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The Kelly–Hopkinsville Encounter: The Night the Goblins Came to Kentucky
“It reminded her of, “a five-gallon gasoline can with a head on top and small legs,” its body shining like the metal surface of a refrigerator.” On the night of August 21, 1955, an extended farm family arrived breathlessly at the police station in Hopkinsville, terrified and desperate for help. Their story would soon become…
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Alan Messer: A Rare Look into Johnny Cash’s Final Years
“Messer shared never-before-seen footage of Johnny and June Carter Cash” Alan Messer, the renowned photographer behind some of the most intimate images of Johnny Cash’s later years, recently shared his stories and photographs during a special presentation at the Simpson County Historical Society, in 2023. With a career spanning decades, Messer has photographed some of…
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The Final Resting Place of Johnny and June Carter Cash
“Today, they rest side by side at Hendersonville Memorial Gardens in Hendersonville” Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, one of country music’s most legendary couples, passed away just four months apart in 2003. Their love story, both on and off the stage, remains one of the most cherished in music history. Today, they rest side…
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The Legacy of Johnny & June: A Look at Their Tennessee Homestead
“In 2007, during renovations, the home was destroyed by a fire.” Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash were key figures in country music and part of the Old Nashville era. Their love story was highlighted in the 2005 film Walk the Line, named after Johnny’s song, I Walk the Line. In 1968, Johnny and June…
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Johnny and June’s Wedding: A Simple Beginning to a Legendary Love
“On March 1, 1968, Johnny Cash and June Carter made their own history within its walls.” The First United Methodist Church of Franklin has long been a cornerstone of its community. Established around 1845, the congregation initially shared a space on North Main Street with the local Presbyterians before acquiring the building for themselves. In…
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Johnny Cash & June Carter: A Proposal and A Courthouse
“After returning to the U.S., Johnny and June wasted no time in making things official.” After years of friendship, musical collaborations, and undeniable chemistry, Johnny proposed to June onstage in London, Ontario, Canada, on February 22, 1968. Less than two weeks later, they were married. but not in a grand ceremony. Instead, their wedding was…
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Willard Public Library: Indiana’s Oldest Public Library and the Legend of the Grey Lady
“According to his account, the figure vanished moments after he noticed her.” Founded in 1885 by philanthropist Willard Carpenter, Willard Public Library is the oldest continuously operating public library in the state of Indiana. The building itself predates the library’s opening; construction began in 1877 and continued until 1885, with Carpenter closely overseeing the work…
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From Falling Meat to Flying Feasts: Bath County’s Meaty Legacy
“Some of the locals tasted it.” On the late morning of March 3, 1876, something utterly bizarre happened in Bath County, Kentucky. Rebecca Crouch, a farmer’s wife, was making soap on her porch near Olympia Springs when chunks of red meat began raining down from a clear sky. The pieces, roughly two inches square, littered…
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One of My Favorite Haunts: The Spurlington Tunnel and the Legend of Jesse James’ Lost Treasure
“When the gang realized Nancy had seen too much, they allegedly hanged her from the smoke hole in the center of the tunnel.” Back in 2000, I made the trek with a few friends into Campbellsville, Kentucky—an underrated little town with a surprisingly massive history. Just outside the town limits is one of my favorite…
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The Ghost in the Window: Russellville’s Eerie Sexton House
“After the storm, something strange was discovered: a silhouette of the girl’s face appeared, etched into the glass of the window near where she died” Beside Maple Grove Cemetery stands a white house built in 1870, known locally as the Sexton House. Originally home to the cemetery’s caretaker, the house has earned a reputation far…
