A TRAGEDY, TWO SCULPTURES RISE

FOR HOPE AND HEALING.

THESE CARTER COUNTY CAVES

PROVIDE A REFUGE AND AMMUNITION.

WENDEL BEARY AND BOBBIE ANN

MASON, LOOM FATE THE STORY

BEHIND A STRANGE MAYFIELD

MONUMENT.

AND YOU'LL FIND ANTIQUES, ART

AND MORE AT THE OVEN FORK

MERCANTILE.

THESE STORIES COMING YOUR WAY

NEXT ON KENTUCKY LIFE.

>> HELLO, I'M DAVE SHUFFETT,

WELCOME TO KENTUCKY LIFE.

IT'S ONE OF LIFE'S HARD TRUTHS

TO BE HUMAN IS TO EXPERIENCE THE

PAIN OF LOSS.

AS INDIVIDUALS, WE ALL GRIEF

DIFFERENTLY BUT WHEN LOSS

EFFECTS A WHOLE COMMUNITY OR

ENTIRE NATION, HOW DO WE

RESPOND?

HOW DO WE FIND A WAY

COLLECTIVELY TO DEAL WITH THE

PAIN AND MOVE FORWARD?

THE TRAGIC EVENTS OF 9/11 TESTED

OUR NATIONAL RESOLVE AND 2006

CRASH OF COMAIR FLIGHT 5191 IN

LEXINGTON, SHOCKED THE COMMUNITY

AND THE STATE.

TWO MEMORIALS INSPIRED BY THESE

EVENTS WERE RECENTLY DEDICATED

IN KENTUCKY.

THE SCULPTURE CREATED BY

ACCLAIMED ARTIST AND THE ONE

BUILT BY U.K.'S COLLEGE OF

DESIGN ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

BUT AT A BOTH SHARE A COMMON

THEME AND PURPOSE, TO HELP US

REMEMBER, HONOR AND HEAL.

>> THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER

11, 2001, HAVE FOREVER IMPACTED

OUR LIVES.

REMEMBERING THE TRAGEDY OF THAT

DAY AND CONSIDERING HOW WE AS A

NATION HAVE GROWN SINCE THEN,

WORK TO ENCOURAGE THOSE IN ALL

WALKS OF LIFE STRUGGLING WITH

CRISIS.

SAINT ELIZABETH HEALTH CARE

HOSPICE PARTNERED WITH THE U.K.

COLLEGE OF DESIGN TO CREATE

THEIR OWN LASTING REMINDER AND

IT CENTRES AROUND A PIECE OF

STEEL RECOVERED FROM THE WORLD

TRADE CENTER.

>> FIRST READ ABOUT THE

OPPORTUNITY TO OBTAIN A PIECE OF

STEEL SEPTEMBER OF 2009 IN THE

SUNDAY NEW YORK TIMES.

IT'S A BEAUTIFULLY-WRITTEN

ARTICLE THAT TALKED ABOUT THE

FACT THAT THE PORT AUTHORITY OF

GIVING A COUPLE OF THOUSAND

PIECES AWAY AND IF YOU WERE A

QUALIFIED NONPROFIT OR

GOVERNMENT AGENCY, YOU COULD

SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR A PIECE.

IT IMMEDIATELY STRUCK ME THIS

WOULD BE SOMETHING PERFECT, NOT

ONLY AS A SYMBOL FOR HOSPICE

AWARENESS BUT FOR THE ENTIRE

NORTHERN KENTUCKY REGION.

I SERVE ON THE ADVISORY BOARD OF

U.K.'S COLLEGE OF DESIGN AND

THEY GRACIOUSLY AGREED TO DESIGN

THE BASE AND CONSTRUCT IT ALSO.

>> WE TRIED TO MAKE A REALLY

SLEEK, ELEGANT BASE.

IT WAS NOT TOO INTRUSIVE ON WHAT

THE ACTUAL BEAM WAS BOTH

SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH AND WAS

TRYING TO BE PLAYED FOR AS THIS

KIND OF MOBILE MEMORIAL.

