Gladys Shrout - Women's History Month
Nearly 30 years ago, a trip to a small river town in Georgetown, South Carolina inspired a woman from Carlisle, Kentucky to begin the Tourism Society in Nicholas County.
Gladys Shrout thought if a city smaller than Carlisle, with similar challenges, could revitalize its downtown district and attract tourists and investment, it was possible the same could be done for her native hometown. She loved history and saw a jewel in the rough in her hometown.
So in 1987 she contacted her friend Julie Garvin to serve as co-chair, they set up a Board, contacted more friends and the Tourism group got to work.
The first thing they decided they needed was a “home” for Tourism. They thought that the old Jailer’s House would be a good candidate and a good project to take on. So, they contacted the Fiscal Court who agreed to let them use the building if they would fix it up and maintain it.
The project was an uphill battle from the start. Gladys shared that “people laughed at us and thought we were crazy to take on the renovation. Major work needed to be done and we had no money to do it.” Their solution was to raise funds, secure grants, and ask for help. Gladys contacted the National Guard who volunteered to clean out debris in the building.
Another project that Gladys and Tourism took on was the Hildreth School. It served students in Nicholas County from 1895 until 1941 and when it closed it was left “intact” with lessons on the blackboard and all the desks and supplies. It took 21 years and the help of the local Amish community to move the school to its new location near the current schools, but they got the project done, and another local treasure was saved.
Tourism also owns and maintains the “Triangle” entryway to the city near the High School. For years after the service station left, the area was an eye sore. Today it’s a beautifully maintained “garden” with flowers, a gazebo, and sign welcoming visitors to our community.
Next for Gladys and tourism, is putting together a pictorial book to capture the history of Carlisle-Nicholas County to see how all the old buildings used to look like. Gladys’s dad ran the Variety Store downtown and she has many fond memories of what the Courthouse square used to be. Some of the oldest buildings date back to 1832 or earlier. Many of those buildings are being restored with businesses moving in today.
Another plan in the works is to bring back their walking tour downtown to visit historic homes and buildings, and revitalize their driving tour that includes Daniel Boone’s cabin built here in 1795, and Forest Retreat the old Governor’s house.
Gladys had double knee surgery this spring and wants to “slow down” a bit, so Pam Randolph has agreed to co-chair Tourism to keep the group and Jailers luncheons going and growing. With the resurgence of downtown Carlisle redevelopment and new life at the Jockey Plant with the return of the Textile industry and a fledgling food incubator, the future of Carlisle – Nicholas County is bright, and Gladys Shrout has claimed her place in the history of the city she loves. In 2003 she was named “Citizen of the Year” by the local Chamber of Commerce. Story compiled by Tracy Savage-Pratt.
