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Claude C. Howard Papers, 1900-1992

By Caitlyn Rahschulte

Collection Overview

Title: Claude C. Howard Papers, 1900-1992

Predominant Dates:1968-1992

Extent: 8.0 Folders

Date Acquired: 05/11/1995

Languages: English [eng]

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Claude C. Howard Collection provides an extensive history on the Valley View ferry. The ferry is Kentucky's oldest continuous business, and has run from 1780 to present. The collection has photographs of Valley View and the ferry from the early 1900s to the 1970s. Enclosed are letters and legal documents about the ferry, including deeds and lawsuits. Mr. Howard purchased the ferry in 1950 and operated it himself until 1963. He leased it to other operators until 1991 when the Fayette, Jessamine and Madison County governments jointly purchased the ferry. During their ownership the Howards also collected newspaper articles, advertisements, and pamphlets on the ferry. For over 230 years, the Valley View ferry has carried thousands of people over the Kentucky River. It is still a cherished historic, and functioning, landmark of Kentucky.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Source: Howard, Mabel


Box and Folder Listing

Folder 1: CorrespondenceAdd to your cart.
Barcode: 31234013928518
Item 1: Shumate, Shumate, and Flaherty: Valley View Ferry Privileges, June 28, 1968Add to your cart.
Discusses court history of Valley View ferry.
Item 2: Kentucky Historical Society Letter 1, August 4, 1970Add to your cart.
Discussion of placing Historical Highway Marker related to Valley View Ferry between Director George M. Chinn and Mr. C. C. Howard
Item 3: Kentucky Historical Society Letter 2, September 18, 1970Add to your cart.
Redraft of Highway Marker proposal
Item 4: Kentucky Historical Society Letter 3, March 25, 1971Add to your cart.
Suggested outline of program for dedication of Highway Marker
Item 5: Lynn Rakoczy Incident and Lawsuit (Correspondence), May 7-August 19, 1975Add to your cart.
Hallmark Insurance Company (representing Valley View Ferry Company Inc.), Notestine and Trotter (representing Lynn Rakoczy and Crawford and Associates, Inc.)
Item 6: Dept. of Transportation: US Coast Guard, August 27, 1982Add to your cart.
Request granted for extension of dry docking date
Item 7: WKYT-TV Thank You Letter, February 14, 1983Add to your cart.
Letter from John T. Rullwein(?) to Claude (Howard?)
Folder 2: Legal DocumentsAdd to your cart.
Barcode: 31234013928526
Item 1: An Act Concerning the Creation of the District of Kentucky into an Independent State, ca. 1792Add to your cart.
Item 2: David Baker Court Order (photo copy), Oct. 1811-May 1817Add to your cart.
Court order that David Baker established ferry at Tates Creek across Kentucky River
Item 3: Kentucky Dept. of Highways; Ch. 280: Private Toll Bridges and FerriesAdd to your cart.
Chapter of law discussing private toll bridges and ferries
Item 4: Deposit/Contract draft (photo copy), ca. 1978Add to your cart.
Item 5: Jesse and Eldean White Mortgage and Deed, 1977-1978Add to your cart.
Mortgage for $12,000.00 for Valley View ferry land
Item 6: General Change Endorsement, June 14, 1988Add to your cart.
Insurance document for C.C. Howard "Valley View" Ferry Co., Inc.
Folder 3: Maps and SurveysAdd to your cart.
Includes copies of maps of the area including Lexington, Richmond and Nicholasville and partial plats showing lots and streets of Valley View.
Barcode: 31234013928534
Folder 4: News ClippingsAdd to your cart.
Barcode: 31234013928542
Item 1: Hero Revealed by a Tragedy, 24 Dec 1926Add to your cart.
Huston Cuzick, Ferry Employee, saves Herschel Goins from drowning
Item 2: Across the River--On a Ferry, 30 Aug 1953Add to your cart.
Early look-back on Valley View ferry
Item 3: Last Remaining Ferry on the Kentucky River Connects Fayette and Madison at Valley View, 01 Feb 1969Add to your cart.
Story from Co-Op Chats on how ferry runs.
Item 4: Valley View Ferry: Kentucky's Oldest Continuous Business, ca. 1971Add to your cart.
Quick history of ferry owners from 1780-1950.
Item 5: Valley View Marker Dedicated, 10 Jun 1971Add to your cart.
Valley View ferry given Historic Highway Marker
