100 YEARS AGO — 1917

Advertisement for The Hub-Pushin Bros. department store: The honor of your presence is requested at our Spring Opening. See the season’s most authoritative styles in Millinery, Pattern hats, Gage hats, Fisk hats and children’s millinery. There will also be an exhibit of the season’s smartest tailor-made suits, and daytime and afternoon dresses.

Danville has been designated as one of the four Kentucky cities which may organize a troop of Cavalry. Forty eight men are necessary, and it is believed the enlistments will be soon secured. The U.S. Government will furnish the horses and equipment. If you want to enlist, talk to Dr. H.L, Casey or William Faulconer.

The fact that Ed Renfro of Danville attended church during the morning of the first Sunday in July, instead of idling his time at home, saved him from being convicted Monday on the charge of selling intoxicating liquors without a Federal license, when his case was called in the Federal Court at Frankfort. Renfro not only established an alibi on the charge, but he proved by a deacon in the church that the very day he was charged with selling booze, he contributed to the church and the jury found him not guilty.

Fire was discovered about 3 in the morning in the Lincoln County Courthouse in Stanford. The fire department responded quickly but the second and third stories were badly damaged. Practice for a home talent minstrel show was held in one of the rooms on the third floor and and the supposition is that a cigar or cigarette left burning must have caused the blaze. In addition to damaging the rooms, some very handsome old oil paintings of famous Lincoln County statesmen were ruined. One of the most valued was a portrait of Isaac Shelby, first governor of Kentucky. The courthouse was completed in 1909 at a cost of $60,000 and was considered one of the handsomest building in central Kentucky.

75 YEARS AGO — 1942

While about 350 guests of the annual Danville Chamber of Commerce banquet listened tensely, Rev. Adolphus Gilliam made the quiet announcement that Mrs. H.D. Gresham had been voted the most useful citizen of Boyle County. The contribution that this woman has made could not be measured in terms of dollars, or new buildings or committee work. She has given a son that we in Danville might continue to live as we choose, the toastmaster explained in a hushed voice. Stanley Jason Gresham, 24, Seaman Second Class, United States Navy  was announced as missing in action on Tuesday. He is the first youth in the armed forces from Boyle County about whom this report has been made. Gresham was stationed aboard the U.S.S. cruiser Houston, and was said to have gone down in the battle of Java Sea.

Voice of the people: There are a lot of kids in Danville who love to skate, and where the heck are we going to skate? The cops chase us off the streets and sidewalks. Our fathers pay taxes and what do we get out of it? What is there to do in Danville for the kids? They have excess energy that needs to be used up. If they don’t skate they will probably get into worse mischief… We are a couple of kids representing the average kids of Danville would like to make a motion that we get a good place to skate, NOW! — signed, Two Average Danville Kids.

According to Danville Police Chief Tom Clark, streets will be blocked off for those who wish to skate every night this week, except Saturday night. For the white children, Lexington Avenue between Proctor and First streets will be reserved for skaters. Walnut Street between First and Second streets will blocked off for the colored children wishing to skate. The streets will be reserved for skaters from 7 to 9:30 o’clock.

Boyle County’s five roadhouses are observing the law said Sheriff J.C. McGinnis following an inspection of them. No violations of the law were seen while on the trip. Sheriff McGinnis said no whiskey was on the tables at any of the roadhouses. There have been several complaints recently concerning roadhouses in the county. One person was killed during a brawl at a county roadhouse Christmas Eve. Also recently the manager of a roadhouse was convicted for failing to close his establishment at midnight. Another complaint came in a letter charging that the manager of one of the roadhouses provided transportation to his business for teen-age girls who hustled drinks for the house.

50 YEARS AGO — 1967

The National Farmers Organization (NFO) in Lincoln County held one of its biggest meeting Friday night. On Saturday morning, members bought up $400 worth of milk at retail outlets in Stanford and publicly, in front of the courthouse, emptied the milk cartons into a barrel on a truck that had the words “Hog Feed by NFO” on it. One of the people involved said to the crowd, “If you want any milk you had better get it quick because we are going to clean out the town. We are going to report this action Tuesday.” The NFO is said to be protesting the current price of milk and making an effort to drive prices up two cents a quart.

Danvillians and former Danvillians are proving themselves with pride as a people interested in the beautification of Bellevue Cemetery. The beautification campaign, led by the Living Memorial Fund, under the guidance of the Garden Club of Danville has taken hold with renewed interest in clearing, planting and caring for the overall beauty of Bellevue, giving special attention to the preservation of all graves and mergers including the National Cemetery to the northwest.

A number of Danville High School students spent their spring vacations in the Florida sun and will be returning this weekend. They include Shelia Everly, Linda Dexter, Jane Huffman, Patty Cash, Marlene Bollinger, Joyce Parker, Charlotte Lankford, Ann Irvin, Alice Frankel, Mary Stith, Jenny Davis, Frances Hardaway, Donna Ruth, Roger McAnly, Danny Smith, David Sims, Mike Powell, Rogers Moore, David Robertson, Malinda McWhorter, Delle McWhorter, Walker Ange, Nick Parker, Wayne Kinsel, Jim Webber, Ray Wilkerson, Vicki Bowling and Virginia Nichols.

25 YEARS AGO — 1992

Amanda Ely, 17, of Salvisa, appears in the April issue of “Teen Magazine” as a 1992 Great Model Search regional semifinalist. Ely is the daughter of Jim and Joyce Ely and is a senior at Mercer County High School. Among past winners are Cheryle Tiegs, Faith Ford of CBS’s “Murphy Brown”, and Tiffani-Amber Theissen of NBC’s “Saved by the Bell.”

Larry Morris, chairman of the Harrodsburg-Mercer County Industrial Development Authority, believes another textile manufacturer likely would occupy the Cricketeer factory if the workers’ union disbanded. Morris said the three companies interested in the plant are non-union. “It appears they won’t come as long as the union is there,” Morris said. “I’ve pretty much reached a standstill at this point, as far as my negotiations with these companies are concerned. They will not even look at the plant unless the union is decertified.”

The effort to save the McClure-Barbee house has raised nearly $22,000 since the campaign went public two weeks ago. The new contributions bring to $181,970 the amount raised by the McClure-Barbee House Foundation. It needs to raise $118,030 more by the end of the month for a total of $300,000, to guarantee the house will remain standing. Four non-profit groups, the Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce, the Heart of Danville, the Boyle County Industrial Foundation and the Danville-Boyle County Tourism Commission, plan to use the 1852 house as offices, bringing together under one roof, four groups that frequently work together on projects. Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center is making the house available, if the four groups can finance the improvements. While the hospital has not announced plans for the property, which it purchased from Centre College, hospital administrator Thomas Smith said the hospital would tear it down before letting the house fall down. A portion of the yard has been turned into a parking lot by the hospital.