Lexington, KY: Director of Archives, University of Kentucky Libraries

Lexington, KY: Director of Archives, University of Kentucky Libraries

Adrian "Odie" Smith

Former UK men's basketball standout, and member of Adolph Rupp's 1958 Fiddlin' Five National Championship team, Adrian “Odie” Smith was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 1960 gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic basketball team. The 1960 team was one of two teams and eight individuals honored at this years induction ceremony.

Smith is a native of Farmington, Ky and played two years at a junior college before receiving a scholarship to play at UK. Smith averaged 10.1 ppg in two years at UK. After college Smith joined the Army and played for two Army All-Star teams. While in the Army, Smith won gold medals for the U.S. in the 1959 Pan-American Games in Chicago and the 1960 Rome Olympics.

After his stint in the army Smith played ten years in the NBA with the Cincinnati Royals and the San Francisco Warriors. He was MVP of the 1966 NBA All-Star Game held in Cincinnati, playing with and against players including Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Rick Barry to win the honors. Photograph digital id [KUKAV-1997AV27-3570].

A Look Back at Fayette County Public Education

Barker and Faulconer Fayette County Public Education photographs, 1869-1941

Brecktown school; Miss Mary Graves, teacher.

Diary of Robert Todd, 1784

Although the documentation with these materials state that the author of this diary was the father of Mary Todd, Robert Smith Todd was not born until 1791. With that in mind it seems likely that this is the diary of Brigadier General Robert Todd who was born April 19, 1754 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. He came to Kentucky in 1776 and was known as an 18th century American pioneer, politician and soldier. Robert Todd is credited as being one of the founders of Lexington, Kentucky. His brothers were John and Levi Todd who also settled in Lexington. If my poor genealogy is correct, Robert Todd would be the Great Uncle of Mary Todd.

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On Friday June 18th Todd wrote, "Started and continued down said branch of Big Barran which I suppose to be the principal. Killed large buffalo. Turned into raining. Encamped and barbecued some of the meat. This part of the country is well watered with excellent springs - traveled about four miles." So goes part of the diary kept by Robert Todd of his expedition for settling lands.

In Memory of Melvin Turpin

Our thoughts go out to the family and fans of Melvin Turpin.

From Combat to Kentucky: Oral History Interviews with Kentucky’s Student Veterans

From Combat to Kentucky: Oral History Interviews with Kentucky's Student Veterans
A re-post from the Saving Stories blog about the Nunn Center's project to document the experiences of Kentucky's student veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. From Combat to Kentucky is not only interviewing the students but adding their photographs from Iraq and Afghanistan to the University of Kentucky Archives as well.

Newly Processed Collections at the University of Kentucky Archives

Recently two new collections have been processed at Special Collections and Digital Programs. The Frontier Nursing Service Photograph collection consists of roughly 14,000 photographs, most are gelatin silver prints. Subjects include Mary Breckinridge, Mary Marvin Breckinridge, Wendover and the work of FNS nurses making their rounds in Eastern Kentucky. The work of the FNS began in Leslie County, Kentucky in 1925 by the late Mrs. Mary Breckinridge, who remained its Director until her death in 1965. Mrs. Breckinridge decided, following the death of her two children, to devote her life to the health care of children in remote areas. In 1975, the Service completed and opened the modern, forty-bed Mary Breckinridge Hospital and Health Center. This hospital has served the health care needs of the people of Leslie County for the past 30 years and continues its operation today as a critical access hospital.



The other collection recently processed is the Frank Fitch Notebook Collection. These seven notebooks span from 1867-1873 and document the construction of an iron furnace in Estill Co., KY. At the time of its construction it was among the largest charcoal furnaces in the country and the region of northeaster Kentucky and southeastern Ohio produced a significant percentage of the countries iron supply. The collapse of the railroad boom meant that the furnace closed a mere 5 years after its construction. The Fitch Furnace to this day is considered among the most important historic sites in Kentucky.