>> WHEN REESE FIRST APPROACHED

ME AND ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO

PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROJECT, I

WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT

BECAUSE I HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN IN

THE MARINE CORP BEFORE I STARTED

SCHOOL HERE.

I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS WHEN THE

IDEA FIRST CAME TO US AND FIRST

SHIPPED TO US BECAUSE I DIDN'T

WANT TO TOUCH IT BECAUSE IT FELT

SORT OF SACRED TO ME.

>> ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT

FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE

GAVE THE UNIVERSITY WAS

SIMPLICITY.

A PIECE OF STEEL, WE THOUGHT IT

WOULD BE APPROPRIATE COMBINED

AND PAIRED WITH CONCRETE.

BECAUSE REINFORCED CONCRETE IS

WHAT MADE THE BUILDING STAND UP

TO BEGIN WITH.

>> TO CREATE THE BASE,

SOPHISTICATED ROUTEING EQUIPMENT

WAS USED TO SHAPE THE MULTIPLE

FOAM PIECES NEEDED TO FORM A

MOLD.

ONCE TOGETHER, THE MOLD WAS

CRAFTED AND FILLED WITH

CONCRETE.

TWO DAYS LATER, IT WAS OPENED TO

REVEAL THEIR HARD WORK.

>> I WAS PLEASED WITH THE END

RESULT.

THERE WERE SOME IMPERFECTIONS.

HOWEVER, DUE TO ALL THE RUST AND

THE CORROSION THAT IS ALREADY

KIND OF EXHIBITED ON THE IVY, IT

REALLY MATCHED GRACEFULLY.

IT SORT OF REVEALED THE BONES OF

THE STRUCTURE OF A BUILDING AND

IT SORT OF GETS TO THE HEART OF

WHAT HAPPENED WITHIN THE TOWERS.

>> SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, REVISED

OUR WAY OF LIVING AND CHANGED

FOREVER.

>> THE FINISHED MEMORIAL WAS

UNVEILED AT A PUBLIC SERVICE

HOSTED BY THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE

OF COVINGTON.

THERE, A CAPACITY CROWD GATHERED

TO MARK THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF

THE ATTACKS AND TO FIND

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE ROAD

AHEAD.

THE MEMORIAL WILL NOW RESIDE AT

SAINT ELIZABETH HEALTH CARE

HOSPICE IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY.

>> AND I REALLY HOPE MORE THAN

ANYTHING, THAT IT SYMBOLIZES

WHEN SOMEBODY SUFFERS A LOSS,

WHAT WE CAN DO.

>> WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE 5191

DISASTER, I HAD NO IDEA THAT I

WOULD EVER CREATE A MONUMENT FOR

THAT.

I HAD NO IDEA I WOULD BE

CREATIVE.

BUT CINCINNATI IS A BIG COMAIR

TOWN AND THAT MORNING, SUNDAY

MORNING, WE CAME TO CHURCH AND

IMMEDIATELY HEARD THE NEWS.

THERE WAS A VEIL OF TENSION JUST

EVERYWHERE AND I HAD TWO FRIENDS

IN PARTICULAR THAT I KNEW WERE

FLYING AND I HAD NO IDEA IF THEY

WERE INVOLVED OR NOT.

SO, IT WAS A REAL HEAVY MORNING.

AND GRADUALLY, WE HEARD THE

PEOPLE WE KNEW WERE NOT

INVOLVED, BUT IT'S A TIGHT

FAMILY.

I THINK IT MADE THIS PROJECT

CLOSER TO MY HEART THAN IT

NORMALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN,

BECAUSE HAVING GONE THROUGH THAT

AND ACTUALLY BEING A PILOT

MYSELF, I SEEM TO RELATE.

EVEN A LITTLE RIPPLE, EVEN JUST

A RIPPLE, THAT LINE HAS TO BE

SUPER SMOOTH SO WHEN THE EYE

CATCHES IT, EVERYTHING FLOWS.

