How happy we, the Lawrence County Historical Society, are to hear Kentucky wants the case dropped against Steve Shaffer, concerning the Indian Head Rock. Steve, we wish you luck.

The rain blessed us by holding off during the ice cream social being held on the museum lawn. We had a good crowd, the music was great, and the food was special. We all had a good time on a Saturday night.

The docents were dressed in their old-fashioned dresses and our treasurer, Herb, was dressed in his top hat and vest.

Driving down Sixth Street recently, I noticed how pretty the museum and its flowers looked.

The butterfly bushes and roses are taken care of by the Ironton Garden Club. Our treasurer cleaned out between the bricks in the walks that were being covered by grass.

This really looks good and reminds one of yesteryears.

Then we go to the downtown area and the beautiful flower pots on the lamp poles and street corners make our town more attractive.

At the board meeting this month, we were reminded of the Vesuvius Furnace festival. It will be held at Vesuvius Lake on Sept. 25 and 26. The Woodland Cemetery Walk will be Sept. 19.

It was good to learn that we plan to have a Christmas Tea in November and apple butter cooking in October.

The dates will be announced later.

Our new piano was tuned on June 9 and the piano tuner will return again to check it.

We are proud of our piano and know if Bob Price were here, he would be also.

Thanks to Helen D. Miller for the gift she gave the historical society. We are always thankful for the good people who help us.

We still need docents to help at the museum. The museum is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. It is at Sixth and Adams streets.

Lori Shafer’s book on the furnaces is available at the museum along with other historical books.

Come by and see what we have to sell.

Historical Fact: Robert E. Lee’s Mother Buried Alive

Gen. Robert E. Lee, the military hero, was born 15 months after his mother had been laid to rest in her casket in the family vault on Arlington Heights. Warfield Lee of Catlettsburg, Ky., who is familiar with the incident, is in a position to know for he is a grandnephew of General Lee. The distinguished military leader was a brother of Warfield Lee’s father, Samuel Lee.

He tells the story as follows: Lighthorse Harry Lee’s wife was very ill in 1809. Her condition grew steadily worse until one day four physicians pronounced her dead.

She lay in state in the great Lee mansion on Arlington Heights for four days.

On the sixth day she was removed to the family mausoleum.

On the seventh day, the sexton went into the mausoleum to lay flowers on the casket and sweep the floor, for the day had been quite rainy and the shoes of those following the distinguished woman to her final rest dropped considerable mud.

Follow the story next weekend for the rest of this true account.

Taken from Shepherdstown, W.Va. Register.