Interview with Katherine Giles, January 21, 2002

Partial Transcript: I was born in Nonesuch and my mother was born in Nonesuch.

Segment Synopsis: Giles was born in 1918 at Nonesuch, a rural community in Woodford County, Kentucky. Giles has deep roots in Kentucky, with many of her relatives hailing from the Bluegrass region. Giles spent part of her childhood living in Louisville, but moved back to Nonesuch soon after, living on her parents' family farm.

Keywords: Central Kentucky; Nonesuch Presbyterian Church (Woodford County, Ky.)

Subjects: Ancestry; Aunts; Bracken County (Ky.); Communities; Counties; Family farms; Farmers; Farms; Father; Fayette County (Ky.); Grandfather; Grandparents; Henry County (Ky.); Jessamine County (Ky.); Keene (Ky.); Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Mother; Rural; Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: But I wanted to save Nonesuch and it was the only way I knew how to save it was in memory and--building these miniature buildings.

Segment Synopsis: Giles constructed a miniature replica of Nonesuch in order to remember her hometown that has largely been torn down. Giles found it difficult to build her miniature replica of Nonesuch, especially since there were very few pictures of the community left. Giles constructed miniatures of the Nonesuch Presbyterian Church, the Blacksmith shop, and the Nonesuch School. Giles explains that she and her parents both attended the Nonesuch school. Giles was able to take measurements of the dimensions of the one-room schoolhouse, which was still standing when Giles was constructing her miniature replica of Nonesuch.

Keywords: Nonesuch (Ky.); Nonesuch Presbyterian Church (Woodford County, Ky.); Nonesuch School (Woodford County, Ky.); One-room schools; Replicas

Subjects: Blacksmiths; Cemeteries; Church; Communities; Grandchildren; Hobbies; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Memories; Miniatures; Neighbors; Nostalgia; Parents; Rural; Schools; Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: What I remembered about the Nonesuch church was . . .

Segment Synopsis: Giles recalls that local politicians in Nonesuch would put on ice cream socials as a way to raise money for their political campaigns and to attract voters. Giles states that people brought silverware and plates to the ice cream socials and had to bring the dirty dishes home. Giles comments on the effort that it took to have events like ice cream socials, since Nonesuch did not have electricity during this time.

Keywords: Campaign finance; Ice cream socials; Nonesuch (Woodford County, Ky.); Plates; Voters

Subjects: Cemeteries; Childhood; Children; Communities; Grandmothers; Ice cream; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Louisville (Ky.); Memories; Millville (Ky.); Neighbors; Nineteen twenties; Picnics; Political campaigns; Politicians; Rural; Silverware; Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: I--when we moved back in 19 and 31 . . . and I went to the Nonesuch School and graduated . . .

Segment Synopsis: Giles went to grade school in Woodford County and subsequently attended Versailles High School. Giles recalls that there was a marked difference between students from Versailles and students who lived in Woodford County, mainly that city children could go home for lunch. Giles and the other students from outside Versailles brought a packed lunch, which she ate with her friends at a the former Versailles interurban streetcar station. Giles comments on the urban development and growth of Versailles over the years. Giles discusses enlisting in the Army during World War II. Giles was stationed in Boston, while her husband served in Seattle. After the war ended, Giles and her husband operated a pool room in Versailles, which did not permit children to enter. Giles explains that this was a common practice, much to the frustration of children who might enjoy the food served there (such as hot dogs).

Keywords: Douglas Avenue (Versailles, Ky.); Downtown Versailles; Grade school; Husband; Lunch; Mortonsville (Ky.); Nonesuch (Ky.); Pool rooms; Troy School (Woodford County, Ky.); Versailles High School (Versailles, Ky.)

Subjects: Boston (Mass.); Children; Communities; Counties; Education; Food; High school; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Marriage; Millville (Ky.); Pool (Game); Rural; Schools; Seattle (Wash.); Streetcars; Teenagers; Versailles (Ky.); Woodford County (Ky.); World War II

Partial Transcript: . . . What's the first time you remember coming to Versailles, was it when you were in high school or--?

