The Bullitt County History Museum

It Happened in April

We first covered months of 1998, 1983, 1953 and 1923 in articles published in The Pioneer News in 2013. Now ten years later, we take another look back, this time 25, 40, 70 and 100 years with a refreshed look at the month of April in these years.


1998 - 25 Years Ago.

Tom and Rene Scalf's Deerwood Farms home was destroyed by tornado-like winds. Luckily no one was seriously injured.

Edgar B. Stansbury grew up in Bullitt County, and attended Shepherdsville High School before entering Western Kentucky University, where he was an outstanding athlete. To honor his years at WKU, he placed more than $500,000 in a charitable annuity trust for athletic scholarships.


Shannon O'Mara

And Rick Stansbury, whose family lived in western Bullitt County in the early 1960s, was named the new head basketball coach of Mississippi State University.

Shannon O'Mara's Young Author book titled Caught, earned her a trip to the state newspaper awards luncheon.

Burlyn Pike and Charles Hamilton invited Dr. Joseph Granger, professor of anthropology at the University of Louisville to conduct an archaeological study of the "old bank building" which currently houses the First Bank Beauty Salon.

Thanks to State Representative Allen Maricle's bill to extend the voting time, if you are in the line to vote by the 6 p.m. cutoff, you will get to vote no matter how long it takes.

Bullitt Fiscal Court approved the idea of building a 300-bed adult jail somewhere in the county seat.

John Harper was saluted at special festivities to honor his years of service as a state representative and county judge/executive.

According to State Senator Lindy Casebier, the state was allotting $360,000 to fund the construction of the proposed tourism center; and $500,000 in funding to get water to the West Bullitt area.


Samantha Crockett

Rusty Watson, Beryl Fentress, Stan Lowery, Rich DeWees, and Kelly & Allen Whitehurst led Holy Week services in Shepherdsville.

Samantha Crockett, a Mount Washington seventh-grader, won a Young Author's Award with her story about losing her brother Patrick three years earlier. She recalled that "He taught me to swim, play softball and basketball. I taught him how to tie his shoe."

Frank Cornell of Mount Washington received an Academic Excellence Award from St. Louis University. Cornell was a member of the school's track and cross-country teams. He was a sophomore, pursuing a major in Clinical Lab Science.

Nina Bain was named community coordinator for the region by the Program of Academic Exchange, and was busy interviewing families who wanted to open their homes to foreign exchange students.

And Michael Robison became the newest member of the Bullitt County School Board, replacing John Hardwick who had resigned to run for Third District Magistrate.

1983 - 40 Years Ago


Kim Sewell

Ziniz Inc., a metal manufacturing plant at Maryville Drive and Blue Lick Road, was upset with local government and the Bullitt Planning Commission over zoning problems that threatened to block planned expansion.

While Glenn Baxter scored three straight wins in the high jump for Bullitt Central, Michelle Leasor was knocked out of competitions with torn ligaments in her foot. Helping Baxter score points were Troy Thompson, Allan Tolle, Troy Simpson, Chuck Curtsinger and John Crosby among others.

Leasor and Gina Armstrong led the Lady Cougars to victory over Meade County, each placing first in two events. Other winners included Terry Shadburne, Robin Phillips, Linda Ritter, Dana Trimble, Michelle McGrane, KenAnn Rigdon and Kara Longacre. Leasor's injury occurred before this meet, but was aggravated at it.

Kim Sewell, a 1975 graduate of Bullitt Central, completed four years of medical school and received her M.D. from University of Kentucky. She planned to start a residency program in internal medicine at Oakland Naval Hospital in California.

In the Louisville Regional Science Fair, North Bullitt High School won first overall in the Senior division. They were led by Chris Allen, head of N.B.'s science department. Participants included Bobby Morris, Greg Aaron, Donna Thurow, Alice Baggett, Steve Hamilton, and Jennifer Bowers among others. John Roberts took the team's photo for the paper.

Bullitt Judge Executive Clifford F. Haley Jr. received a box of black roses from UK basketball fans after his favorite Cardinals were eliminated by Houston in the NCAA tournament.

Publishers Printing celebrated owner Frank Simon's birthday by presenting him with a press that dated back to 1921. Publishers had been in Shepherdsville since 1958.

Joe Mills and Bill Mohollon were in charge of grilling the chicken and pork chops for the Zoneton Lion's Club barbecue in Hillview. Both men were 12 year members of the club.

Tom Martin was featured in an article about how he had dealt with the fall that left him unable to walk, and how the school system had modified the driver's ed car so that Tom could be the driving instructor.

And Miss Mary Holsclaw wrote in her Hebron column that Joe Ball, Kenny Ball, Tim Riggs, and Jerry Viers were the guests of Robert Ball at a fresh fish supper; and that Rev. Mike Livingston was with Robert and his wife on Sunday. Wonder if fish was on the Sunday menu too?