ANY KIND OF A RIPPLE OR BUMP IS

GOING TO STOP IT.

AND IF IT ISN'T GOING TO GO

AWAY, TAKE A MARKER AND MARK IT.

THE CONCEPT IS BASED ON 49 SOULS

THAT WERE LOST THAT DAY.

REPRESENTED BY 49

HIGHLY-STYLEIDES BIRDS.

THEY ARE FLYING UP FROM THE

GROUND AND THEY ARE ALL TOUCHING

EACH OTHER, WHICH IS SYMBOLIC,

THEY ARE ALL TOGETHER BUT THEY

ARE ALL INDIVIDUALS AT THE SAME

TIME.

AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING

THAT VERY OFTEN GETS LOST IN

TRANSLATION.

THE REALITY OF THE EXPERIENCE OF

LOSS AND THEN REALITY THAT THESE

WERE PEOPLE, THESE WERE PEOPLE

WITH FUTURES.

THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO HAD JUST

GOTTEN MARRIED OR A COUPLE GOING

TO BUILD HOMES FOR PEOPLE OR A

COUPLE CELEBRATING THEIR

50th ANNIVERSARY OR CHILDREN

THESE WERE LIVES.

AND WE FORGET THAT IN THE SCOPE

OF LARGE DISASTERS I THINK

SOMETIMES THAT INDIVIDUAL GETS

LOST.

>> TO HELP INDIVIDUALIZE THE

MEMORIAL, FAMILY MEMBERS WERE

INVITED TO PLACE MOMENTOS INTO

CANISTERS THAT WERE PLACED

WITHIN EACH BIRD.

>> TO ME, BIRDS AND FLIGHT HAVE

ALWAYS HAD A CLOSE ASSOCIATION

WITH A SOUL.

THESE SOULS FLYING UP, BEING

RELEASED AND THEN A WILD SPIRAL

OF BIRDS JUST FLYING HEAVENWARD

OF THE THE LIKENESS OF THE

IMAGE, LIKENESS OF THE COLOR,

THE SPIRAL MOVEMENT.

KIND OF LIKE -- JUST LIKE THAT.

THIS IS MY FIRST MEMORIAL FOR AN

ACCIDENT OF THIS SCALE.

I HAVE DONE MONUMENTS TO

INDIVIDUALS, BUT THIS IS UNIQUE

IN ANYTHING I HAVE EVER DONE.

AND THERE IS A HUGE

RESPONSIBILITY THAT I FEEL.

THE RIPPLE EFFECT IS SO MUCH

LARGER.

HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE

AND IN THIS CASE, ALL AROUND THE

WORLD HAVE BEEN AFFECTED

RADICALLY.

AND I THINK A MEMORIAL CAN DO A

GREAT JOB OF MAKING THAT

STATEMENT THAT THIS HAPPENED.

SO IT'S NOT IMMEDIATELY

FORGOTTEN.

I THINK IN THIS CASE IT SERVES

OTHER PURPOSES FOR THE FAMILY TO

GIVE THEM A PLACE THAT THEY CAN

CORPORATELY COME, THAT THEY CAN

INDIVIDUALLY COME AND PRAY

REFLECT, MEDITATE, JUST BE.

I THINK IN A BEAUTIFUL AND

APPROPRIATE WAY THE MEMORIES OF

THE PEOPLE THAT WERE TERRIBLY

TERRIBLY IMPORTANT TO THEM.

>> ALTHOUGH BOTH SCULPTURES

COMMEMORATE SPECIFIC EVENTS,

THEY ARE CERTAIN TO BE A SOURCE

OF HEALING AND INSPIRATION FOR

ANYONE FACING LOSS OR A

DIFFICULT PERSONAL STRUGGLE.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT

KET.ORG/KENTUCKYLIFE FOR MORE

ABOUT THE ARTISTS AND THEIR

REMARKABLE MEMORIALS.

x█ú█ú█ñ█

>>> I WAS LOOKING FOR A COOL

SHADY SPOT IN EASTERN KENTUCKY

AND HEADED OFF TO CARTER CAVE

STATE RESORT PARK.

