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Blogs by Russell A Vassallo
Mayville, Kentucky 11/20/2016 2:29:26 AM
We were invited to speak before the Rotary and the Bracken County Historical Society a few years ago. It was a memorable occasion. We started with a warm luncheon of fried chicken, corn, salad and other goodies including dessert and then I was introduced by Jackie Sue Wright and gave my speech.
Although I enjoy speaking before all groups, the Rotary is always a difficult sell. Most of the members are men and most of them have to leave promptly when the closing bell rings. For that reason we seldom sell many books,though we are always treated courteously. The one exception was Harrodsburg where we sold fifteen books at one session and were invited back.
In my experience the historical societies seem to welcome us with large sales. They must be avid readers because we never fail to sell well at their events. So after my talk at Maysville, we were treated to a walking tour of the town and spent time at the Russell Theater was well as the Kentucky Gateway Museum, a fantastic place of living history.
The highlight of our visit occurred when we arrived at the FSA office where the meeting was to be held. The officer had officially closed at 5 PM and thus there were assembled about twenty-five people waiting for some kind of direction. No one had a key. No one knew where to obtain one. So we were invited to the funeral parlor of John and Donna Parker who made us most welcome.
I was later to discover that both these people ware big game hunters and have numerous trophies from Africa. Virginia and I felt completely comfortable with everyone. They befriended us as though we had known them for years. They had an avid interest in the Mafia so a number of those books sold. It remains our best seller with Tears and Tales a close second.
Although Virginia and I have traveled to many places, I must say that Bracken County and Maysville will always hold a special place in our hearts. Not just because they befriended us but because they have such pride in their history. The guide who toured Maysville with us, Don Blakely, would have spend hours with us showing us his town. The Director of the Museum, Lynn David, wished that we had more time. They have a miniature collection there that is the finest and most extensive I have ever seen. The Russell Theater is being rebuilt and our guide told us that until he was eight he thought he was deaf because he didn't realize the air vents were making so much noise he couldn't hear the movie. By the way, we purchased a brick to help them rebuild. History can only be preserved if we preserve it.
This is Middle America at its finest and we have to return there and explore more of the river history. This is not to mention the murals along the river wall that protects the town from flooding. They are mind boggling and stand out like silent minions watching over the town. The architecture varies from building to building and everywhere there is a sense that time has taken a vacation and rolled back the clock.
This was a town that grew from the river and from the river, the mighty Ohio, came the people of my home state, New Jersey. They prospered and today one can tell that prosperity in the history that they preserve.
We sincerely thank all those from Mason and Bracken Counties for their hospitality and compassion. They took a no-name author and made him feel as if he were someone famous.
