[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9067-9068]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO McCREARY COUNTY, KENTUCKY

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a very 
special part of my home State, the Commonwealth of Kentucky. I am 
speaking of McCreary County, in the southeastern region of the State. 
This year, McCreary County celebrates its centennial; according to the 
McCreary County Museum located in the heart of historic downtown 
Stearns, KY, the county's birthday was on March 12, 2012. One hundred 
years ago, Kentucky Governor James B. McCreary signed the legislation 
creating the county, named after himself, as the 120th and last county 
of the Bluegrass State, formed out of portions of Wayne, Pulaski and 
Whitley counties.
  The people of McCreary County today have upheld the rich traditions 
and legacy of the hardy Kentuckians who were there for that county's 
founding 100 years ago. They have exemplified the very best of what 
southeastern Kentucky has to offer, they have kept

[[Page 9068]]

Kentucky's history alive, and they represent the future of Kentucky and 
our Nation. I ask my Senate colleagues to join me in wishing the people 
of McCreary County the very best as they celebrate their centennial.
  An article published in the McCreary County Record recently described 
the events of McCreary County's centennial celebration. I ask unanimous 
consent that said article appear in the Record.
  There being no objection, the article was ordered to appear as 
follows:

            [From the McCreary County Record, Mar. 15, 2012]

    Happy Birthday! County Marks 100 Years With Day-Long Celebration

                           (By Janie Slaven)

       Whitley City.--The past, present, and future converged 
     Monday as McCreary County celebrated its centennial.
       Festivities centered around the local courthouse, which 
     attracted state and federal dignitaries.
       Representatives for Governor Steve Beshear and U.S. Senator 
     Mitch McConnell read congratulatory letters while State 
     Representative Sara Beth Gregory presented McCreary County 
     Judge-Executive Doug Stephens with a resolution passed by the 
     House on Friday.
       Judge Stephens opened the ceremony with a prayer. Quoting I 
     Chronicles, he acknowledged that McCreary County has suffered 
     the ``curse of poverty and scourge of drugs'' but asked God 
     to heal our land. The judge went on to praise the endurance 
     and resilience of our citizens, saying that McCreary County 
     is not just a spot on a map but a way of life.
       ``We have a rich history but we also have a rich future,'' 
     Judge Stephens said.
       To illustrate that history, the bulk of the ceremony was 
     devoted to ``A Governor's Visit''--the dramatization of 
     namesake Governor James B. McCreary's 1914 visit to 
     Kentucky's latest county--by local historian Sam Perry. 
     Through speeches from the governor (as portrayed by Jimmy 
     Waters), first elected county judge Joseph Williams (Adam 
     Phillips), State Rep. William B. Creekmore (Grady Wilson), 
     and narration from former judge-executive Jimmie W. Greene; 
     the play gave the crowd attending a lesson in who settled the 
     Big South Fork region and what went into forging the new 
     McCreary County from portions of Wayne, Pulaski and Whitley 
     counties.
       Following the play, Judge Stephens ceremoniously cut the 
     first piece of the county birthday cake (prepared by Yummi 
     Bakery)--which he presented to the oldest citizen in 
     attendance, Fannie Morgan, who turned 100 last November. The 
     second piece went to the youngest citizen, four-year-old 
     Bailey Gilreath.
       The crowd then gathered into the fiscal courtroom, where 
     county officials debuted the recently refurbished portraits 
     of 14 of McCreary County's 19 judges and judge-executives. 
     Centennial Commission member Shane Gilreath noted that the 
     elite group came from all walks of life. They were attorneys, 
     social workers, farmers, miners, teachers and more.
       Photographs of Mahan Renfro and Joseph Williams, which had 
     hung in the portrait gallery and have been replaced by 
     paintings, were presented to family members. Maxine Lawson, 
     ``Cookie'' Joe Williams and Debbie Jo Peterson represented 
     three generations of the Williams family. Greene, Renfro's 
     nephew by marriage, joked that he had lobbied for a portrait 
     to represent each of his four terms.
       Deputy Judge-Executive Andrew Powell and McCreary County 
     Museum director Amy Combs recognized the artists in 
     attendance--including Dorothy Washam, Dale Crabtree, and 
     Nadine Heth--before unveiling two new portraits honoring the 
     last two judge-executives. Judge Stephens's portrait will be 
     hung at a later date, but Blaine Phillips's portrait was hung 
     by his wife, Kathy, and twin brother, Wayne.
       Before breaking for a luncheon hosted by the McCreary 
     County Historical Society, those attending had the 
     opportunity to view a number of exhibits displayed throughout 
     the courthouse's ground floor.
       If the morning was devoted to our county's past, the 
     evening focused firmly on the future. After signing a 
     proclamation honoring the county's centennial during Monday's 
     regular fiscal court meeting, Judge Stephens signed another 
     in honor of the Girl Scouts' 100th anniversary. Local 
     troops--assisted by representatives from the Daniel Boone 
     National Forest's Stearns Ranger District (which is 
     celebrating its 75th anniversary)--planted a sugar maple on 
     the courthouse lawn.
       If you missed Monday's celebration, you have several 
     opportunities to obtain centennial keepsakes.
       For a limited time, the U.S. Postal Service is offering a 
     postmark commemorating the occasion. Mail order requests for 
     the special cancellations will be available for 30 days 
     beginning March 12.
       Customers should allow at least a 2-inch-by-4-inch space in 
     the stamp area for the postmark and have postage applied to 
     cards or letters before mailing them--inside another 
     envelope--to: Postmaster, McCreary County Centennial Station, 
     1387 North Highway 27, Whitley City, KY 42653.
       The McCreary County Museum is offering a set of 12 historic 
     postcards as well as DVDs of the day's events for $10 each. 
     Call 376-5730 for more information.

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