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The Oldham County Historical Society 106 North Second Avenue |
Oldham County History Since 1950 |
This list was composed by Dot Carraco in response to a request by the Oldham County Public Library to construct a timeline of events in Oldham County over the last 50 years in celebration of the new opening of the Oldham County Public Library this year. The list is not inclusive and we invite anyone who would like to add to the list, email us at ochstryctr@aol.com, and we will add it to the list and keep it ongoing on our website: http://www: oldhamcountyhistoricalsociety.org. 1950: *LaGrange converted to dial phones *LG&E gas available to LaGrange
1952: *The Oldham Era completes its 75th year of publication *Skylight and Goshen communities organized the North Oldham volunteer Fire Dept.
1953: *Ballardsville Fire Dept. was formed (in 1976 became the Ballardsville Rural Fire Protection District.
1955: *Ky. State Police builds post headquarters on Hwy. 146 in front of the Kentucky State Reformatory.
1956: *Little Colonel Theatre is formed in Pewee Valley.
1959: *The Oldham County Historical Society is founded.
1961: *Election voting machines (instead of handwritten ballots) are used at the polls.
1962: *The LaGrange Project Guild is founded.
1967: *Train derailment at Crestwood, 356 feet of track is ripped out- 24 wrecked railroad cars are derailed. The railroad cars were filled with powdered propellent bound for army arsenal. When the cars derailed the propellent acted like firebombs and at least 100 automobiles were destroyed along with roofs of houses. *The Duerson Library becomes renamed to the Duerson Public Library.
1969: *Library obtained a brand new bookmobile.
*Air Filtering Testing Lab opens in Buckner. The lab renders independent evaluations of air filter systems of gas turbines, off road equipment, diesel locomotives & nuclear power plants. *Interstate 71 opened.
1970: *Oldham County Day was inaugurated. *Buckner Christian Church celebrates 100 year anniversary. *Rescue ambulance services begins in Oldham County. *The Confederate Memorial Day observance is revived at the Confederate Cemetery in Pewee Valley. *Pewee Valley Fire Dept. converts surplus army truck into a fire truck *Northland Corporation lumber company is established in LaGrange
1973: *Crestwood Baptist Church celebrates its 100 year anniversary.
1974: *Oldham County gets an official flag. *Construction begins on U of L Observatory near Brownsboro. *Tornado strikes throughout Oldham County. *Baptist Hospital takes over Mallory Taylor Hospital. *Plans are announced for a new county park.
1975: *Cedar Lake Lodge facility opens. *LaGrange Square opens with 4 stores. *Operation Identification, a statewide program, is initiated in Oldham County.
1976: *Burger Queen Restaurant opens in LaGrange. *The Old Yager Hotel in Crestwood is torn down.
1977: *East and Westbrook Construction Company opens in Buckner.
1978: *The Oldham County Police Department is established.
1980: *TARC Bus Service begins in Oldham County. *Oldham County gets 911 emergency number installed.
1981: *South Oldham Public Library opens in Crestwood.
1982: * A statewide survey indicates that Oldham County has the highest proportion of high income households ($50,000 and up) of all counties in the state.
1985: *Mr. Tabor Methodist Church in Centerfield celebrates its 150th Anniversary.
1986: *The Humane Society of Oldham County was incorporated. *Youth basketball leagues are formed for elementary school children. *St. James Episcopal Church in Pewee Valley is named to the National Register of Historical Places.
1987: *Adult education reading program is established in the Oldham County School System. *Tri-County Hospital opens.
1989: *Two districts in Pewee Valley, Central and Ashwood were accepted into the National Register of Historical Places. *Crestwood By-Pass opened connecting Hwy. 329 to Hwy. 146. *The Oldham County Board of Educatoin moved its central offices from the old Ballardsville School to Buckner. *Cedar Lake Lodge Group Home opened. *Oldham County Fiscal Court purchased the Citizens Fidelity Bank Building on the corner of Hwy. 146 and 53. *The City of LaGrange passes a historic preservation ordinance.
1990: *Oldham County opened a new 71 bed regional jail. *Goshen becomes a 6th class city. *The $5 million dollar WAVE Tower begins operation.
1992: *The east and west wings of the Oldham County Courthouse are torn down. *Full-time paramedic service begins operation. *The home of Louise Head Duncan was purchased by Chilton Barnett for the Oldham County Historical Society.
1995: *Ground is broken for the North Oldham Middle School.
1997: *A historical landmark, the United Methodist Church (1988) is sold to county government.
1998: *The Oldham County Community Convention and Aquatic Center (now called John Black Community Center) opened.
1999: *The Recycle Center opened. *Crestwood is hooked into the Metropolitan Sewer District. *The Oldham County Historical Society opens the Peyton Samuel Head Family Museum.
2000: *The Sellersburg Lumber Company opened in the Oldham County Business Park.
2002: *LOCATOR, the Lost Child Alert Technology Resource begins operation in the Oldham County Sheriff’s department. *North Oldham High School opens.
2003: *Oldham County Government buys 228 for the Morgan Conservation Park. *South Oldham Government Center opens. *Dynegy Inc. power plant is completed. *CVS Pharmacy opens in Crestwood. *Oldham County Intervention and Prevention Unit Center opens.
2004: *The Oldham County Health Dept. moves to its new facility on Commerce Drive.
2005: *The Cherry House Furniture Gallery in LaGrange closes.
2007: *The Oldham County Historical Society begins its Living Treasures Program with the Oldham Era to recognize and honor local mentors who are 70 years or over. 2008: * The Oldham County Schools opens Locust Grove Elementary School making it the 9th elementary school of the Oldham County School System. *The Oldham County Public Library opens its new green facility in LaGrange. *The Hwy. 393 Bypass opens from Centerfield to I-71.
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