Segment Synopsis: Giles recalls when a snowstorm forced her to stay with a friend in Versailles, whose father was the county judge. Giles ended up staying at her friend's house for a week while waiting for the snow to clear. Giles does not remember being in direct contact with her parents during this time, since they did not have a telephone at their house. Giles explains that she did have access to a phone at the county judge's house and called her friend at the general store in Nonesuch, who then passed along information about Giles' whereabouts to her parents. Giles says that Versailles did not have any subdivisions or a bypass when she was growing up. Giles explains that many houses and farms have been torn down to make way for subdivisions in recent years, including the county judge's house she had once stayed at. Giles explains that everything in Versailles city proper was within walking distance of downtown when she was a child, including the schools. Giles says that her children needed to take the bus when their school was moved out to Lawrenceburg Road.

Keywords: Bypasses, Highway; Downtown Versailles; Lawrenceburg Road (Versailles, Ky.); Lexington Street (Versailles, Ky.); Lunch; Maple Street (Versailles, Ky.); Nonesuch (Woodford County, Ky.); Simmons High School (Versailles, Ky.); South Main Street (Versailles, Ky.); Subdivisions; Versailles High School (Versailles, Ky.)

Subjects: Bus drivers; Childhood; Children; Communication; Communities; Daughters; Education; Farms; Father; Friend; Friendship; General stores; Growth; High school; Judges; Louisville (Ky.); Memories; Nineteen thirties; Nineteen twenties; Parents; Roads; Rural; School buses; Schools; Snow; Versailles (Ky.); Walking; Weather; Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: . . . How many was in your family? Did you have brothers and sisters . . .

Segment Synopsis: During the Great Depression, Giles moved to Louisville with her family. During this time, the family struggled financially, with her father working in a car factory and other odd jobs to make a living. Giles and her family soon moved back to Nonesuch in order to have a more steady source of income. Giles recalls that her family went from having a seven room house in Louisville to a three room house when they arrived in Nonesuch. Giles remembers that finances were tough in Nonesuch during the Depression to the point that someone had stolen the family's pigs out of desperation to make money. Despite the tough financial conditions, Giles enjoyed being with her extended family again. Giles would often accompany her grandmother to sell her dairy products in Wilmore.

Keywords: Cars; Creamery stations; Family; Houses; Nonesuch (Woodford County, Ky.)

Subjects: Aunts; Beans; Brothers; Childhood; Church; Communication; Communities; Cream; Crops; Dairy; Dairy farms; Eggs; Family farms; Farms; Frankfort (Ky.); Great Depression; Income; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Livestock; Louisville (Ky.); Money; Mother; Neighbors; Pigs; Poverty; Religion; Rural; Siblings; Versailles (Ky.); Woodford County (Ky.); Work

Partial Transcript: So many things that have changed--they--and they changed so fast after the war.

Segment Synopsis: Giles describes some of the changes that have occurred in Versailles since World War II, primarily that there are fewer small businesses concentrated downtown. Giles recalls that downtown Versailles at one time had seven grocery stores, a butcher's shop, a men's clothing store, banks, a movie theater, a funeral home, banks, and a fire station. Giles explains what establishments have replaced these small businesses in downtown Versailles.

Keywords: A&P (Firm); Clothing stores; Dates; Dating; Funeral homes; Gifts; Grocery deliveries; Grocery stores; Lyric Theatre (Versailles, Ky.); Main Street (Versailles, Ky.); Movie theatres; Small businesses

Subjects: Banks; Change; Church; Daughters; Great Depression; Groceries; Grocery shopping; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Kroger Grocery & Baking Company; Versailles (Ky.); Woodford Bank and Trust Company (Versailles, Ky.); Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: And do you remember any of the movies . . . what would you see?

Segment Synopsis: Giles says that the movie theatres in Versailles were segregated when she was a teenager in the 1940s. Giles recalls that the main high school in Versailles was moved to Lawrenceburg Road when the city schools integrated in the 1950s. Giles remembers that she thought it was unfair that Black children were not permitted to ride the bus to school. Giles adds that Blacks in Woodford County tended to have good handwriting due to the excellent English teacher at the Simmons School (which was the Black high school in Versailles when schools were segregated). Giles believes that downtown Versailles was so thriving before the U.S. Route 60 bypass was built since people had to go through downtown to get to nearby major cities such as Lexington and Frankfort.

