The month of May is approaching very quickly, and three events happen that keep us very busy. If you like horses, food or history, keep reading!
May 1, 2009, 135th Run for the Roses, or the Kentucky Derby, Louisville.
According to Wikipedia, on May 17, 1875, in front of an estimated crowd of 10,000 people, a field of 15 three-year-old horses contested the first Derby. The first winner was the horse Aristides. As an almost Louisville native, I have never been to the Derby. It is tradition in my family to go to our local American Legion's derby party and watch the races all day. Highlights for me include stories from the in-field and celebrity watching on millionaire's row. But to witness the race is like nothing else. You hold your breath until the horses cross the finish line. It is the most exciting two-minute race in history.
May 9-10 is Owensboro's BBQ Festival.
People from all over come to the BBQ capital to sample amazing mutton, pork, beef, chicken and burgoo. I love the smell of the food, the friendliness of the people, and the view of the river, which this year happens to be under construction. Thinking about watching those church teams cook their bbq for glory makes me hungry!
May 15-17 is the Battle of Sacramento in McLean County, KY.
According to the McLean County Civil War Driving Tour of Sacramento, Confederate forces, under Lt. Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest, were active in the Green River area during the fall and winter of 1861.
They were protecting the Confederate base and capital at Bowling Green and trying to maintain control of the Green River and the surrounding area, a long time source of food for the lower South. Ten thousand Union soldiers under General Thomas Crittenden were stationed in Calhoun protecting Lock and Dam No. 2 and maintaining the security of the Union’s Ohio River supply lines as the campaign for control of the Mississippi was developing.
Control of the Green River was crucial to both Union and Confederate goals during the maneuvering for position in late 1861. This made McLean County a focal point for both sides.On Dec. 27, 1861, Forrest assembled a force of some 300 men in Greenville to scout Union positions in the farming country between there and Calhoun. Union Major Eli Murray, only 18 years old, led a scouting party out of Calhoun to reconnoiter the area around Sacramento.
The two forces collided on December 28, with Forrest emerging the victor, in what came to be known as the Battle of Sacramento. The Union forces reported 11 killed and 40 missing, while Forrest lost only 2 men. Confederate success was fleeting, however, and by February, they had withdrawn from Bowling Green and conceded control of the Green River valley to the Union - losing access to one of the South’s traditional sources of food.
To all mothers, Happy Mother's Day!
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