Ancestral Trails

ATHS Meeting: Historical Fiction "The Merlin Deposition"
2026-12-04 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Kentucky/Louisville) | Elizabethtown Community & Technical College, 620 College Street Road, Elizabethtown, Kentucky, 42701
Presentation: Robert Prather will discuss historical fiction, entitled TheMerlin Deposition.
Authors Robert Prather and Cyrus Alderwood weave an incredible tale of Merlin, King
Arthur, and ancient magic on the British Isles.

Bio Pratheris the author of the award-winning book,The Strange Case of Jonathan Swift and the Real Long John Silver. He has been
featured on the popular series— History Channel’s “America’s Book of Secrets,”and Travel Channel’s “Code
of the Wild.” In 2021, Tim Farmer Productions produced a full-length documentary on his work that was featured on KET. Robert and
his wife Karen live I Meade County, Kentucky.

ATHS Meeting: The Holt House, Saving, Restoring, and Opening of the Judge Holt Home
2026-11-06 19:00 - 20:30 | Elizabethtown Community & Technical College, 620 College Street Road, Elizabethtown, Kentucky, 42701
Speaker: Susan Dyer
Bio: Susan is a retired language arts teacher, historian, and author. Breckinridge County
native. Susan works faithfully on saving the Judge Holt home. Susan has written several
books: Joseph Holt and Joseph Holt Mansion. Saving and Restoring the Home of Lincoln’s
Jude Advocate General and Lincoln’s advocate: The life of Judge Holt.

ATHS meeting: Family History Month
2026-10-02 19:00 - 20:30 | KY
Presentation by: Teresa Wise will talk about her mother Irene Helen Crabtree
Teresa, in honor of her mother, will give a presentation on Irene Helen Crabtree’s life. Irene was a native of Brzostek, Poland. At the age of 14, during World War II, Irene and her older sister Wanda were taken by the German Army and forced into slave labor in Salzburg, Austria. In 1945, they were freed by the U.S. Army and placed into a displaced persons camp with the United Nations Relief Organization. In 1949, her Uncle Frank Begos assisted Irene with her immigration to America.

ATHS Meeting: Patriots, Pioneers, Politicians and Lawmen
2026-09-04 19:00 - 20:30 | Elizabethtown Community & Technical College, 620 College Street Road, Elizabethtown, Kentucky, 42701
Speaker: Faith Shacklett
Speaker bio: Faith graduated from Western Kentucky University in 2024 with a
bachelor’s in history and social studies. Faith is currently a Graduate student with the
University of Kentucky’s library science program. Faith loves genealogy and local history,
particularly the Civil War Era.

ATHS Meeting: History of Elizabethtown Masonic / Mason History
2026-08-07 19:00 - 20:30 | Elizabethtown Community & Technical College, 620 College Street Road, Elizabethtown, Kentucky, 42701
Speaker: Jefery Richason
Speaker bio: Jeffery is a long-time resident of Hardin County. He came to our area per his
father’s military service. Jeffery is a graduate of North Hardin High School. Jeffery is a
first-generation Free Mason. He joined in 2013, served as Master in 2017, and has served
as Secretary since 2020. Jeffery is one of the leaders of the tours of the Masonic Building
that they provide.

Hardin Country Historical Monthly Meeting and Ancestral Trails Co Sponsor
2026-07-27 18:30 - 20:30 | Brown Pusey House 128 North Main Street Elizabethtown, Kentucky, KY, United States
Speaker: Lisa Woods
Program: Memories of a Coal Miner’s Daughter, 1932-2022
This program is presented by Lisa Woods, a Kentucky Chautauqua Speaker from the Kentucky Humanities Organization. This program is the results of a grant provided to ATHS and Hardin County Historical Society to celebrate America’s 250 birthday by the Kentucky Humanities.
Lisa will be dressed as Loretta, she provides a story telling the life of Loretta. Her story will cover Loretta’s childhood in Butcher Holler, Kentucky. Her marriage to Oliver or “Doolittle “who moved her across the country to Washington at the tender age of 15. In Washington, she began as a singer in modest venues with a borrowed guitar and bold determination.
Her first hit, “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl”, marked the beginning of a career defined by fearless storytelling. After relocating to Nashville, she joined the Grand Ole Opry and signed with Decca Records, becoming a household name. Loretta’s deeply personal songs gave voice to all working-class women and their everyday struggles—with themes that tackled marriage, motherhood, ambition and heartache.
Loretta never lost touch with her Appalachian roots, often returning to the tiny cabin of her youth. Her groundbreaking hit “Coal Miner’s Daughter” remains a defining anthem—not just of her life story, but of country music’s capacity to tell real stories that mattered.
The Hardin County Historical Society has meals catered to their meetings, if you are interested in purchasing a meal, Meal is $20 per person. Dinner starts at 6:30 pm, the program will begin 7:15 EDT. RSVP 270-369-7874.Payment expected that evening.

No Meeting this month
2026-07-03 19:00 - 20:30 | KY

ATHS Meeting: Lincoln’s life
2026-06-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Elizabethtown Community & Technical College, 620 College Street Road, Elizabethtown, Kentucky, 42701
Larry will be in character as Lincoln as soon as he walks up to the microphone! The time
is March 20th, 1865He will discuss the long and bloody Civil War. As Lincoln, he will
recite the Gettysburg Address, just as our nation was on November 19, 1863
Speaker : Larry Elliott
Speaker bio: Larry is connected to Abraham Lincoln not through blood but through a role
his great, great, great, great-grandmother (Mary LaRue Enlow), a midwife who helped
deliver him. What a wonderful way to connect with history.
Larry grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. Larry completed high school at Pleasure Ridge
Park High School. He attended 13 different schools before graduating from high school.
Larry later attended the University of Kentucky and graduated with a degree in business.
His professional career was as an insurance salesman, and he was very successful. Mary,
his wife, dresses as Mary Todd Lincoln and often accompanies Larry at his presentations.