1953 - 70 Years Ago


Burlyn Pike

Most of the residents of Bullitt County went on Voluntary Daylight Saving Time on Sunday, April 26th, in conjunction with Louisville's change in time. This included the schools as announced by W. O. Anderson, the superintendent.

Burlyn Pike, owner and publisher of The Salt River Valley News for four years, and recently appointed Shepherdsville Police Judge, announced his candidacy for Bullitt County Judge. Burlyn was the son of John and Jewell Pike. He and his wife, Nell Sanders Pike, had two children, Burnell and Mark Daniel.

The St. Clair Theatre in Lebanon Junction planned to show "Tarzan's Savage Fury" starring Les Barker over the weekend, and then "Bloodhounds of Broadway" on Monday. It starred Mitzi Gaynor.

The Harold W. Hardy Super Market advertised pure hog lard at 14 cents a pound, and sirloin steak at 69 cents a pound. They also offered to pay farmers 39 cents a dozen for eggs. They announced that, due to increased costs, they were discontinuing their delivery service in June.

Mr. and Mrs. Hilary Hardy celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary on the 19th. All their children were present except Billy and wife, who were still in Waco, Texas.

Rev. and Mrs. Richard Hines had a new Chevrolet car.

The Shepherdsville F.F.A. scheduled its annual banquet, and selected Woodrow Masden as honorary member. Other invited guests included Ernest Threlkeld, Larry Greenwell, Elmer Bean, Bob Harned, Bernie Milam, Russell Crenshaw, Charles Kneisler, Hubert Cox, Homer Myers, Ben Robards, Norman McAdams, Ben McAdams, Adrain Jones, and James Mason.

Cecil Cash purchased an interest in the Wilson Store where he had worked for 20 years. Mr. Wilson had recommended Cash, saying "Cecil Cash was straight as an arrow."

The paper announced that death of Cpl. Norman Barr in Korea, who died of battle injuries shortly after reaching the front lines. He was a nephew of Richard Hickerson of Shepherdsville.

And tragedy struck the Bergen home when 19 year old Gerald Bergen was killed in a traffic accident on Dixie Highway. He was the son of Guy and Thelma Bergen, and older brother of Penny Bergen. He was a student at Campbellsville College, and planned to be a medical missionary.

1923 - 100 Years Ago

Fay Magruder and Thelma Daugherty were going to enter school at Bowling Green that summer and were expected to continue in school there until they finished the life certificate course for teaching.

The April term of the Circuit Court began with William Whitman, Alonzo Jenkins, Clarence Hall, W. T. Close, Wayne Harris, Ben Crenshaw, Charles Nelson, Pink Roby, J. C. Gardner, Blanton Wise, Will Smith and Ed Brookshire as grand jurors. One of their jobs was to examine the condition of the courthouse and jail. Regarding the courthouse, they reported it was "in bad repair, especially to the plastering and we recommend that some step be taken to so repair it that the walls will not crack any more."

Robert Mattingly opened his new store at Huber, and was doing nicely and reported a nice business. The paper described him as a hustler and that his many friends wished him well.

The editor wrote a long editorial about the need for a good road from Shepherdsville to the Knob Creek area so that folks there could do business in the county seat rather than have to head to Louisville to buy and sell their goods. Have you traveled Highway 44 from Shepherdsville to Dixie Highway lately?

At Pleasant Grove, Mrs. Matt Bleemel spent several days with her sister, Mrs. Georgia Gentry, who had been ill with flu.

The Junior Class of Shepherdsville High School performed a three-act play titled "Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick" at the Masonic Temple with a cast that included Patrick Cruise, Roger Alford, Robert Ball, Mildred Hagan, Mary Jane Garr, Martha Hays Hill and Beatrice Moore.

The Mt. Washington columnist reported that Mr. and Mrs. Bailey Taylor and son of Louisville spent the weekend with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Swearingen.

The newspaper editor wrote a fine column praising the Shepherdsville school under the leadership of Jack Sanders. In it, he identified some of the former students who were advancing their education. Mentioned were John Glenn at the University of Virginia, Sam Ridgway, Margaret Combs, and Elizabeth Weller at University of Kentucky, Tom Trunnell at Georgetown, Joseph Blankenship at Centre College, and Chester Hardin at Annapolis.

In other news, Rev. Father Smith of St. Aloysious was unable to say mass due to a lengthy siege of typhoid fever; Hugh Travis had the measles; and Duke Taylor of Clermont was bitten by a rabid dog and had to undergo the "Pastuer treatment." Ouch!


The Bullitt County History Museum, a service of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is located in the county courthouse at 300 South Buckman Street (Highway 61) in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. The museum, along with its research room, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday appointments are available by calling 502-921-0161 during our regular weekday hours. Admission is free. The museum, as part of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization and is classified as a 509(a)2 public charity. Contributions and bequests are deductible under section 2055, 2106, or 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code. Page last modified: 13 Jan 2024 . Page URL: bullittcountyhistory.org/happened/april3.html