Part of the Weird US series by Mark Scuerman and Mark Moran, this book highlights all of the weird, quirky and wonderful people, places and things about the Bluegrass State, Kentucky.
It's broken down into sections. Ancient Mysteries, Fabled People and Legendary Places, Unexplained Phenomena, Bizarre Beasts, Local Heroes and Villains, Personalized Properties, Roadside Distractions, Roads Less Travelled, Ghosts of Kentucky, Cemetery Safari, Abandoned in Kentucky
Some of the items mentioned in this book include:
The Louisville Slugger Museum
This museum in Louisville is attached to the museum making the famed baseball bats known as "Louisville Sluggers". There is a massive model of its famed product leaning against the building housing the museum, dedicated to the history of the famed Louisville Slugger baseball bat.
Donald Harvey, The Angel of Death
He was a resident of Kentucky who became known as the Angel of Death, for the high number of deaths that occurred on his watch. He worked at several hospitals in the area, including the VA (Veterans Affairs) Medical Center right here in Cincinnati
Maxey Flats
A toxic government area that is more or less a radioactive waste dump. It's where dangerous radioactive material is simply left to rot in metal canisters and cardboard boxes, where, eventually, the chemicals eat through the metal and cardboard and leech into the local water supply and ground. This is not a tourist destination; it's under heavy surveillance and protection of the government. These radioactive materials have to be monitored frequently to ensure that too much radiation doesn't taint the local water supply. This is what happens when you don't know how to properly dispose of radioactive material and toxic chemicals. You do a dump and run (dump something dangerous and just run away, forgetting the whole thing). This place is what happens when the government doesn't know how to properly dispose of radioactive material.
The Gates of Hell
This area, called the Gates of Hell, goes through Kasey Cemetery and, because of the spooky nature of the area surrounding the cemetery and road, lead to you wondering if you've entered the unholy underworld. Located in Elizabethtown, this area is often heavily visited by figures in black cloaks, practicing black magic and devil worship. If you visit this road, and get out to explore, be prepared to meet figures in black who exude an overwhelming sense of uneasy malevolence.
The Wildwood Inn
Located in Erlanger, this "interesting" hotel is known for it's large glassed-in heated indoor pool, giving you the feeling of swimming in a large hothouse more appropriate for plants and its 31 themed rooms. This is for couples who want to reinvigorate their love lives and spice things up. There's the Raceway Suite, including two regulation-size NASCAR cars and black and white checkered flag bed linens. Then there's the Central Park suite, complete with park benches and murals of New York's famous Central park.
Butchertown
This was an area of Louisville that once had tons of slaughterhouses and other meat processing plants. There is a park overlooking one of these plants that is said to be the most unpleasant park you can imaging. Aside from the heavily hot dog-scented air and view of a meat processing plant, there is strong paranormal activity here. Feelings of being watched, feelings of nausea almost to the point of vomiting. It's just an overall uneasy feeling here.
Colonel Harland Sanders
The man behind Kentucky Fried Chicken, he wore many hats before becoming known as the man behind Kentucky Fried Chicken. His odd jobs included fireman and a stint in the military. His large empire started out as nothing more than a modest side job at the gas station he owned in Corbin, Kentucky. He would sell fried chicken at the gas station, made from the kitchen of the house he owned right behind the gas station. It was good and attracted more and more people. One day, he noticed he was selling more chicken than gas and realized he might be one to something. He thought about making this a regular thing and started his own fried chicken company. Today, this company has dozens of locations in the US and even worldwide. Most little kids don't know the man from the KFC commercials was a real person
Waverly Hills Sanatorium
Located in Louisville, this is an old tuberculosis hospital that opened up with tuberculosis, known as the dreaded consumption or "white plague" was still ravaging the areas of Kentucky and beyond. The doctors and nurses at this hospital may not have been successful in finding a cure, but they were friendly and caring. They believed fresh air and sunlight would help the patients. It may not cure them, but it will keep their spirits high. Unfortunately, due to the high number of daily deaths from tuberculosis, the long tunnel on the facility, used to ferry supplies into the hospital, was repurposed for a more grim reason. It was renamed, by locals and even some of the staff, as The Body Chute. It was used to remove the bodies of those who perished, secretly, so the patients wouldn't see how many people were dying a day. Luckily, there were were patients who were here who were cured enough to be freed back into society. You can often take tours of this old TB hospital, daytime and nighttime tours.