THERE, JUST A SHORT DRIVE FROM

THE ENTRANCE, I FOUND A

HISTORICAL MARKER FOR SALTPETRE

CAVE.

THE MEN ENTRANCE AND TWO OTHER

OPENINGS ARE WELL PROTECTED

KEEPING THE CAVE AND THE PUBLIC

SAFE.

THE MARKER TELLS OF THE LONG

HISTORY OF THIS PLACE.

A KEY COMPONENT IN MAKING

GUNPOWDER, SALTPETRE WAS MIND

HERE AND USED TO MAKE GUN POWER

FOR KENTUCKY RIFLE MEN DURING

THE WAR OF 1812.

IN THE CAVE, SOME OF THE REMAINS

OF THE SALTPETRE MINING

OPERATIONS CAN STILL BE FOUND.

ALSO, EARLY INDAN ARTIFACTS AND

GRAVES HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED.

THE DAY I VISITED, THE CAVE WAS

CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.

MANY CAVES IN THE AREA ARE

CLOSED TO TRY TO PROTECT THE BAT

POPULATION FROM WHITE NOSE

SYNDROME.

SO IF YOU WANT TO GO INTO THE

CAVES HERE, YOU WILL NEED TO

CALL AHEAD AND CHECK TO SEE WHAT

IS OPEN.

ACROSS FROM THE CAVE ENTRANCE, A

PARK GIFT SHOP HAS BOOKS ON THE

AREA AND A COOL DRINK ON A HOT

DAY.

IN THE GRACE COUNTY COMMUNITY OF

MAYFIELD, THE MAPLEWOOD CEMETERY

CONTAINS WHAT HAS GOT TO BE ONE

OF THE MOST UNUSUAL GRAVE SITES

IN ALL OF AMERICA.

BUILT IN THE LATE 1800's, IT'S

A MENAGERIE OF PEOPLE AND PETS

PLUS TWO DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF

THE MAN WHO COMMISSIONED IT.

OVER THE DECADES, IT ATTRACTED

THE ATTENTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND

WRITERS ALIKE.

AMONG THEM, TWO OF OUR BEST

KNOWN WRITERS HERE IN KENTUCKY,

WENDELL BERRY AND BOBBIE ANN

MASON.

AND THEY ARE GOING TO GIVE US

INSIGHT INTO THE MONUMENT KNOWN█

AS THE STRANGE PROCESSION THAT

NEVER MOVES.

♪♪

>> THEY ARE CALLED THE STRANGE

PROCESSION THAT NEVER MOVES, AND

IT'S A GROUP OF SCULPTURES IN

THE GRAVEYARD, A FAMILY GROUP

WITH A DOG AND A COUPLE OF

DOGS -- AND THERE IS ONE MARBLE

STATUE.

AND THEY ARE ALL LOOKING EAST

LIKE THEY ARE WAITING FOR THE

WALMART TO ON OPEN.

I GATHERED HE BECAME OBSESSED

WITH BEING NOTICED AND MAKING

HIS MARK AND MAKING A CLAIM TO

FAME.

I THINK HE WAS PROBABLY AN EGO

MANIAC WHO WANTED TO MAKE HIS

MARK ON THE WORLD AND SO HE HAD

ALL THESE STATUES MADE.

WOOLDRIDGE WAS A MYSTERY AND I

READ MORE RECENTLY THINGS THAT

HAVE BEEN PIECED TOGETHER ABOUT

HIM.

HE WAS THE LOCAL COOKIE

ARISTOCRAT AND CALLED HIMSELF

COLONEL.

AND HE BECAME VERY WEALTHY BUT

HE HAD GROWN UP OR HAD BEEN

POOR.