Item 6: Valley View Once Booming Sawmill Community, 20 Sep 1972Add to your cart.
Article focuses on Valley View history from mid 1800s to 1900.
Item 7: Rollin' on the River, 19 Oct 1972Add to your cart.
Feature article on Valley View ferry
Item 8: The oldest continuous business on record in Kentucky still in operation, 20 Mar 1974Add to your cart.
Item 9: Kentucky's Oldest Continuous Business, Ferry, Is For Sale, 05 Jul 1977Add to your cart.
Item 10: Ferry in the snow, 15 Jan 1981Add to your cart.
Newspaper photograph with description
Item 11: Pilots carry on ferry tradition, 28 Apr 1982Add to your cart.
Feature article and photographs of Valley View ferry
Item 12: 1985 is the bicentennial year for the Valley View Ferry, 06 Apr 1985Add to your cart.
Item 13: Valley View Ferry (Looking Back), ca. 1987Add to your cart.
Updated history article, spanning ferry history from 1780 to late 1980s
Item 14: Where the Road Runs Out, ca. July 1988Add to your cart.
Short feature article, featuring ferry operator James Mays, Jr.
Item 15: Valley View Ferry up for sale, 20 Apr 1989Add to your cart.
Item 16: Ferry crosses back into history, 05 Jul 1989Add to your cart.
Feature article and photographs of Valley View Ferry
Item 17: The Valley View Ferry wasn, 29 Dec 1989Add to your cart.
Newspaper photograph with description of ferry when Kentucky River froze.
Item 18: Counties may buy oldest Ky. Business, 03 Oct 1990Add to your cart.
Item 19: 3 counties may soon put ferry back in business, 04 Jan 1991Add to your cart.
Continuing story of counties surrounding Valley View hoping to put ferry back in business
Item 20: Valley View ferry to open, 25 Jul 1991Add to your cart.
Item 21: Official opening, 29 Jul 1991Add to your cart.
Newspaper photograph with description of ribbon cutting at ferry's reopening.
Item 22: Locks opening today: Ky. Trying to settle suit against Corps, 22 May 1992Add to your cart.
Article depicting how locks and dams effect Kentucky River business and life.
Item 23: Ticket to ride, ca. 1990Add to your cart.
Taxpayers shore up useful, historic Valley View ferry. Transportation and tourism significance discussed.
Item 24: Valley View ferry is set to sail again, 12 Mar 2001Add to your cart.
Carl Hall takes on ferry business.
Folder 5: PhotographsAdd to your cart.View associated digital content.
Barcode: 31234013928559
Item 1: Blow Horn Ring Bell For Ferry, ca. 1970Add to your cart.
Valley View ferry with open/close sign and Ferry Toll
Item 2: The Southern Lumber Company, ca.1900Add to your cart.
Lumber company on Kentucky River. (see oversize materials for the original)
Item 3: The Southern Lumber Company, ca.1900Add to your cart.
Lumber company on Kentucky River, different side of mill. (see oversize materials for the original)
Item 4: Valley View Ferry, ca. 1970Add to your cart.
Valley View ferry gangplank.
Item 5: Kentucky River from the Ferry, ca. 1970Add to your cart.
Showing the Riney-B bridge supports.
Item 6: Ferry Ahead, ca. 1970Add to your cart.
Approach to Valley View ferry.
Item 7: Barn at Valley View, ca. 1970Add to your cart.
Item 8: Kentucky River and Bottom Lands, ca. 1970Add to your cart.
Item 9: Pasture near Valley View, ca. 1970Add to your cart.
Item 10: Farm near Valley View, ca. 1970Add to your cart.
Item 11: Farm near Valley View, ca. 1970Add to your cart.
Folder 6: Promotional MaterialsAdd to your cart.
Barcode: 31234013928567
Item 1: Information Guide and Map to Valley View Ferry, ca. 1960Add to your cart.
Bi-fold pamphlet
Item 2: Valley View Ferry, ca. 1971Add to your cart.
Tri-fold pamphlet detailing history and marker dedication.
Item 3: Business and Land Development Opportunity, ca. 1970Add to your cart.
Flyer advertisement. Ferry and land surrounding is for sale.
Folder 7: Oversized PhotographsAdd to your cart.
Barcode: 31234013928575
Item 2: The Southern Lumber Company, ca.1900Add to your cart.
Sawmill on Kentucky River.
Item 3: The Southern Lumber Company, ca.1900Add to your cart.
Sawmill on Kentucky River, different side of mill.
Folder 8: BlueprintsAdd to your cart.
Barcode: 31234013928583
Item 1: Trailer Camp Court Plan, 1974Add to your cart.
Plan for a campground at Valley View.
Item 2: Ferry Hull, 1945Add to your cart.
Blueprints by Jeffersonville Boat & Machine Co., Inc.