Hayswood Hospital
Unlike the Waverly Hills Sanatorium that you can take tours of, this one you cannot. It's unstable, the floors can break through without warning, there is vermin running about and, in addition to the asbestos in the air, there is the unmistakable aroma of paranormal activity here. This hospital is located on a hill atop Fourth Street, overlooking the Simon Kenton Bridge and the Licking River in Maysville. Originally starting out as the Hayswood Seminary, a place where men go to study the theological world and become priests, this building closed. A local named May Peale Wilson came and turned the building into the Wilson Infirmary, which she ran until she died in 1901. Then the building was razed to make room for a new hospital, which would be called Hayswood Hospital, in honor of the old seminary that once stood here.
The hospital was considered not just the gold standard, but the platinum standard for medical care. People came here from six counties and beyond for their treatments. People were born here, lives were saved here, people died here. The hospital closed in 1983 in conjunction with the opening of the new Meadowview Regional Medical Center. Hayswood then lay abandoned since then. Supplies are still in cabinets, never to be used once more. Gurneys wait in the halls for patients who will not be be admitted. Paranormal activity is running over overload. People living near the hospital state they see lights on in rooms occasionally, which is odd given the building no longer has electric. Hospital equipment will be seen in the windows. Phantom nurses and doctors see standing in the windows. The phantom clacking of heels, such as from a doctor running down the hall in response to a Code Blue (high priority emergency in medical lingo).
Pete Gross aka Buckhorn
Known as Buckhorn in the Richmond, Kentucky area, this kooky character was a bit strange, but beloved by those in the Richmond area. He worked odd jobs, such as a custodian and worked at the local WEKY radio station, known for his ear shattering, off tune cover of "Happy Birthday to You". He was known to the town drunks, college students and citizens as a rough, grizzled-looking guy with an almost child-like laugh. He would zip around town on his motorcycle, ignoring traffic laws. The ironic thing is that he couldn't write or read, but if it came to radios, he would fix them easily and make them good as new, if not better. He would receive broken radios and with the "Buckhorn" touch, they would work anew.
James Herndon aka Sweet Evening Breeze
Imagine being a black man living in Louisville, Kentucky during the 1930s-1970s? Then add on to that being not only a black man, but an openly gay, cross dressing black man in the 1930s-1970s in Louisville. You can imagine that would stir up some trouble in the racially charged, Bible Belt of the South. A local character named James Herndon, better known by their drag name of Sweet Evening Breeze, is the subject of this eye catching story. She was an openly gay, cross dressing black man known by the drag name of Sweet Evening Breeze. Because of their kind personality and massive charisma, no one gave them any issue. This interesting local had friends all over, from their fellow church goers at the Pleasant Green Baptist Church to the fellow doctors and nurses at Good Samaritan Hospital, where Miss Sweets, as she was also known as, would work, and play the role of cheerleader during staff football games and also worked as a nurse. They lived in the old black neighborhood on Prall Street. Their house is still there. This world lost this louder than life personality in 1983.
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| A mural on the side of the building |
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| The actual Sweet Evening Breeze |
Charles Manson
Before he became known for "Helter Skelter", he was born in Ashland, Kentucky. He was in and out of jails, reformatories and other behavior-correcting facilities as a child. As he grew up, he wanted nothing more than to be a musician. The Beatles and The Beach Boys being his inspiration. During the 1960s, he and a group of people became known as the Manson Family and murdered Valley of the Dolls actress Sharon Tate while she was pregnant. Charles Manson is, to this day, still in prison. Never to be released.
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