Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-10-04
HQSkin Letter
A LAND OF CONTRASTS
Touring the Bluegrass

Lexington, Ky, Oct. Interstate
tourists who visit the Bluegrass region
should avoid making the tour in late
summer or early autumn unless there
has been great abundance of rain
Bluegrass thrives on soil which rests
upon limestone. The effects of drouth
and summer heat are devastating tenn
porarily. An August landscape sere
and yellow from high temperatures and
lack of moisture is revived magicaliy
by the first heavy rain. The tourist
who chances to drive through Ken
lucky during the drouth is likely to
wonder why it is far famed for its
grass.
1t is possible TO see the Bluegrass
region in day from an automobile, or
to spend a week or two driving through
it upon a new road each day. rms
small section of the state has no def
nitely settled boundaries, and so proud
are central Kentuckians of residence
there that'to mention boundaries IN q
border county is to inJure someone
feelings. Without declaring that this
county is, and that county is not, with
in the charmed circle, it may be said
that without violating the speed limit
an automobilist may drive from Gin
cinnati southwark, or from Louisville
eastward, across the Bluegrass region
and into the blue foothills of the Cum
berland mountains without starting
before the sun rises in summer and
without driving till sunset. In no
part of America, or England, are the
aspects of rural life more pleasing.
The group of eight or ten counties
of which Lexington, in Fayette county
is the hub, have had good roads FOL
| several generations. Their early usf
| of limestone broken with hammers by
hand gave them hard white roads lone
ago-roads which contrasted strikingiy
with the green turf along the right O
way. fed by the lime dust made BY
wheeled traffic passing over the broker
stone before scientific agriculture hat
introduced Timing" in farming opera.
tons. Each of these counties had 4o
or 500 miles of white turnpikes, man
roads and minor ones included: Aloni
nearly all of these roads substantial
brick residences, often handsome man
or houses with stately porticos restln'
upon Greek columns, reflected the fer
tility OF the soil and the welfare O.
the land owners.
Nowadays the oiling of the roads
and the use of Kentucky road asphal
as an Improvement upon CIuelSu SUI
for surfaciug, has transformed tn
main roads from white to black. Man.
of the minor ones still are white waite
bound macadam, running betWeei
weathered stone fences and inviting
the leisurely touring TO endless ram
hlings. About this section of Ken
lucky centers the romance that ha
made Kentucky's name known all Owe
the world. Here the limestone grow
the grass which provides the best pas
ture for thoroughbred horses n oth
or livestock. Here are the famou
nurseries of thoroughbreds. Here ar
many landmarks in the history Of tn
Kentucky turf, including the InasslV
monuments to Ten Brock and Long
fellow at the once famous Nantur
stock farm. At Nantura the lat
Frank Harper, owner of the tw
horses, lived for many years constant
" armed. after the mysterious mur
der of Adam and Betsy Harper, a
aged brother and sister who wer
dubbed to death in their quaint oil
farmhouse by someone whose Identlt
never was learned.
Best Spot in the Garden
Nearby. in Woodford county, whic
, tho late Senator Joseph Clay Stiie
r blackburn dubbed the asparagus De
of the garden spot of Gods country !