Interview with Sidney R. Clements & F.E. Webster

Partial Transcript: What do you remember about this river boat over here?

Segment Synopsis: Clements and Webster discuss boats that they remember being on the river. They say that alcohol was sold on boats even in dry counties.

Keywords: Alcohol; Excursion boat; Falls City; Gratz, Kentucky; Hanover; Hunley, Noble; Maggie Harper; Park City; Shakertown, Kentucky; Steamboat; White Dove

Subjects: Boating accidents--Kentucky River (Ky.) Boats and boating--Kentucky River (Ky.) River boats--Kentucky River (Ky.) River steamers--Kentucky River (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: What about the population of that area, was it bigger back then than it is now?

Segment Synopsis: Clements and Webster describe what Gratz was like when it was booming. They say that it had three churches, four doctors, a bank; three grocery stores, an opera house, and a jail.

Keywords: Church; Doctor; Gratz, Kentucky; Opera house

Subjects: River life--Kentucky River (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: You mentioned the coal yard a few minutes ago, where did the coal come from?

Segment Synopsis: Clements and Webster talk about coal being shipped in from West Virginia. They also talk about how the price of coal has increased.

Keywords: Ball's Landing; Coal barge; Lockport, Kentucky; Wallace's Landing

Subjects: Barges--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: What's the worst flood you can remember on the river?

Segment Synopsis: Clements and Webster say that the flood of 1937 was the worst and talk about flood damage.

Keywords: 1937; Flood damage; Gratz, Kentucky

Subjects: Floods--Kentucky Kentucky River (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: What's the first time you remember seeing an automobile?

Segment Synopsis: Clements and Webster talk about early cars and a shift away from blacksmiths.

Keywords: 1906; Blacksmith; State fair

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: He was telling me about a boat that sawed lumber.

Segment Synopsis: Clements and Webster talk about a boat that would saw logs and about timber rafts.

Keywords: Log raft; Lumber; Timber

Subjects: Kentucky River (Ky.) Sawmills--Kentucky Timber rafting

Partial Transcript: You remember any accidents on the river?

Segment Synopsis: Clements and Webster talk about fishing on the river. They say that most people were farmers or bootleggers. They claim that most people now live off of government assistance.

Keywords: Buffalo carp; Commercial fishing; Government assistance; Spoonbill

Subjects: Distilling, Illicit--Kentucky Fishing--Kentucky River (Ky.) River life--Kentucky River (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Let's take a real good look at that picture.

Segment Synopsis: Clements and Webster talk about the Falls City and how it was designed.

Keywords: Falls City; Hunley, Silas; Johnson Landing; Ravona

Subjects: Boats and boating--Kentucky River (Ky.) Kentucky River (Ky.) River boats--Kentucky River (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: What's the driest you ever remember that area?

Segment Synopsis: Clements and Webster talk about years that were so dry that they could walk across the river.

Keywords: Gratz, Kentucky

Subjects: Droughts--Kentucky Kentucky River (Ky.)