Keywords: Bypasses, Highway; Cleveland Street (Versailles, Ky.); Colored schools; Dating; Douglas Street (Versailles, Ky.); Downtowns; Giles Grocery Store; Grocery stores; Handwriting; Integration; Lawrenceburg Road (Versailles, Ky.); Lexington Street (Versailles, Ky.); Movie theatres; Movies; Pool rooms; Russelltown (Woodford County, Ky.); Simmons High School (Versailles, Ky.); Small businesses; U.S. Route 60

Subjects: African Americans; Blacks; Children; Communities; Commute; Counties; Early life; Education; High school; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Nicholasville (Ky.); Nineteen fifties; Nineteen forties; Pool (Game); Rural; School buses; Schools; Segregation; Teachers; Versailles (Ky.); Walking; Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: It was all on Main Street until they built the bypass.

Segment Synopsis: Giles says that virtually all businesses in Versailles were located downtown until the U.S. Route 60 bypass was built in the late 1950s. Giles states that banks first moved out to the bypass, followed by companies such as Rand McNally, and eventually shopping centers began to be built on old farmland in Woodford County. When the bypass first opened, Giles' husband almost accidentally drove the family off a hillside. Giles emphasizes the danger that the bypass brought to Versailles, including increased pedestrian fatalities and car accidents. Giles believes that speeding is a major issue along the bypass.

Keywords: Bypasses, Highway; Car accidents; Cars; Main Street (Versailles, Ky.); Rand McNally & Company; Small businesses; U.S. Route 60

Subjects: Banks; Death; Farms; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Pedestrians; Shopping centers; Speed limits; Urban development; Versailles (Ky.); Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Well, let's talk about when you and your husband met then because you said he was from Woodford County too?

Segment Synopsis: Giles met her husband when he came to Nonesuch to work on her uncle's farm. Giles brought her future husband and the other farm workers lunch on several occasions, which was common practice for that time period. Giles got married before she enlisted in the Army. Giles and her husband both served in the military during World War II.

Keywords: Engagement; George Stanley Giles; Husband; Military leave; Millville Christian Church (Kentucky); Nonesuch (Woodford County, Ky.); Pinckard (Woodford County, Ky.); Proposal; Wedding rings

Subjects: Brothers; Christians; Church; Communities; Cooking; Correspondence; Family farms; Father; Food; Harvest; Horses; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Letters; Marriage; Millville (Ky.); Neighbors; Nineteen thirties; Parents; Religion; Rural; Threshing; United States. Army; Versailles (Ky.); Wedding rings; Wheat; Woodford County (Ky.); Work; World War II

Partial Transcript: Now, is that before you had joined the Army?

Segment Synopsis: Giles decided to enlist in the Army during World War II out of a sense of obligation to serve her country. Prior to enlisting in the Army, Giles attended the University of Kentucky for two years and admits that she did not take her studies as seriously as she should have. Giles then got married and moved with her husband to Newport, Kentucky, in part because her aunt and sister lived in the area. Giles subsequently worked in a laundromat while living in Newport. Giles spent fourteen months in the Army and enrolled in mobile transport school. Giles learned how to drive and maintain a truck, including oil changes and tire repairs. Giles enjoyed her job and delivered groceries to service personnel while stationed at Camp Edwards in Massachusetts. Giles recalls civilian personnel worked on the Army post, including one former Naval officer who served in World War I. Giles liked having the opportunity to drive around the state of Massachusetts in her job assignment.

Keywords: Civilian personnel; George Stanley Giles; Grocery deliveries; Husband; Laundromats; Pinckard (Woodford County, Ky.); Women's Army Corps (U.S.)

