The new Gatlinburg Inn, Tenn.

Moonlight Scene at the Great Kentucky Dam

St. Ann Street, Owensboro

Sent in 1920

Owensboro College

Sent in 1907, the flag appears drawn onto the card.

This is another old college in Owensboro that i am having trouble finding information on.

Downtown Owensboro

Some work is being done in downtown Owensboro!

I really like the businesses that are down there now, and I am glad that they are trying more.

Obviously, a lot is being done and I will be happy to see how this turns out!

Chautauqua Park, Owensboro, KY

The bottom postcard was sent in 1908. The colorful one above it has a misspelling on it. Both show Chautauqua Park in Owensboro!

4th Street Louisville

Here are some pictures from a recent trip to 4th Street. I went on a Sunday and the area was a bit slow. Still, there is a lot going on and it is attractive.

I really like the Hard Rock (a chain that grows on me the more I visit them). Plus, it is close to a lot of the other attractions in town.

Random Thoughts on Friday

As you surely know, the UK men's basketball team won a big championship recently. It reminded me of something that happened to me around 1996.

I spent January in Nebraska. The entire month. I spent a college short term there. That is a cool, mellow state. I had a great time.

So, I listened to the radio a lot there. Local stations.

Anyway, the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team had just won the national championship. The state seemed pretty happy about that, and you saw and heard about it all the time.

As to be expected, everyone was selling t-shirt, posters, and every other item you can image "commemorating" the champions. Merchandise was everywhere.

Frankly, I have no real problem with this. I have various shirts and posters myself of my favorite teams.

One of the items being sold in Nebraska was some sort of a medallion relating to the Cornhuskers and their championship season. I think the silver version was $19.95 plus shipping or you could get a gold one for $29.95.

They played the commercial on EVERY radio station in the state- at least twice during every commercial break. The commercial was so annoying. An announcer came on the radio sounding almost in a panic he was so excited. He must have shot caffeine directly into his veins seconds before the commercial was recorded.

"THE NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!" he shouted. And then he gave his sales pitch about the season, and how you could buy the coin for your collection. I would be reminded of this radio announcer the first time I ever saw Billy Mays.

I had a good time in Nebraska, but I have to admit that I was so glad to be getting away from the repetition of that commercial.

So I get back to Kentucky. I forgot about that commercial for a month or so.

Then it happened. UK won the national championship in basketball. The floodgate or merchandise was opened. Then the commercials started.

The day after the championship game I heard it on the radio, "THE UK WILDCATS HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!"

Piped through radios all over Kentucky was the EXACT SAME commercial I was tormented by in Nebraska with the small change of the Kentucky team's name and the the word "basketball" replacing the Nebraska team's name and the word "football". Otherwise, it was word for word the same commercial.

Being more of a radio fan than a TV fan, I must have listened to this commercial thousands of times in 1996. I never got around to ordering one.

Our Kentucky Heritage: Fascinating Facts by Robert A. Powell

"Our Kentucky Heritage: Fascinating Facts" by Robert A. Powell was given to me by the VERY good people at the Ale-8 company when I took a tour there!

This is a GREAT book full of fun facts relating to Kentucky. Its a fun one to just flip through or read straight through.

At less than $5 a copy, this would be a great gift idea for your favorite person who thinks they know everything. I picked up a copy for my dad.

Blessed Mother School, Owensboro

Sent in 1942 from a guy in the Coast Guard to his buddies at the No. 1 Fire Station in Paducah!

Those guys that served in WWII were tough!

Settle Memorial Methodist Church, Owensboro

The East Fourth Street card is from a postcard sent in 1910!

Check it out, I have posted 2 old postcards, and 2 photos I took in February of 2012 from similar angles. The great church has changed little.

Owensboro High School

Owensboro High has been a landmark in Owensboro forever! I went to Apollo myself, but I have relatives connected to OHS.

Here is an older postcard (I assume from the 50s) and a photo I took in February of 2012. I think it still looks very much the same, though more has been built up around it recently.

Dam 46 on the Ohio River, Owensboro

Random Thoughts on Friday

Happy Friday the 13th!

I would like to say hello to my friends in Blairstown, NJ. and Kent CT. If you know why I mention those areas today, you are a true horror movie fan!

Speaking of the number thirteen and horror, it is the anniversary of Apollo 13! Stephen King could not write a more horrifying tale.

If you are college age or younger and you are not familiar with Apollo 13, look it up. The brave astronauts on that trip experienced a real life event that compares to none. NONE.

Union Station, Owensboro

Union Station- Owensboro. I do rememeber a train track and trains going through Owenboro.

Columbia College, Owensboro, KY

Anyone have info on Columbia College? I can't find much else, besides this postcard, about it!

L&NRR Bridge, Evansville IN & Henderson KY

West Virginia Road Trips

We recently took a short trip through Huntington and Charleston West Virginia. I think road trippers sometimes ignore these areas and I hope that changes. they both have a lot to offer. I find myself going over there for ballgames and other reasons a lot these days.

We always stop at the West Virginia Visitor Center on I-64 going from the Ashland Kentucky Area. I think it is Exit 10.

I love stopped here. The restrooms are clean, and the staff at the visitor center are friendly and knowledgeable. I always pick up a thick stack of brochures, maps and magazines while there.

I like malls, and I really love the Huntington Mall in Barboursville. They do a good job of keeping this one modern and active.

I think I have mentioned this before, but I was sad to see the old book store chain Borders. I had a very special place in my heart for the Borders store at this mall. Well, the cool folks at Books -A-Million have taken over the same space! Looks like some of the folks there were able to transition to the new store. AND, they have kept the layout almost identical. Joe Muggs Coffee is exactly where the Seattle's Best was. Thanks for filling that space Books-A-Million!

Check out my other entries on Hillbilly Hot Dogs in that area too. Yes, the place is just as cool as you have heard. AND their dogs are GREAT!

See my baseball blog for entries on the West Virginia Power baseball team. Charleston is a very relaxed area with a fun ballpark perfect for games.

Also, I have to admit that I haven't explored the state like I would like to. Matewan and Moundsville are high on my "Places to Visit Next" list.

Random Thoughts On Friday

Wow, it has been a BIG week in my neck of the woods. Basketball has been the news here. Several teams in the state did great, and 2 made it to the Final Four! Everyone has been excited about the basketball season- except State Street. State Street was abused.

I have to tip my hat to Kentucky's cops. I have ALWAYS had good experiences with police in our great state. I can't say the same for my time in Ohio.

Seriously, Kentucky cops will leave you alone if you aren't bothering anyone. After UK won the Championship, they did have a heavy presence downtown. AND they were cool.

My pal Brian has a great photo of him with one of the guys in riot gear. Both look like they are having a great time. Both are sporting their three point goggles.

I am so proud of our basketball team. This is a great time to be a basketball fan.

I have to say that I am proud of our other guys in blue too. They did take care of the guys causing trouble, but they let the other kids casually celebrating have their fun.

Giant Sassafras Tree- Owensboro

Goodyear Blimp Akron OH.

Still going through old photos. I found a couple of the old Goodyear Blimp pics.

I used to work in Akron, and it was not uncommon to see one of the Blimps overhead. I looked directly above me many times and saw it.

Here is a picture of the blimp's hanger too. The blimp is directly over the hanger, but in the distance.

Delta Queen on the Ohio River in Paducah

Public Square and Union Terminal Tower at Night, Cleveland

TVA'S Kentucky Dam and Navigation Lock, Western Kentucky