100 YEARS AGO — 1917

The girls’ sewing unit of the Red Cross will meet Wednesday morning at Second Presbyterian Church as usual. All school-age girls and older who want to “do their bit” are cordially invited to come. Plain hemming and sewing is being done and any girl willing to do her part will find something to do.

There was a very loud and alarming  explosion or an eruption near Perryville about two weeks ago. No one knew its origin or exact location  Since then it has been discovered that the solid rock in Chaplin Creek at a location was burst in many pieces and at a point not far from this in the same stream, the stone and other substances in the bottom of the creek is considerably elevated. Some people think it was of volcanic nature or an explosion caused by accumulated gas. For years and years it has been the opinion of many that oil and gas could be found around Perryville.

The Harrodsburg Herald says Mrs. Glave Goddard and Mrs. Magoffin Hardin have purchased the Daughters’ College building and four acres in Harrodsburg from Dr. Brunner for $7,150.

As seen in a large advertisement in this newspaper a local livery man is selling all of his horses, buggies and harnesses because he is to run an automobile livery. This sale is at what has for years been one of the most important livery stables in Kentucky, and goes to show that the horse is now a thing of the past.

75 YEARS AGO — 1942

A United Service Organization (USO) clubhouse on West Main Street in Danville just below the post office has opened. The building is to be open to the public from 3 to 5 o’clock and soldiers from the Darnall General Hospital will be guests at a dance from 8 to 11 o’clock tonight.

Members of the Danville Rotary Club have begun a program of writing to Boyle County men who are in the armed forces for their country. At the meeting, the names of all the local men in the service were written on a slip of paper and placed in a hat. Each Rotarian drew names and will write letters to the man whose names they drew.

Why do the church bells ring at noon each day? Because a proclamation recently issued by Danville Mayor Henry Nichols asks that the bells be rung to remind the citizens of a two-minute prayer period each day during the war.

The execution of Henry Murrell, who was convicted in the killing of policeman Paul Ketron in Nicholasville last July was set for August 14. Murrell after shooting Ketron fled from Jessamine County to Boyle County. Following a search for several days, Murrell was shot by a local railroad policeman, and he later surrendered.

50 YEARS AGO — 1967

The condition of Boyle County Deputy Sheriff Charlie Martin, who was shot Sunday afternoon as he attempted to serve a warrant on Haskeu Taylor at the old A&P parking lot on North Fourth Street, was reported as good this morning. Martin was taken to a Lexington hospital where an operation removed one eye, and a bullet that had lodged in the front part of his head. He was also shot in the hand. Taylor, whose 9-shot 22 caliber pistol had been fired nine times. Taylor was shot by Patrolman Richard Cook who rushed to the scene from the old police station across the street. Deputy Martin’s 38 caliber pistol had been fired six times. There were six bullet holes in the back window of Taylor’s car.

In national news, Chief John Big Tree, who posed 54 years ago for the Indian head nickel is dead at the age of 101 on the Onondaga Reservation near Syracuse, New York.

Tickets for the street dance to be held on College Street for the benefit fund set up for hospital and other expenses for Deputy Charlie Martin have gone on sale. There was a clamor for tickets and many people were buying up to 10 tickets. Sheriff Walter Clem will be the MC and hundreds of volunteers are working to make the project a success. Music for the street dance will be provided by The Soul Sensations, a local group that volunteered its services. 

25 YEARS AGO — 1992

More than 200 marijuana plants were found in three plots on a ridge above Tank Pond Road near Parksville. The plants have been cut down and burned. This was probably the first marijuana found in Boyle County this year.

Progress has been made in the reconstruction of U.S. 127 at Hustonville, where the famous old hill to the town has been turned into a cut through of limestone rock. When completed, the road will lead travelers around the historic town, instead of over the hill and through downtown, which is the route people have traveled for hundreds of years.