Subjects: Aunts; Camp Edwards (Mass.); Cincinnati (Ohio); Education; Fort Oglethorpe (Ga.); Fort Washington (Md.); France; French; Groceries; High school; Japan; Japanese; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Marriage; Massachusetts; Military; Millville (Ky.); Newport (Ky.); Oil; Patriotism; Seattle (Wash.); Sister; Tires; Transportation; Truck drivers; United States; United States. Army; United States. Navy; University of Kentucky; Versailles (Ky.); Woodford County (Ky.); World War II

Partial Transcript: I know that before you wouldn't--and everything was rationed . . .

Segment Synopsis: Giles explains that many household goods such as tires and sugar were rationed for American civilians, while American military service members were exempt from rationing. Giles recalls that her husband was frustrated that the couple was unable to get coal upon returning from the Army, since they did not have rationing books or the social connections necessary to procure rationed goods off the ration system. Eventually, Giles' husband was able to get some coal from his uncle.

Keywords: Commodities; George Stanley Giles; Husband; Main Street (Versailles, Ky.)

Subjects: Americans; Bureaucracy; Coal; Frustration; Gas; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Lard; Pacific islands; Ration books; Rationing; Seattle (Wash.); Sugar; Tires; Uncles; United States; United States. Army; Versailles (Ky.); Woodford County (Ky.); World War II

Partial Transcript: Now, you moved to a house in Versailles when you came back, is that right?

Segment Synopsis: After World War II ended, Giles and her husband moved into a rented house in Versailles with another couple for nine months before purchasing their first home. Giles' husband used his savings to buy a pool room, with most of his clientele being World War II veterans. Giles says that there was a certain amount of solidarity and understanding amongst World War II veterans, with pool rooms being a gathering point for them to be together and support one another. Giles remembers that her husband's pool room was busy during lunchtime and on Saturdays, but had to be closed on Sundays because of blue laws that were in effect during this time (which prohibited businesses from being open on Sundays.) Giles speculates upon why a woman who ran a small store in Versailles was allowed to remain open on Sundays.

Keywords: Blue laws; George Stanley Giles; Houses; Nights; Pool rooms; Savings; Small businesses; Weekends

Subjects: Germany; Housing; Japan; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Money; Pool (Game); Post-traumatic stress disorder; Rent; Social; Trauma; Understanding; Versailles (Ky.); Veterans; Woodford County (Ky.); World War II

Partial Transcript: So getting back to your husband's business . . .

Segment Synopsis: Giles and her husband joined the American Legion Chapter of Versailles and participated in many meetings and social events with other members. Giles recalls that the American Legion Auxiliary typically met at a member's home, while the all-male American Legion would hold all of its activities in the Legion Hall. Giles remembers that it was difficult to juggle housework and raising her children while her husband worked an irregular schedule at the pool room. Oftentimes, Giles' husband worked evenings and weekends, and mornings on occasionally as well (since breakfast was served at the pool room to cater to the pre-work crowd).

Keywords: Breakfast; George Stanley Giles; Husband; Lunch; Pool rooms; Routine; Work schedule

Subjects: American Legion; American Legion. Auxiliary; Children; Chili; Chores; Cleaning; Coffee; Cooking; Diapers; Food; Hamburgers; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Meetings; Nineteen fifties; Pool (Game); Versailles (Ky.); Veterans; Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: . . . and we bought the store.

Segment Synopsis: Giles and her husband ran a grocery store business with two gas pumps in Versailles for twenty-seven years. Giles and her husband worked to renovate and put an addition onto the store when they first purchased the building. The couple ended up selling the business in 1976 when her husband's health began to decline. Giles says that the former grocery store has now become a deli, with the structure remaining the same due to city zoning laws. Giles remembers that her grocery store got good business before the U.S. Route 60 bypass was built. Giles recalls that many customers came in to cash checks. The Giles Grocery Store carried many essentials, including medicines, toothpaste, milk, eggs, and pork. Giles states that her grocery store was the only one in town that carried Fischer's Meats bologna. Giles and her husband were unable to serve an extensive food menu to customers due to health department requirements in terms of food handling. Giles and her family lived across the street from the grocery store and her children were heavily involved in the running of the store as a result.