WALKER EVANS, THE RENOWNED

PHOTOGRAPHER, TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS

OF THE WOOLDRIDGE MONUMENTS AND

THEY MADE THEIR WAY TO WILLIAM

FAULKNER IN OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI,

WHO SAW THEM AND THEN WROTE A

SHORT STORY CALLED, SEPATURE

SOUTH GASLIGHT.

>> AND NOW WE CAN ALREADY SEE

THEM, GIGANTIC AND WHITE, TALLER

ON THEIR MARBLE PEDESTALS THAN

THE ROWS AND HONEY SUCKEL CHOKED

FINS LOOMING INTO THE VERY TREES

THEMSELVES, THE MAGNOLIAS AND

CEDARS AND ELMS, GAZING FOREVER

EASTWARD WITH THEIR EMPTY MARBLE

EYES NOT SYMBOLS, NOT ANGELS OF

MERCY OR WINGED SER FILM OR LAMS

OR SHEPERDS, BUT EFFIGIES OF THE

ACTUAL PEOPLE THEMSELVES AS THEY

HAD BEEN IN LIFE, IN MARBLE NOW,

DURABLE, IMFEVERRUOUS, HEROIC IN

SIZE, TOWERING ABOVE THEIR DUST

IN THE IMPLACABLE TRADITION OF

OUR STRONG, UNCOMPROMISEING

GRIMLY BAPTIST, METHODIST,

PROTESTANTISM, CARVED IN ITALIAN

STONE BY EXPENSIVE ITALIAN

CRAFTSMEN AND SHIPPED ALONG COST

LEEWAY BY SEA BACK TO BECOME ONE

MORE AMONG THE INVINCIBLE

SENTINELS GUARDING THE TEMPLE OF

OUR SOUTHERN MOORINGS, EXTENDING

FROM BANKER AND MERCHANT AND

PLANTER DOWN TO THE LAST TENANT

FARMER WHO KNEW THE PLOW HE

GUIDED AND THE MULE WHICH DREW

IT, WHICH DECREED, DEMANDED THAT

NO MATTER HOW SPARTAN THE LIFE,

IN DEATH THE SIGNIFICANTS OF

DOLLARS AND CENTS WAS ABOLISHED,

THAT GRANDMOTHER MIGHT HAVE

SPLIT SO WOOD RIGHT UP UNTIL THE

DAY SHE DIED, YET SHE MUST ENTER

THE EARTH IN SATIN AND MAHOGANY

AND SILVER HANDLES, EVEN THOUGH

THE FIRST TWO WERE SYNTHETIC AND

THE THIRD WAS GERMAN.

A CEREMONY NOT AT ALL TO DEATH

OR EVEN TO THE MOMENT OF DEATH,

BUT TO DECORUM, THE VICTIM OF

OUR ACCIDENT OR EVEN MURDER

REPRESENTED IN EFFIGY, NOT AT

THE INSTANCE OF HIS PASSING BUT

AT THE PEAK OF HIS SUBLIMATION

AS THOUGH IN DEATH, AT LAST, HE

DENIED FOREVER THE GRIEFS AND

FOLLIES OF HUMAN AFFAIRS.

>> WHEN I LOOK AT THE WOOLDRIDGE

MONUMENTS IT'S A COMBINATION OF

EMOTIONS LIKE, FASCINATION AND

SOMETHING LIKE PITY FOR HOW

PEOPLE THINK OF THEMSELVES AND

THINK THAT THEY CAN OUT WIT

ETERNITY.

>> I COULD REMEMBER THAT DAY SIX

YEARS AGO, THE FAMILY GATHERED,

FATHER AND MOTHER AND MAGGIE AND

I IN A SURREY BECAUSE

GRANDFATHER RODE HIS HORSE.

THE CEMETERY, OUR LOT.

