The Messenger from Madisonville, Kentucky • 34

I 12 The Messenger Muuisonville, Ky. Saturday, ebruarv 2. 1976 Big 'Thank You' From Harold Ledbetter Local YMCA Oldest in World Other Towns Claimed 'Best' papers, paintings and historical items of Hopkins County as a public service and depository for historical research of our county. The Historical Society of Hopkins County earnestly solicits your support and help in this undertaking and will be calling on you in the months ahead as the Society, too, prepares for this great' Bicentennial year. many hours of help and material they have given me.

In behalf of the Historical Society of Hopkins County I also want to thank the many hundreds of you for your support of it. As the Historical Society prepares for its permanent headquarters at 107 Union street, it is arranging to collect, file, record, dispaly. historical books and In this Bicentennial Messenger I want to thank the many who have granted me interviews, given accesi to their records and papers, permitted copies of old photographs to be made, and assisted in my research of Hopkins County, its people, resources and towns, in preparation of my history of Hopkins County. A historical project reaches out and involves many people in different ways. Any personal acknowledgment always runs the risk of overlooking someone deserving mention, but I especially want to express my gratitude to Elijah Bassett, Mr.

and Mrs. Lawrence Casner, Paul M. Jones, David E. Jones, William Lindsay, Charles Lowther, The Madisonville Messenger, Charles Veazey, Mrs. Peggy Waide.Tom Kehn and Hugh Wifeon.forthe J.

J. Glenn. In his report he had much to say about Hopkins county, its people, its bright future, and of course he did not forget to say that Madisonville was "The Best Town On- Earth." Mr. Glenn, being the superb writer that he was, ha'd made his report so glowing that the committee unanimously decided Hopkins county was the place for the YMCA work to begin, and it did. Part of the Dempsey lot, on the southeast corner of south Main and Sugg, across from the Lucile Hotel was purchased through George K.

Lynn. Madisonville real estate dealer. The lot fifty feet on Main street and one hundrec. ninety feet deep cost $4,000. Wooten and Reynolds, MadisonvilU contractors were the successful bidders on a bid of about $16,000.

Work began in tlu summer of 1906. Hopkins became the first county in the state of Kentucky to be organized as a county in the Young Men's Christian Association. In 1907 it was reputed to be the oldest County Association jn-the world, and with one exception it had the only county building in the world. When it was decided to have -YMCA county organizations, a committee, of which John Luke was the chairman, met for the purpose of looking over the situation and determining which county offered the most, and best inducements. It so happened that a copy of the Biennial Report of the Bureau of Agriculture andXabor Statistics, of Kentucky, got into the hands of the committee.

This report had in it a letter, or report, from a correspondant in each county of the state. It also was very fortunate that the correspondant from Hopkins county, that year, was the editor of the Graphic, Prof. Labor Day Observed Here On Sept. 3, 1906 for the first time in history of Madisonville, Labor Day was observed. Great preparations were made for the observance of the day.

Committees worked long and hard in soliciting money and food for the occasion. There was a parade in the morning headed by a brass band. Various labor organizations were in the procession which moved to Spring Lake Park, where there was a bareeued dinner on the ground for all who were there, however, rain in the afternoon interfered with the program which had been arranged to celebrate the day r.v:v;-.:.v. i Dec. 12,1911 We want the people of other towns to remember that when speaking of "the best town on earth" that it applies to Madisonville, and no other on top side of the universe.

We have a patent right on that slogan. It is ours, and belongs exclusively to the county seat of Hopkins county. These remarks are called forth by our friends from other towns and villages claiming that their towns have advanced until these are the best towns to be found in Kentucky or anywhere else. We call to mind several of these claims to superiority. A few days ago Dr.

T. R. Finley, of St. Charles, was in Madisonville and wanted us to go to his village and see what a wonderful city the people had. A few days before Will Scott, of Dawson, came in and laid claim to the fact that his town was the best and was getting better all the time.

