100 YEARS AGO — 1919

Danville is included in the list of cities which have been invited to send a representative to a special civilian relief conference in May, in Cleveland by the staff of the American Red Cross. Current problems of home service and its possibilities outlined in the new Red Cross peace program will be discussed.

C.T. Breeding came near suffering serious injuries when he missed the crossing from Main Street to the sidewalk while riding his bicycle. Mr. Breeding was thrown against the iron fence over which there is barbed wire at the corner of the Centre College grounds west of McDowell Park.

Spoonamore’s Drug Store, located next to the courthouse, was advertising Veribest Mixed Paint. The advertisement read, “Come in and get a free color chart and let us assist you in planning your spring cleaning and painting. … We came to the conclusion that we would select the highest grade, pure lead and oil paint for our trade. Any paint that is not made of genuine white lead and oil is naturally of inferior quality and will not stand the test of time.” The drugstore also sold paint brushes of all sizes.

The following letter was written for Mother’s Day by Lieut. Allen C. Terhune of Danville, who was at the time stationed in Le Mans, France, on May 11, 1919, following World War I. “… Some of our comrades are not writing home to Mother today. They have crossed over the river to rest neath the shade of the trees. At Chateau Thierry alone eighty two thousand mothers’ hearts were broken. And we ask, why? Why should she be compelled after all the anxiety of rearing her child from the prattling babe to the developed man, why should she have to suffer this living death? But those of us who through the grace of God remain, are counting the days until we may again hold Mother in our arms. … We are coming home Mother … as your little boy, older in years but the same at heart. We have been out playing in the awful drama, ‘War.’ We are tired, we want the soothing caresses of Mother and rest.”

75 YEARS AGO — 1944

A Mother’s Day message from their son, James G. Blaine, U.S. Navy, who called from a foreign port, brought the happy news that he had been promoted to the rank of lieutenant-commander. Lt. Com. Blaine is the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Blaine of 145 St. Mildred’s Court. He is also the brother of Mrs. Harold Burke of the same address.

Captain Justus D. Foster of Junction City has been appointed commanding officer of a fighter squadron with the Eighth Air Force, according to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. M.D. Foster. Captain Foster holds the Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster and the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Cluster. He has destroyed two enemy planes and flown more than 84 missions. In his new position he is in charge of 300 men. Several months ago he earned the nickname “Wingless Wonder” when he brought his plane down with the right wing shot away by enemy planes.

Sheriff John C. McGinnis was investigating the robbery of the Toadvine store in West Danville. Entry was made by pulling a steeple out of the back door of the shop. The thief took 10 dollars in change, almost a full can of lard and about 40 pounds of sugar.

50 YEARS AGO — 1969

The Danville Business & Professional Women’s Club began celebrating its Golden Anniversary year with a salute to two of the club’s distinguished members, Miss Clara Chappell of Harrodsburg, and Miss Carole Ray of Danville. Miss Chappelle is also celebrating her golden anniversary in club membership having joined the Business Women’s Club in Minneapolis in August of 1919. She came to Harrodsburg in 1923 and helped organize the Danville Club. Miss Carole Ray was named Outstanding Young Career Woman. Mrs. Henrietta Cannon presented the annual awards  given by the club to outstanding commercial students to: Miss Betty Lou Whitt, KSD; Miss Lisa Hopper, DHS; and Miss Judy Edward, BCHS.

A truism was expressed on the bulletin board in front of Centenary Methodist Church that read, “Some people use the church three times, at Hatching, Matching, Dispatching.”

John C. Hancock, vice-president of Citizens Bank, and Jim Thompson, vice-president of Farmers Bank, announced the two institutions will be distributing the official Lincoln Heritage Trail commemorative medallions. Banking institutions in three states are offering the medallions to join the efforts of the Lincoln Heritage Trail Foundation in encouraging travel on the “trail,” and the perpetuation of the historic shrines in the area. The dollar-sized pieces have been issued in two medals, solid silver and bronze. Each silver medallion is serially numbered on the edge up to the 10,000 issued. They are selling for $10 each. The bronze medallions are $1 each.

25 YEARS AGO — 1994

Eleven Danville streets will be overcrowded in 20 years if improvements aren’t made. The streets were identified as part of a transportation study the City Commission requested to help it plan for the future. Recommendations call for extending the bypass, widening some existing streets and revamping the downtown traffic lights. Estimated cost of the improvements is $30 million with Danville paying $4.6 million and the state paying the rest. The study, done by Wilbur Smith Associates of Lexington examined how Danville’s streets will look in 2015. Improvements that were recommended included: Extending the bypass from Stanford Road to Burgin Road; widening Lexington Avenue from Kentucky Avenue to Kemper Lane; extending Main Street to a proposed bypass; widening East Main from Wilderness Road to Hill-n-Dale Drive; widening Perryville Road/Main Street from Bluegrass Pike to Fifth Street; widening Ky. 2168 from U.S. 127 North to Shakertown Road; Widening Wilderness Road from Main Street to Lexington Avenue; coordinating downtown traffic signals which will help problems such as traffic flow on South Third Street. A few other suggestions in the report included: left turn lanes are needed at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and Third Street, even thought it would affect houses on the National Register of Historic places; remove all parking on Main Street between Third and Fourth streets and put in turning lanes.