GRANDMOTHER'S EFFIGY PRISTINE

AND DAZZLING NOW OUT OF ITS

PACKING CASE, TALL ON THE

DAZZLING PEDESTAL ABOVE THE

GRAVE ITSELF, THE UNDERTAKER HAT

IN HAND, AND THE NEGRO WORK MAN

WHO SWEATED ERECT WAS DRAWN TO

ONE SIDE FOR US, THE FAMILY, TO

LOOK AT IT AND TO PROVE.

AND IN ANOTHER YEAR AFTER THE

TEDIOUS CARVING IN ITALY AND THE

LONG ATLANTIC SHIP, GRANDFATHER

TOO ON HIS PEDESTAL, BESIDES

HER, NOT AS THE SOLDIER WHICH HE

HAD BEEN, AND AS I WANTED HIM,

BUT THE LAWYER, PARLIAMENTARIAN,

THOR TERWHICH HE WAS NOT, IN

FROCK COAT, THE BEAR HEAD THROWN

BACK, THE CARVED TONE CARVED

OAKLAND THE CARVED HAND AND THE

OTHER EXTENDED IN THE MEMORIAL

GESTURE OF DECLARATION.

THIS TIME MOTHER AND MAGGIE AND

I IN THE SURREY BECAUSE FATHER

WAS NOT ON THE HORSE COME TO THE

FORMAL PRIVATE INSPECTION AND

APPROVAL.

>> I'M REMINDED OF THE SHELLY

POEM IN WHICH A BROKEN STATUE IS

FOUND IN THE DESERT.

LOOK ON MY WORKS YOU MIGHTY AND

DESPAIR.

>> AND 3 OR 4 TIMES A YEAR, I

WOULD COME BACK.

I WOULD NOT KNOW WHY.

ALONE TO LOOK AT THEM, NOT JUST

A GRANDFATHER AND GRANDMOTHER,

BUT IN ALL OF THEM, LOOMING

AMONG THE LUSH, GREEN OF SUMMER

AND THE REGAL PLAYS OF FALL AND

THE REIGN AND RUIN OF WINTER,

BEFORE SPRING WOULD BLOOM AGAIN.

STEAM NOW, A LITTLE DARKENED BY

TIME AND WEATHER AND ENDURANCE

BUT STILL SURRINE, IMPERVIOUS,

REMOTE.

GAZING AT NOTHING, NOT LIKE

SENTINELS, NOT DEFENDING THE

LIVING FROM THE DEAD, BY MEANS

OF THEIR VAST TONGUE MEASURED

WEIGHT AND MASS, BUT RATHER THE

DEAD FROM THE LIVING SHEILDING

INSTEAD THE VACANT AND

DISSOLVING BONES, THE HARMLESS

AND DEFENSELESS DUST FROM THE

ANGUISH AND GRIEF AND INHUMANITY

OF MANKIND.

>> WHAT STRIKES ME MOST IS HOW

MAJESTIC THEY ALL ARE.

THEY ARE PLACED THERE LIKE THEY

ARE GOING TO SPEND

THEIR -- STAND THERE LIKE THAT

FOR ETERNITY.

IT'S A FEAT OF THE IMAGINATION

WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY

PRACTICALITIY OR WHAT PEOPLE

WILL MAKE OF IT.

HE JUST WANTED TO BE THERE

FOREVER.

>>> PEOPLE HAVE COME FROM ALL

OVER THE WORLD TO SEE THE

MAYFIELD MONUMENT AND I'M SURE

NONE OF THEM ARE DISAPPOINTED BY

WHAT TAZE SEE.

OVER THE YEARS WE SPENT A LOT OF

TIME IN LECTURE -- LECHER COUNTY

HIKING IN BAD BRANCH FALLS,

KINGDOM COME STATE PARK.

BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL RECENTLY

THAT I STOPPED IN AT OVEN FORK

MERCANTILE.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS MISSING

DEEP IN THE MOUNTAINS OF LECHER

COUNTY BETWEEN PINE AND BIG

BLACK MOUNTAIN, THE OLD OVEN

FORK STORE IS STILL IN BUSINESS

SINCE THE EARLY 1900s.