(Canceled due to Weather) Ancestral Trails Historical Society (ATHS) “Community Conversations"
2026-05-26 17:00 - 19:30 | 8697 New Glendale Road, Glendale KY, 8697 New Glendale Road, Glendale, Kentucky
(Canceled due to Weather)
The Ancestral Trails Historical Society is pleased to announce a new program entitled
“Community Conversations”. ATHS will be organizing and hosting various events within the
communities under the umbrella of the organization. These “Community Conversations” are to
bring people together to learn about past families, local history, to share stories and to engage
with each other. The first program will feature the history and a tour of the 1850 Bland House and
Stark House in Glendale KY. The first program will start at the Bland House, then venture over
to the Stark House. The host and owner of the houses are Jeff and Mary Key. The event is on
Tuesday, May 26th, 5pm EDT. 8697 New Glendale Road, Glendale, KY. Adequate parking is
available on site. After the Bland House tour, the attendees will proceed to the Stark house by
vehicle approximately 2 miles away.

Please join us, learn more about Glendale Community History. For any
questions or concerns contact Marcia Barnes, mgbarnes @hotmail .com or
message me.
​

ATHS Community Conversations first event and unveiling of this new program is :
Community Conversations , May 26, Tuesday , 5 PM EDT, Host Jeff and Mary Key, Bland and
Stark Houses in Glendale KY.

Jeff will provide a brief history of the house; a tour of the Bland House will follow. After the Bland
House, you will then drive to the Stark House, approximately 2 miles away. Upon arriving there
you will then hear the history of the Stark House and tour. Limited number of Chairs will be
provided at each location. Suggestion throwing a lawn chair in your car just in case. Limited
walking.
Please join us, learn more about the Glendale Community History. For any questions or
concerns contact Marcia Barnes, mgbarnes @hotmail .com or message me.

Ancestral Trails Historical Monthly Meeting
2026-05-01 19:00 - 20:30 | Elizabethtown Community & Technical College, 620 College Street Road, Elizabethtown, Kentucky, 42701
ECTC, JSO Building, room 112

Speaker:Speaker: Nancy Richey
Professor / Special Formats Librarian
Special Collections
Western Kentucky University
Program: Mose Rager: Kentucky’s Incomparable Guitar
This presentation tells the story of a true Kentucky music legend who preferred living the quiet life to the fame he could have earned playing the country music circuit.
There are many country guitar legends, such as Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, and Eddie Pennington, who trace the roots of their music to this shy guitar master of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky (home of the Everly Brothers). Known for developing this unique thumb -picking style, Mose worked as a barber and a coal miner when he wasn’t playing gigs with Grandpa Jones, Curly Fox, and Texas Ruby.
Mose died on May 14, 1986; his sound lives on when modern-day pickers try to play, That Muhlenberg Sound.”

ATHS Meeting: Presentation: Stories about Blue Ball Hill
2026-04-03 16:00 - 17:30 | 417 Salem School Road, Rineyville, KY, KY, United States
Location: OFF-SITE, 417 Salem School Road, Rineyville, KY

Glen Harrington Westley Burnett
A main feature, Blue Ball Hill, can be seen for miles at its 1017 ft elevation. Enjoy the
scenic view from the top of Blue Ball Hill, an old-fashioned hayride, and visiting with
friends and making new ones.
Speaker: Glenn Harrington and Wesley Burnett
Bio: Glenn Harrington is a lifelong resident of Cecilia, a farmer, historian, leader, speaker,
and advocate of Cecilia Community events. Glenn owns the farm located at 317 Salem
Road.
Wesley Burnett is a lifelong citizen of Hardin County, Ky., and a Retired business owner
of Burnett Insulation. Wesley has spent many years during his youth on Blue Ball Hill.
In the event of rain/bad weather, the meeting will be held at the Cecilia Ruritan Building.

ATHS Meeting: Women’s Fashion during the 1800s in Kentucky and Indiana
2026-03-06 19:00 - 20:30 | Elizabethtown Community & Technical College, 620 College Street Road, Elizabethtown, Kentucky, 42701
March 2026
Date: March 6 2026, 7 PM EST
Location: ECTC, 600 College Street, Jim Owens Building, Room 112

Speaker: Dawn Banks
Speaker bio: Dawn and her husband, Steve, live on a farm in Corydon, Indiana. Dawn is a
retired Special Education teacher, a horse breeder of Appaloosa horses, and is
passionate about history. She is especially passionate about the authenticity of clothing
worn during the 1800s. She is a seamstress who sews historic clothing and has
researched it to ensure its authenticity

ATHS Meeting Indentured Servant
2026-02-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Elizabethtown Community & Technical College, 620 College Street Road, Elizabethtown, Kentucky, 42701
Date: February 13, 2026, 7 PM EST
Location: ECTC, 600 College Street, Jim Owens Building, Room 112
Presentation: “ Indentured Servant”
Speakers : Frank and Carol Jarboe
Speaker bio: Frank and Carol Jarboe are both researchers, historians, and retired teachers
who portray unknown history that shaped lives, social and historical culture, and events
throughout the U.S. Avid Living Historians, they have studied and portrayed time periods
of US history from 1750 to 1835. They travel continually, covering characters from all
walks of life

ATHS Annual Book Fair
2026-02-07 10:00 - 15:00 | Pritchard Community Center, 404 South Mulberry St, Kentucky, 42701
Annual Book fair, 10 AM-3 PM

ATHS Library is closed this week due to snow
2026-02-02 10:00 - 2026-02-07 14:00 | KY
