100 YEARS AGO — 1917

The committee in charge of working up the Danville and Boyle County Hospital has just purchased the site for the hospital’s construction. It is on South Third Street (the C.C. Bagby lot, between Green and Walnut streets), is admirably adapted for a hospital and seems to meet the approval of everyone. The price paid was $5,500. The lot has a frontage of about 104 feet and is 200 feet deep. The hospital when completed will be a very attractive building, and add much to the appearance of the street.

Col. Ben Lee Hardin, of Mercer County was returning home after church and had reached the town creek where he attempted to cross it. It was pitch dark and Col. Hardin couldn’t see six inches. He thought he was on the bridge, but was too far to one side of the stone supports, and as he stumbled along in the dark carrying an umbrella and sack of bananas, he fell head-first into the waters. He was washed down the creek at a dizzy pace and was swept under the large bridge. He finally was able to scramble to the bank and found that he was uninjured. Thinking how lucky he was, Col. Hardin sat down and roared with laughter at his mishap. 

One of the gentlemen from Mitchellsburg, who was active in using a snow plow on the roads from Mitchellsburg to Perryville and Perryville to Danville and Danville to Mitchellsburg, last week was in Danville yesterday to extend the most sincere thanks to everyone in the county who contributed to the fund that paid for his work. He said it was a real task, required several men and a number of horses to complete it, but he said the expressed gratitude and contributions amply paid them.

75 YEARS AGO — 1942

Danville churches are joining together in the drive to raise funds to fight infantile paralysis. The plan is to give envelopes to congregation members next Sunday, who are then to bring in their contribution enclosed the following Sunday. The same plan will be followed in the schools. There will be no dance this year to raise funds, so everyone is urged to contribute this way to fight polio.

Through cooperation with the State Board of Education and the Danville Board of Education, a new defense class in auto mechanics will start in Danville in February. This class is open to any young men between the ages of 18 and 25 who are not now in school and will be taught by Basil Cole. Other schools throughout the state have joined in this instruction drive as a method of supplying workers so badly needed in defense and maintenance work.

The State Fish and Game director has announced that wall-eyed pike will be placed in Herrington Lake by the truck loads until the lake is well supplied. Last week 300 of the fighting beauties were placed in the lake. Similar truck loads will be released each week at the various fishing camps and docks .

All citizens of Danville and Boyle County, 18 years of age or older, are invited to register on Friday, to acquaint the local Board of Civilian defense with their desire, preferences and special qualifications for service during the present and any more serious future emergencies. A list of activities for which citizens may register – air raid wardens, bomb watchers, training classes, etc — will be on display at registration headquarters in city hall. Also, you may register to take special training in a Red Cross class in home nursing, first aid or nutrition.

50 YEARS AGO — 1967

There were two dances this weekend for teenagers. One was held at the Danville Bowlarama on Saturday night. The “Unknowns” furnished the music. On Friday night the Rice Paddy sponsored a dance featuring the band “Missing Links.”

An enthusiastic crowd was on hand Thursday evening at DHS to give support to the newly-organized Danville High School wrestling team.

William J. Riffe, a Temple University graduate student, and a former Danville High School student, recently was granted a U.S. Patent on his device designed to improve operating efficiency of an internal combustion engine. The purpose of his invention is to change the timing on the drive shaft or cam shaft without changing the speed of the engine. Mr. Riffe is married to the former Miss Nancy Lee of Danville and they have three boys and a girl. Mr. Riffe’s grandmother, Mrs. William Riffe of North Third Street, said the family hopes to return to Kentucky someday.

Miss Anna Pearl Johnston, 83, former operator of The Fashion Shoppe of Danville has died. Born in Lincoln County, she had lived in Danville practically her whole life. She was employed for many years in the Robinson Clothing Store and in 1929 she entered into a partnership with Miss Maude Smalley of Harrodsburg in The Fashion Shoppe on North Third Street in Danville. Miss Johnston continued to run the business until the shop was taken over by Arthur Chinn about 1957. She was a member of First Christian Church.

Representatives of four funeral homes in this area met with representatives of the Boyle Fiscal Court and Danville, Perryville and Junction City councils, and with the Ephraim McDowell Hospital Board of Trustees, and advised them that the funeral homes will no longer be able to provide ambulance services for the area. The service will stop at midnight, Jan. 31. It was pointed out that the funeral homes had furnished ambulance service in this area for many years because they felt it was an obligation. In a prepared statement the funeral homes said, “…under the Wage and Hour Law… it is impossible for us to continue this service financially.”

Ashland Oil and Refining Company is advertising that your good neighborhood Ashland Oil Dealer will give you a 12-ounce “Fire King” casserole dish free, with every 7-gallon purchase of Ashland Vitalized Gasoline. These Danish-style milk white casseroles are ideal for baking and serving pot pies. As an added bonus, you can get the 1.5-quart, matching covered casserole dish for only 49 cents with an oil change or lubrication at regular prices. Start your bake and serve casserole set now at the Ashland Oil station.

25 YEARS AGO — 1992

When Danville attorney Susan Weston first heard about the Kentucky Education Reform Act, she knew from working at the U.S. Department of Education, that it was state of the art. Now she is helping educators put those state of the art plans in place at the grassroots level. The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence commissioned Weston last year to write a legal guide for school councils established under KERA.

The Danville-Boyle County Senior Citizens Center will be moving again. But his time, it will be to a new building that it owns. The center board voted to purchase two lots totaling nearly two acres at Forest Avenue and Perryville Street and build an 8,100-square-foot structure on one of the lots. The property will be purchased for $85,000 from Henry E. Lutes, a Perryville Crane company owner.

Casey County Airport Board has purchased land for a new airport. The board paid $508,490 in the past week for 2227.85 acres on Dry Ridge Road, about four miles east of Liberty off of Ky. 70. A $520,000 state grant, which was announced in October, was used to buy the land.

Brandi Matherly fills her days with music, dance and song, If this busy 11-year-old isn’t singing with one of the three choruses that she is a member of, she may be studying tap and ballet or taking a piano lesson.