>> IT USED TO BE AN OLD GROCERY

STORE GAS STATION IN THE EARLY

19 AND 20s AND IN 1945 IT

BECAME THE LOCAL POST OFFICE AND

WAY POT BELLY STOVE THAT RUN UP

THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM AND

PEOPLE WAIT FOR THEIR MAIL.

I WANTED TO KEEP THAT

ATMOSPHERE.

STILL GOT THE OLD POST OFFICE

WINDOW AND OLD POST OFFICE BOXES

AND PEOPLE STILL COME SIT

AROUND.

>> STORE OWNER, BARBARA CHURCH

SAYS FOLKS ALWAYS SEE SOMETHING

DIFFERENT WHEN THEY COME BACK.

>> WHEN YOU COME BACK TO THIS

PLACE, YOU WILL SEE SUN SETS,

DIFFERENT THINGS EVERY TIME,

THINGS THAT YOU MISSED BEFORE,

THINGS THAT I ADDED, THERE IS

JUST A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

I BUILT THE BUSINESS FROM THE

ONE ROOM TO TEN ROOMS OF ANTIQUE

S AND FILLED THE ROOMS UP

WITH ANYTHING OLD YOU CAN THINK

ABOUT.

THERE IS A ROOM THAT JUST HAS

GLASS IN IT LIKE ALL DIFFERENT

KINDS OF DEPRESSION GLASS,

CARNIVAL GLASS, CLEAR GLASS, AND

THEN THERE IS A SECONDS OF JUST

OLD PICTURES, STONE WEAR AND THE

McCOY AND ROSEVILLE AND ALL OF

THAT.

AND THEN THERE IS KITCHEN

COLLECTIBLES, THERE IS CAST IRON

AND ENAMEL WEAR.

ALL KINDS OF OLD CHAIRS HERE

SINCE WE DO THE HICKORY CHAIR

BOTTOMS.

I LEARNED ABOUT IT FROM MY

COUSIN, HARVEY.

I KNEW HE DID IT.

HE WAS A MOUNTAIN MAN.

I WANTED TO LEARN HOW TO DO IT

BECAUSE MY CHILDREN KEPT

BREAKING DOWN CHAIRS.

SO, I ASKED HIM TO DO IT FOR ME

AND HE SAID, NO.

HE WOULD SHOW ME HOW TO DO IT

BUT HE WOULDN'T DO IT FOR ME.

AND THAT WAS ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO.

AFTER HE SHOWED ME HOW TO DO IT,

I HAVE BEEN DOING IT EVER SINCE.

I TAUGHT MY SON HOW TO DO IT AND

I'M HOPING TO TEACH MY GRANDSON

AND MY GRANDDAUGHTERS AND HAVE

THEM CARRY ON THE TRADITION.

>> LIKE IN OLD DAYS WHEN PEOPLE

COULDN'T GO OUT AND BUY A NEW

CHAIR, THEY HAD TO MAKE THEIR

OWN CHAIRS AND THERE WAS PEOPLE

WHO WOULD TRAVEL AROUND AND

GATHER HICKORY BARK IN THE

SUMMERTIME AND THEN THEY'D GO

AROUND AND STAY AT PEOPLE'S

HOUSES FOR PLACE TO STAY OR FOOD

OR WHATEVER AND THEY WOULD

BOTTOM THE CHAIRS FOR THEM.

>> YOU GOT TO FIND THE GOOD

HICKORY TREES AND TAKE OFF THE

BARK AND THEN I USUALLY ROLE IT

UP AND STORE IT SO I'M READY TO

USE IT AND THEN I'LL THROW IT IN

A PAN OF WATER OVERNIGHT AND

WEAVE THE BOTTOM AND LET IT DRY

AND THAT'S A GOOD CHAIR.

>> I STARTED IN THE BACK TIEING

MY KNOT IN AND WET MY BARK

AROUND THIS WAY.