Keywords: Bologna; Bypasses, Highway; Customers; Delis; Fischer's Meats (Louisville, Ky.); George Stanley Giles; Giles Grocery Store; Husband; Russelltown (Woodford County, Ky.); Small businesses; U.S. Route 60; Wholesalers; Woodford County Health Department; Zoning laws

Subjects: Checks; Children; Coal; Communities; Daughters; Food handling.; Fuel pumps; Furnaces; Gas; Groceries; Health; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Medicine; Milk; Money; Neighbors; Pork; Prices; Rural; Sons; Toothpaste; Versailles (Ky.); Woodford County (Ky.); Work; Zoning

Partial Transcript: Well, what it was it like being a small business owner . . .

Segment Synopsis: Giles explains that when she ran her grocery store, she cultivated a sense of community with her customers. Giles recalls that most of her customers were from the local neighborhood and would tell her their problems and even allowed Giles to discipline their children when they misbehaved in the store. Giles says that people had different values in the past, adding that she allowed many of her customers to pay for their groceries with credit, inherently trusting them to pay back their debts. Giles states that she trusted regular customers to be honest with her and not fill up their cars without paying for gas. Giles also recalls that she knew the police officers in her neighborhood and they watched out for the people in their community. Giles believes that theft was not a major problem in her store because the police officers were familiar with her customers and their local community.

Keywords: George Stanley Giles; Giles Grocery store; Grocery stores; Husband; Small businesses

Subjects: African Americans; Behavior; Blacks; Children; Community; Corporal punishment; Credit; Debt; Discipline; Fuel; Fuel pumps; Gas; Groceries; Honesty; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Money; Neighborhoods; Neighbors; Parents; Police; Sons; Theft; Trust; Versailles (Ky.); Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: What type of relations did you have as far as the Black and white . . .

Segment Synopsis: Giles describes interactions between Blacks and whites in Versailles as not strained. Giles recalls that her grandmother employed a Black woman as domestic worker on the farm and treated her with respect. When Giles' family lived in Millville, a Black family lived directly behind their farm. Several of the men in the Black family helped Giles' father to shear sheep and perform other agricultural duties. Giles states that the Black agricultural workers were nice, but she noticed a separation between Blacks and whites growing up. For instance, the Black agricultural workers refused to eat with Giles' family due to a fear of upsetting the status quo on race. Giles adds that Blacks lived in the city of Versailles and in Russelltown, a Black community in rural Woodford County. Giles also mentions that there were several Black businesses on Lexington Street in Versailles, but whites did not shop there. Giles recalls that she did have Black customers at her grocery store several decades later in the 1970s.

Keywords: Black businesses; Domestic workers; Giles Grocery Store; Grocery stores; Lexington Street (Versailles, Ky.); Pool rooms; Russelltown (Woodford County, Ky.); Small businesses

Subjects: African Americans; Agriculture; Barbers; Blacks; Communities; Discrimination; Father; Fear; Food; Grandmothers; Groceries; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Kindness; Laundry; Millville (Ky.); Nineteen seventies; Nineteen thirties; Nineteen twenties; Pool (Game); Race; Racism; Rural; Segregation; Versailles (Ky.); Watermelon; Woodford County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: The only one I remember is the--the Armistice Day.

Segment Synopsis: Giles recalls that when she was a child, the city of Versailles commemorated the anniversary of Armistice Day (now known was Veterans Day) with a parade. Giles remembers watching the Armistice Day parade marching downtown, which was followed by a Versailles High School football game. Food was also served, including burgoo (a regional stew dish in Kentucky frequently served at social gatherings), which Giles enjoyed.

Keywords: Burgoo; Elm Street (Versailles, Ky.); Lexington Street (Versailles, Ky.); Maple Street (Versailles, Ky.); Versailles High School (Versailles, Ky.)

Subjects: Armistice Day; Childhood; Communities; Cooking; Early life; Education; Food; Football; High school; Kentuckians; Kentucky; Marching; Neighborhoods; Nineteen thirties; Nineteen twenties; Parades; Versailles (Ky.); Veterans Day; Woodford County (Ky.); World War I