankenbaker, recognizing one of the city’s earliest professional performers.
Louisville’s place in magic history grew even stronger during the early 1950s when the internationally acclaimed magician Okito (Theodore Bamberg) became a member of the club. During his time in Louisville, Okito built magic apparatus for Louisville magician and dealer Don Redmon at the Don Redmon Magic Company. Considered one of the greatest sleight-of-hand artists of the twentieth century and a member of the legendary Bamberg family of magicians, Okito’s association with Louisville was such an honor that Ring No. 64 was renamed the Okito Ring in his honor.
In 1954, Louisville welcomed magicians from around the world when it hosted the International Brotherhood of Magicians International Convention. Louisville magician Sherrell Nunnelley served as convention chairman, helping establish the city as an important destination for the magic community.
Like many volunteer organizations, the club experienced a period of inactivity during the late 1950s. However, the local magic community never disappeared. Members Bill Dodson and Durbin Oldham kept interest alive by sponsoring lectures and educational programs arranged through famed magic dealer Emil Loew, ensuring that magicians throughout the region continued learning, sharing ideas, and building friendships.
The Louisville Magic Club was revitalized in the late 1970s and has continued to flourish ever since. Much of the club’s modern success can be attributed to the leadership of longtime president Dr. Robert Escher, who later served as International President of the International Brotherhood of Magicians from 2001 to 2002.
In 1985, local magicians established Society of American Magicians Assembly No. 215, giving Louisville representation in both of the world’s premier magic organizations. Just one year later, Louisville again hosted a major national gathering when the Society of American Magicians National Convention came to the city. Louisville continued to be a destination for the magic community, hosting additional Society of American Magicians National Conventions in 2006 and 2017, as well as the historic combined IBM/SAM National Convention in 2008.
In November 1999, Ring No. 64 was renamed the Okito/Lance Burton Ring to honor another of Louisville’s most celebrated magicians, Lance Burton, whose career took him from local magic club meetings to becoming one of the most successful headliners in Las Vegas history. During the same ceremony, longtime magician, collector, and historian Sherrell Nunnelley was named Dean of the Louisville Magic Club in recognition of his decades of service to the magical arts.
The club continues to honor those who have shaped Louisville’s remarkable magic legacy. During the 2008 Society of American Magicians National Convention, Assembly No. 215 was renamed the Mac King Assembly in honor of Louisville native Mac King, whose distinguished career has made him one of America’s most beloved comedy magicians.
Over nearly eighty years, the Louisville Magic Club has counted among its members many performers who have made significant contributions to the art of magic, including Okito (Theodore Bamberg), Baron LaValle (Lawrence Jones), Don Redmon, Bill and Betty Dodson, Durbin Oldham, Sherrell Nunnelley, Harry Collins, Dr. Robert Escher, Dick Gustafson, David Garrard, Stephen Bargatze, Lance Burton, Mac King, Mike Woodward, Simon Lovell, and many others.
Beginning in the 1980s, the Louisville Magic Club produced annual public magic shows to benefit local charitable organizations. For many years the club’s signature production, Magic Under the Stars, was presented at the Iroquois Amphitheater before moving to other venues after changes in the amphitheater’s management. Today, that tradition continues through the annual It’s Magic! show, now celebrating its thirty-seventh year. This year’s show will be at the Clifton Center on Friday, September 4, 2026, at 7 p.m. It will feature headliners Lance Burton and Stephen Bargatze along with several club members.
More than eighty years after its founding, the Louisville Magic Club remains the heart of an extraordinary magical tradition. From legendary touring performers and internationally recognized hometown stars to world conventions, public performances, and the mentoring of future magicians, Louisville has earned its place among America’s great magic cities. The Louisville Magic Club continues to preserve that legacy, ensuring that the art of wonder inspires new generations just as it has since 1946.
For information about the Louisville Magic club or to get tickets to its annual show, visit louisvillemagicclub.com.
Michael Raymer
Past President, Louisville Magic Club
First Vice President, Society of American Magicians
Guest Contributor