AND WHERE IT GETS SHORT, I'LL

HAVE TO SPLICE ANOTHER PIECE ON

TO THIS AND WRAP IT AROUND AND

ONCE I GET OVER HERE, I'LL COME

DOWN AROUND THIS CORNER AND

WEAVE IT IN.

SINCE I RUN OUT OF BARK HERE, I

GOT TO SPLICE ANOTHER PIECE IN.

WE DO THAT IN A KEY IN A KEY

HOLE.

SOME PEOPLE LIKE TO CUT A SQUARE

IN IT.

I PREFER TO USE A TRIANGLE.

IT'S A LITTLE EASIER TO CUT OUT.

IT SERVES THE SAME PURPOSE.

HICKORY BARK IS ALMOST LIKE

WORKING WITH LEATHER.

YOU HAVE TO GET IT WET BEFORE

YOU CAN DO ANYTHING WITH IT.

AND ONCE IT DRIES, IT WILL

TIGHTEN UP.

HERE I MADE MY KEY AND MY KEY

HOLE AND YOU PUT THESE TOGETHER,

AND THEY LOCK RIGHT IN.

JUST CONTINUE WEAVING YOUR BARK

AROUND.

IT WILL BE TIGHT IN THE BACK AND

DAMP IN THE FRONT OF IT.

NOW THAT I WRAPPED IT AROUND THE

FRONT, I HAVE COME BACK UNDER

THIS CORNER AND NOW I'LL START

WEAVING IT AND AS WE GOT A

CERTAIN PATTERN WE GO BY TO GET

A HERRINGBONE.

START OUT AND GO OVER ONE AND

THEN OVER TWO AND UNDER ONE AND

UNDER TWO.

AND THEN YOU ATINATE TWO AFTER

THAT.

AND THIS SKIPS OVER EACH TIME

AND THEN GIVE IT A DIEAGONAL

PATTERN.

>> FIND SOME OLD TABLES AND

DRESSERS AND BEDS AND JUST A

LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

YOU CAN PLAN A DAY TRIP HERE AND

COME AND HAVE LUNCH AND HAVE A

HOTDOG OR A POLISH SAUSAGE OR

BARBECUE OR HOMEMADE CANDY.

I HAVE BEEN MAKING IT FOR ABOUT

20 YEARS AND SELLING IT NOW.

PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR THIS.

THE PEOPLE THAT DO STOP HERE

THAT IS TRAVELING, AFTER THEY

VISITED HERE, THEY ARE LIKE, IS

THERE ANY OTHER PLACES LIKE THIS

AROUND HERE?

AND I'M LIKE, NO, NOT FOR

ANOTHER HOUR'S DRIVE OR LONGER

THAN THAT.

BUT YES, IT'S OFF THE BEATEN

PATH AND PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR

IT.

>> AND THAT INCLUDES OLD

MOUNTAIN TRADITIONS.

AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS OF HARD

WORK, DAMON FINISHED HIS CHAIR

BOTTOM.

>> HERE IS YOUR FINISHED PRODUCT

AND THEN NORMAL USES USES AND

CIRCUMSTANCE THAT IS SHOULD LAST

TWO LIFE TIMES.

>> SO HOPEFULLY THIS STORE WITH

SUCH A RICH HISTORY WILL ALSO BE

AROUND FOR AT LEAST TWO MORE

LIFE TIMES.

>> WE WON'T WAIT SO LONG TO MAKE

OUR NEXT VISIT TO OVEN FORK

MERCANTILE AND WON'T WAIT ANY

LONGER TO LET YOU THAN KENTUCKY

LIFE IS NOW ON FACEBOOK.

WE'LL LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE

HEADED POSTING PHOTOS OF WHERE

WE HAVE BEEN AND GIVING YOU

PREVIEWS OF UP COMING SHOWS.

IT'S JUST ANOTHER WAY FOR ALL OF

US TO CONNECT WITH ALL OF YOU.

LOOKS LIKE WE ARE OUT OF TIME

FOR TONIGHT.