100 YEARS AGO — 1921

Miss Sara Mahan, of Danville, has announced she is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Circuit Court Clerk of Boyle County, subject to the action of the Democratic voters in the August Primary election. Miss Mahan is the fist woman candidate from Boyle County, and her announcement will be received with quite a great deal of interest. Miss Mahan is one of our best known democratic women and has taken an active interest in every campaign that has been made. Last year she was chairman of the woman’s organization and did much to get out the women vote. She started official life as private secretary to Judge S. W. Hager when he was state auditor, and was later assistant state librarian at Frankfort. As yet, Miss Mahan has no opposition for the office, but she will make a strong race, regardless of who may enter the contest.

G.J. Lampton & Sons of Louisville, have completed their plant at Lexington and Harding streets, and are now installing the machinery for manufacturing ice cream. These gentlemen expect to engage in the wholesale ice cream business in Danville and hope to be ready by the 15th of the month. They say they will have the very best machinery available.

Deputy U.S. Marshal Basham, Sheriff Farris Jr. and officers Thurmond and Critchfield made a raid at the home of Joe Ashbrook, near Shelby City, and found stored in the attic 48 gallons of “Raisin Jack.” This liquor made a formidable array as stored in bottles, jugs, buckets and almost every conceivable container. The liquor was poured out and evidences of the illicit traffic were brought in by the officers. Ashbrook was charged with having liquor in his possession and having material for making liquor. He was arrested and released on $5,000 bond. This is the first arrest made in Boyle County for the manufacture of liquor.

While workmen were digging up the ground on North Third Street they found several pieces of human bones in front of the residence of C.C. Bagby. And on the same street near the rear of Welsh & Wiseman’s department store they located a cistern about 16 feet deep and 12 feet wide filled with water. The bones attracted a great deal of attention. The bones are probably those of a soldier who lost his life in the Civil War. The cistern was filled with dirt and rocks. It was walled up with bricks and was probably used long ago.

75 YEARS AGO — 1946

A survey to appraise property on the right-of-way of the proposed Southern Railway System viaduct was made yesterday of city and county sites beginning at the dead end of West Main Street. The right-of-way for the proposed viaduct runs straight out Main Street west from its end at Maple Avenue between the Floyd and Wiessman properties, continuing beyond the present site of the railroad and ends at a point in West Danville. Construction of the viaduct, which has been under consideration here for the past six years, will cost between $350,00 and $400,000.

Plans for a two-city airport, to be located between Harrodsburg and Danville, capable of being expanded and developed into a key air transportation point in this area, were envisioned by aeronautical leaders of the two towns. Colonel Near who attended the meeting, pointed out that the Danville-Harrodsburg airport would be an opportunity for the people in these towns to develop modern, speedier means of transportation, thereby establishing the two towns on a greater industrial and economic basis than is now realized.

Mrs. Lucille Baldwin, who moved her merchandise earlier this spring from her gift shop on North Third Street to her residence at 454 Broadway, has taken advantage of increased space and superior facilities to display her handsome line of articles including fine china, antique glass, mirrors, vases, ash trays and other antiques and reproductions for the home.

Quite a bang went off in Danville this morning with the launching of the Chamber of Commerce membership drive. At exactly 11:15 a.m., executive secretary Bill Prall rushed in to stop the press and say that 15 $120 memberships had been subscribed by Danville businessmen.

50 YEARS AGO — 1971

Igal Roodenko of New York, chairman of the War Resisters League, will speak at Centre College tonight. A graduate of Cornell University, Roodenko will speak on the Vietnam Ar and the draft and public response to them.

A new image for mid-town Danville was the objective of a drive launched recently at a dinner meeting of 60 Main Street property owners and merchants. It was the culmination of several months of quiet work and planning by a committee of 12 businessmen who set out to find ways and means to rejuvenate and revitalize the Main Street shopping district of Danville. The planners have had color experts make a study of the buildings and suggestions were given out concerning the colors of groupings of buildings. This will give a look of unity to the whole street when completed. The committee will also seek removal of all over-hanging signs and will try to have the names of businesses placed flat against the front walls. Also, a new plan for lighting store fronts with spotlights was demonstrated. Also, matters such as parking, traffic flow, courtesy, uniform store hours and advertising should be considered to make the downtown appealing.

Fire of undetermined origin caused untold damage in a closely built area on North Third Street. The fire apparently started in a large vacant room over Chinn’s Jewelry, Gazebo, Melody Music Shop and Danville Laundry office. Chinn’s Jewelry, Melody Music, the Gazebo (formerly Coleman’s Gift Shop) and the Danville Laundry office were all damaged.

25 YEARS AGO — 1996

Classes in the Boyle County school system would be dismissed early on several Wednesdays next school year to give teachers time to work on curriculum development if a proposal presented to the school board is approved. Under the proposal, classes would be dismissed 1.5 hours early at each of the county system’s five schools on 17 Wednesdays next school year.

The Danville city Commission made it through a lengthy budgeting session with most people going away pleased. It was the annual decision on what community groups should get funding from the city. Some agencies were cut, many got less than they wanted but in the end, the city approved $254,000 for various groups. Some of the appropriations include: Airport board, $15,000; Clean Community Commission, $11,000; Planning and Zoning, $20,925; Tourist commission, $7,000; Urban aesthetics, $3,500; Family services, $9,500; Historical Society, $500; Senior Citizens, $25,000; Deaf Festival, $5,000; Heart of Danville, $27,000 and Brass Band Festival, $7,500.