Interview with Marion Mershon

Partial Transcript: Why, I've seen big boats coming down the river and towing logs.

Segment Synopsis: Mershon mentions some of his earliest memories related to the Kentucky River. He recalls boats towing logs, chain dogs, and The Kentucky.

Keywords: Chain dog; The Kentucky

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

Partial Transcript: Do you recall any big tides on the river?

Segment Synopsis: Mershon talks about the flood of 1937. He also relates what his grandfather told him about an early ice tide.

Keywords: 1937; Ice tide; Spike pole

Subjects: Floods--Kentucky Ice on rivers, lakes, etc.--Kentucky River (Ky.) Oregon (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: I guess logging had about played out by the time you were born.

Segment Synopsis: Mershon talks about a sawmill at Oregon that his grandfather ran.

Keywords:

Subjects: Kentucky River (Ky.) Oregon (Ky.) Sawmills--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: I guess you've seen a lot of drownings in your lifetime?

Segment Synopsis: Mershon talks about how he learned how to swim.

Keywords: Swimming

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

Partial Transcript: Do you remember the 1930 drought when y'all lived on the river?

Segment Synopsis: Mershon talks about the depth of the river. He also recalls being told that barges were constructed in the shallow water near Oregon.

Keywords: Barge construction; Oregon Ferry; River depth

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

Partial Transcript: Do you remember the names of any of the boats that went up and down the river?

Segment Synopsis: Mershon names and describes different boats that he remembers seeing on the river; including showboats and ferries.

Keywords: John J. Kelley; The Jewel; The Kentucky

Subjects: Boats and boating--Kentucky River (Ky.) Ferries--Kentucky River (Ky.) Oregon (Ky.) Showboats--Kentucky River (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Did you ever know any Civil War veterans?

Segment Synopsis: Mershon describes people and places in pictures that he shows to Moberly during the interview.

Keywords:

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

Partial Transcript: When y'all lived in Oregon when you had to, as the saying goes, go to town, did you go to Harrodsburg?

Segment Synopsis: Mershon talks about stores in Oregon and surrounding towns that they would travel to when they needed supplies. He claims that the nearby town Salvisa was named after two old maids named "Sal" and "Vi."

Keywords: Harrodsburg, Kentucky; Salvisa, Kentucky

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

Partial Transcript: People don't cultivate the bottoms like they used to, do they?

Segment Synopsis: Mershon talks about how use of the river has changed. He also mentions that High Bridge and nearby houses are falling apart.

Keywords: Irrigation; River bottom

Subjects: High Bridge (Ky.) Kentucky River (Ky.) Oregon (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Now in this here back porch, here, in 37 they had a table.

Segment Synopsis: Mershon compares flood water levels and damages in 1937 and 1978.

Keywords: 1937; 1978; Flood damage

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