Bizarre Bluegrass

Strange but True Kentucky Tales

Keven McQueen, Lucy Elliott

• Publisher: The History Press
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN: 9781439670835
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

From ghost towns to circus performers to mass hysteria, the Bluegrass State is no stranger to the strange. Read stories of famed President Abraham Lincoln you've never heard before. Find possible solutions to the mystery of Pearl Bryan's missing head and decipher the outrageous hoaxes involving an unsolvable puzzle and monkeys trained to perform farm work. Learn about the time when the author wrote to Charles Manson as a joke and Manson wrote back--four times. Join author Keven McQueen as he recounts some of the weirder vignettes from Kentucky lore.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

LITTLE-KNOWN LINCOLN STORIES

Chrisman, Francis Leon. “Lincoln’s Famous Hat.” Louisville Courier-Journal, February 9, 1896, III, 2.

Cigrand, Prof. Bernard J. “The True and Authentic Story of Lincoln’s Substitute.” Louisville Courier-Journal, February 12, 1911, IV, 2.

Haskin, Frederic J. “Stories of Abraham Lincoln.” Louisville Courier-Journal, February 12, 1907, 4.

Johnston, J. Stoddard. “Abraham Lincoln’s Duel….” Louisville Courier-Journal, January 29, 1899, III, 3.

Louisville Courier-Journal. “Abraham Lincoln’s Ax.” May 29, 1903, 4.

———. “An Abraham Lincoln Story.” November 10, 1912, II, 13.

———. “At a Sale of Autographs in Boston….” November 29, 1879, 2.

———. “Boyhood of Lincoln Spent in Southern Indiana.” October 19, 1902, II, 10.

———. “Cabinet Made by Lincoln Saved from Burning.” December 16, 1907, 3.

———. “Lincoln Appreciated Good Socks.” April 9, 1902, 3.

———. “Lincoln Car Sold.” August 5, 1903, 2.

———. “Lincoln Died on Booth’s Bed.” November 12, 1895, 2.

———. “Lincoln Made Him a Cane.” August 17, 1907, 6.

———. “Lincoln’s Autograph More Valued than Washington’s.” November 11, 1905, 7.

———. “Lincoln’s Car Rotting in the Union Pacific Yard….” February 6, 1897, 10.

———. “Lincoln’s Dictionary Given to Society.” October 8, 1912, 2.

———. “Odds and Ends.” August 12, 1906, III, 3.

———. “On Dit.” September 26, 1903, 6.

———. “Overcoat Worn by Lincoln Is Missing.” November 8, 1904, 3.

———. “Propose Monument to Lincoln’s Substitute.” February 4, 1910, 8.

———. “Shields and Lincoln.” May 12, 1878, 1.

———. “Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Plighted Faith….” January 16, 1901, 2.

———. “An ‘Unofficial’ Bride of the White House.” February 18, 1906, I, 4.

———. “Veteran Poses.” August 28, 1911, 3.

———. “Wilkes Booth’s Clothes.” March 29, 1896, II, 5.

Patroni. “Speaking Of.” Louisville Courier-Journal, December 7, 1897, 4.

Riverside (CA) Daily Press. “White House Bride Whom Lincoln Gave Away….” February 12, 1929, 11.

Wood, Henry Cleveland. “The Man Who United the Parents of Lincoln.” Louisville Courier-Journal, April 11, 1897, 7.

KENTUCKY GHOST TOWNS

Granard

Louisville Courier-Journal. “In Name Only.” August 22, 1897, IV, 4.

———. “Saloons and Groceries.” March 9, 1914, 5.

Martinsville

Louisville Courier-Journal. “A Lost Village.” November 2, 1902, II, 3.

Rennick, Robert M. Kentucky Place Names. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1984.

Florence Station

Louisville Courier-Journal. “Village Soon to Be Off the Map.” July 17, 1905, 4.

Lystra

Giovannoli, H. “Lost City of Lystra.” Louisville Courier-Journal, September 12, 1897, IV, 1.

Louisville Courier-Journal. “Lost Cities.” February 17, 1902, 6.

McGill, Anna Blanche. “Lystra—Kentucky’s Dream City.” Louisville Courier-Journal, October 19, 1919, magazine section, 11.

Beallsborough

Louisville Courier-Journal. “Lost Cities.” February 17, 1902, 6.

Mortonsville

Louisville Courier-Journal. “Kentucky Ghost Town Has 104^th Birthday.” March 1, 1939, II, 1.

Rennick, Robert M. Kentucky Place Names. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1984.

Milford

Clay, Green. “A Bitten Ear Helped Make a Ghost Town.” Louisville Courier-Journal, December 10, 1939, magazine section.

Airdrie

Kaltenbacher, Will. “Huge Meteorite in Kentucky Soil.” Louisville Courier-Journal, September 28, 1930, VII, 8.

Louisville Courier-Journal. “Kentucky’s Famous Old Deserted City.” February 5, 1911, IV, 1.

Rennick, Robert M. Kentucky Place Names. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1984.

Mortalles

Louisville Courier-Journal. “End of ‘Mysterious City.’” February 3, 1914, 2.

———. “Kentucky Marsh Staked for New Utopia.” April 23, 1911, IV, 1.

———. “Magic City Under Hammer.” February 13, 1914, 3.

———. “Mysterious City May Quench Hoosiers’ Thirst.” July 1, 1918, 1.

———. “Opening of Dream City Saloon Will Be Fought.” July 16, 1918, 3.

TWO MISSING PERSONS

Willis E. Smith

Louisville Courier-Journal. “All Lexington Dazed by Story.” October 2, 1908, 1.

———. “Attempt to Unravel the Smith Mystery.” December 28, 1908, 1.

———. “Believes Brother Was Murdered.” October 5, 1908, 1.

———. “Boxcar Theory Will Not Down.” October 3, 1908, 1.

———. “Brother of Missing Student Makes Pathetic Appeal.” October 11, 1908, IV, 1.

———. “College Student on Missing List.” September 28, 1908, 3.

———. “End of a Mystery.” Editorial, January 1, 1909, 4.

———. “Grand Jury Making Close Investigation….” October 19, 1908, 3.

———. “Grand Jury on the Smith Disappearance.” October 14, 1908, 9.

———. “Investigation Brings No Information….” October 10, 1908, 4.

———. “Lack of Discipline at State University.” October 30, 1908, 1.

———. “Leaves Work of Clearing Up Smith Mystery Unfinished.” October 25, 1908, I, 5.

———. “Lexington Rumors.” Editorial, October 7, 1908, 6.

———. “Man Found in a Freight Car.” October 6, 1908, 2.

———. “Missing College Student Turns Up at Owensboro.” December 31, 1908, 1+.

———. “Missing Smith: Decatur, Ill.….” October 10, 1908, 3.

———. “The Missing Student.” September 23, 1909, 8.

———. “Mock Funeral for the ‘Missing Student.’” September 23, 1911, 3.

———. “Mountain Boy Who Came to College at Lexington Missing.” September 26, 1908, 3.

———. “Movement S...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Little-Known Lincoln Stories
• Kentucky Ghost Towns
• Two Missing Persons
• Don’t Give Up the Day Job
• Blue Goon of Kentucky
• Some Mother’s Boy
• Pearl’s Head
• Circus Trouble
• Don’t Get Back to Where You Once Belonged, Jo-Jo
• Clay County Creepiness
• The Great Madison County Monkey Hoax
• Charivari Shakedowns
• Professor Tobin Baffles Louisville, Then the World
• The Second Beethoven’s First
• Charles Manson Surprises an Idiot
• Bibliography
• About the Author