Albert Whitfield piped up and said Mortons Gap was no slouch, and was right long in the swim. Neal Stivers, of White Plains, swears that his town will some time be the capital of the state, while Judge J. R. Harrison, of Nortonville, believes that even that railroad crossing is near the center of the universe. Frank Bell, from the wilds of Dalton, says his town must not be overlooked.

George Eudaley, of Nebo, a town where we once lived and a mighty good town, thinks because his town is in a tobacco growing section of the county, is about the very best. Manitou has a claimer in the person of Emmerson Hill, a tobacco dealer, who thinks because he handle most of the tobacco of that section that his town is very' largely on the map. Ed Parish, who once lived in Madisonville, but who strayed off and went to Hanson is so badly stuck on his town that he really does not know that there is such a place as New York. And there is Anton and Vareen Davis is one of the principal men of that city. He says his town has room to spread out and that is is spreading as fast as the smallpox in a colored settlement.

W. D. Crow of Ashbysburg, wants Green river locked and damned so gunboats can get to his town. Gentlemen, it is all right to be for your town in preference to any other town on the face of the earth. The true patriot believes in his town, his county, his state, his country and his fellowman.

He who is not thus patriotic should be vanished from the society of good people. We once taught school at Dalton and at Nebo. While there we set up just as great claims for these places as do Frank Bell and George Eudaley. Our slogan, "The Best Town on Earth," has been taken up by the good people, it has for years been proclaimed through the press, from the street corners and from the housetops until there is not a man, woman or child, white or black, who lives in Madisonville, unless he is a pessimist, who does not honestly believe that we are right in our position. Gentlemen, your towns are good ones, but not the best while Madisonville stays where she is and remains DRY.

ill 1 II During Our Bicentennial Year Let Us Be Thankful For The Many Things We As Americans Are Privileged To Enjoy. I t-T" Ji- 3 Morton Opera House a. 111 6-191 tf mam We Thank You For Your Patronage And Look Forward To Many More Years. You're Always Welcome Here. W.

C. Morton drew the plans for the Morton Opera House, which opened in December 1900. It had the very best of shows from New York, and on the opening night everyone wore formal attire and a red rose was given to each lady. W. C.

Morton was the owner and Clint Ruby was the manager of this fine opera house. It was luxuriously furnished with box seats on the south and north walls and comfortable seats throughout. In January 1905 Mr. Morton sold the Morton Theatre to George R. Lynn, who took possession of it the following February.

Mr. Lynn promised to manage it himself and continue to have only the best shows. In 1912 the building was redecorated and named "The The mirrored lobby was finished in rich oak and the Hexagon tiled floor had the word "Garrick" in chocolate letters in it. The foyer and lower floor were covered with a rich green linoleum. The interior walls were finished in terra cotta while the ceilings were done in three delicate tints of brown.

The woodwork and cornice of the ceilings were in old ivory tinted in gold. The stage curtains, and rich silk draperies of the boxes harmonized with the rest of the interior. A $2,000 Orchestrion, supposedly the finest in the state was installed. The manager, C. H.

Bleich, stated that the Garrick would book only the best and highest type of shows. The opening attraction was "The Yankee Girl" with Miss Julie Ring as the leading lady. She was supported by the noted German Commedian, Charles Wininger and a big troupe of singers and dancers. This show opened on October 4 with seat prices ranging from fifty cents to two dollars. The Garrick continued in operation unit) July 12, 1928 when it was destroyed by fire.

It reopened in 1930 as the Capitol theatre and was so operated until closed by its owners, the Martin Theatre chain, when they built the Martin Twin theatres in Madison Square. The last show at the Capitol was November 20, 1974. With this final show ended a seventy-three year period in which this building, on the northeast corner of Union and Cardwell, played an important part in the entertainment of Madisonville. A Jm. CM PRICE' Jik NITURE i CO.

30 West Center Phone 821-3691.