Interview with William Douthitt

Partial Transcript: My father worked on the river.

Segment Synopsis: Douthitt describes his youth in regards to the Kentucky River. He talks about slot machines, moonshine, and the local sawmills.

Keywords: Kenny's Mill; Moonshine

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

Partial Transcript: So all of the people or most of the people that worked at, it's called Kentucky Manufacturing down there, they lived right around the area there?

Segment Synopsis: Douthitt talks about workers from Kentucky Manufacturing. He spends most of this section talking about a dry dock where boats were fixed by the Army Corp of Engineers.

Keywords: Factory Hill; Franklin County, Kentucky; The Kentucky

Subjects: Kentucky River (Ky.) United States Army Corp of Engineers

Partial Transcript: I think about that 37 flood there.

Segment Synopsis: Douthitt describes the water levels of the flood of 1937. He says that the water went over the roof of his house and they had to clean mud out of the house before it dried.

Keywords: 1937; Flood damage

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

Partial Transcript: Who are some of these other people you remember that used to live around here?

Segment Synopsis: Douthitt says that his uncle killed a soldier in 1909 in Todds Bottom. The murder started a much larger fight when other soldiers joined in.

Keywords: Murder; Nichols, Joe; Todds Bottom

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

Partial Transcript: Now, I've been fishing.

Segment Synopsis: Douthitt describes his techniques for using a trotline. He also tells a story about scaring away young robbers by shooting over their heads.

Keywords: Catfish; Robbery; Trotline

Subjects: Fishing--Kentucky River (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: How was trapping last winter?

Segment Synopsis: Douthitt talks about catching foxes and raccoons.

Keywords: Foxes; Franklin County, Kentucky; Hunting; Trapping

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

Partial Transcript: How many trotlines did you run?

Segment Synopsis: Douthitt describes having difficulty with boats running over his lines and not being able to use nets by himself.

Keywords: Franklin County, Kentucky; Trotline

Subjects: Fishing--Kentucky River (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: So your house is on up here?

Segment Synopsis: Douthitt spends much of this time pointing out places on a map. He also briefly talks about the 1978 flood.

Keywords: 1978; Franklin County, Kentucky

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