Lexington History Museum

Our final 2024 episode of Lex Talk History features a conversation with 250 Lex Commission Co-chair Kip Cornett. Alan and Mandy get a sneak peek at just about everything the city has planned to celebrate its 250th birthday in 2025; and what role the Lexington History Museum will play in the commemoration.

Alan and Mandy recap the opening of the museum's new exhibit, Among Women, and then turn it over to Carly Muetterties as she highlights Central Kentucky women featured in the book she co-authored with Maddie Shepard. Bluegrass Bold showcases 36 diverse Kentucky women whose contributions to national and state history over the course of more than two centuries deserve recognition. Written to appeal to young readers and to help teachers weave Kentucky content in their curriculum, Muetterties and Shepard chose women whose stories have the potential to inspire young people to be civically engaged throughout their lifetime. Carly will give an in depth presentation at the the next LexTalks event at the museum Sunday October 20th. Click the link below for registration information!

It’s September and we’re dropping a brand new episode of WUKY’s Lex Talk History with Alan Lytle and Lexington History Museum Executive Director Dr. Mandy Higgins. Join us as we re-cap the museum’s one year anniversary in its new home in the Thomas Hunt Morgan House and then in our Lex Get Into It segment Mandy talks with Judy Owens, President of the Woman’s Club of Central Kentucky, about a new focused exhibit opening this month. “Among Women – 130 years of the Woman’s Club of Central Kentucky,” will soon be on display for visitors. Get an audio sneak peek here on our show.

Lex Talk History returns with our August installment as LHM executive director Mandy Higgins and WUKY's Alan Lytle recap the museum's first year anniversary at their home at 210 North Broadway and welcome authors Rosie Moosnick and Tori Cruz-Falk. They discuss their book, Campus Candor, the product of more than two years of oral history interviews and writing. Through interviews with students at the University of Kentucky, West Virginia University, the University of Florida, and the University of Mississippi, Moosnick, Cruz-Falk, and their colleagues found commonality between unsuspecting student populations and built empathy with young people seeking understanding across race, gender, and class differences. Rosie and Tori will give a presentation on Campus Candor at the history museum's LexTalks program this Sunday August 25th at 2 p.m.

While no one has written a comprehensive history of Lexington Parks and Recreation we do have quite a bit of knowledge to drop on you in this fresh episode of Lex Talk History hosted by Lexington History Museum executive director Mandy Higgins and WUKY's Alan Lytle. First we recap a super busy Pride Month, talk about some exciting happenings at the museum and then in our 'Lex Get Into It segment' Michelle Koseniak and Adrienne Thakur from Lexington Parks and Recreation join us for a look back and a look ahead at Lexington's growing and changing parks system.

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and we're shining the spotlight on a series of events in Lexington. HAAPI - Heritage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders festival kicks off Friday night May 3rd from 6 to 9 pm at Moondance Amphitheatre at Midnight Pass. Lexington Vice Mayor Dan Wu and Ellen Sam, one of the first Asians to serve in the Lexington Police Department, share their stories with history museum executive director Dr. Amanda Higgins and WUKY's Alan Lytle. They also talk about the rich and significant history of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Lexington.

WUKY's Alan Lytle and LHM executive director Dr. Amanda Higgins welcome Keeneland Library Director Roda Ferraro for a special behind the scenes look at the development of The Heart of the Turf exhibit, its importance to Lexington history, and the many influential Black horsemen and women who made Lexington the center of the horse world. The exhibit is on display through Derby Day at the Lexington History Museum. Roda will also give an in-person talk on 'The Heart of The Turf' on Sunday April 14th at 2 p.m. at the museum. Roda also highlights the library's newest exhibit - A Rite of Spring: the 100th Running of the Blue Grass Stakes, now open to the public! Featuring photographs that capture race highlights over the decades, displayed alongside notable memorabilia from the time-honored race.

In the run-up to Lexington's 250th birthday WUKY is teaming up with the Lexington History Museum to talk about how we as a city and community got here, examine where we've been and look at where we could be going. WUKY News Director (and LHM board trustee) Alan Lytle and LHM Executive Director Dr. Amanda Higgins talk about the birth and re-birth of the Lexington History Museum and salute some women sports heroes; apropos of Friday March 8th being International Women's Day.

A name synonymous with Lexington history has died. We get word today from Milward Funeral Directors of the death of prominent Lexington historian Foster Ockerman Junior, who passed away Sunday at the age of 70.

The oldest home in Lexington will soon be known as the city’s newest house museum. WUKY’s Arlo Barnette explains.The Rankin House was built on West High…