BY EARNEST WINSTON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
A new pictorial history book of Boone County gives a glimpse into how much -- and how little -- life has changed in Kentucky's second-fastest-growing county.
In an array of snapshots, the 125-page book depicts life before the international airport and industrial, commercial and residential growth.
Boone County authors Susan M. Cabot and Michael D. Rouse collected more than 200 black-and-white photos.
"We both feel strongly that the people who settled this community don't always gets the credit they deserve," said Ms. Cabot, Boone County's historic preservation officer.
More than any other reason, Ms. Cabot said the book was written to give newer families moving to Boone County a taste of what life was like in years past. "It was so different, just a matter of 50 years ago," she said. "This, we think, would be very enlightening to them."
Mr. Rouse, an eighth-generation Boone County resident and local historian, was approached by Ms. Cabot to help write the book. She had been approached by Arcadia, a South Carolina-based publisher of regional and local interest books.
The authors solicited pictures for the book, which was published in August. "We worked very quickly on it," Ms. Cabot said, adding the intent was to have the book ready before Christmas. It comes during the county's 200th anniversary year.
"We weren't paid for doing it. We do make a small royalty for the book. But all the money we make is going right back to the community," Ms. Cabot said. "It really was intended to be a gift for the community." She said the book depicts faith, family and farming -- "That's what Boone County was built on."
Sara Long, publicity and promotions coordinator for Arcadia, said the company expects to have published 600 such books by the end of this year. "We're really just trying to preserve local history and make it accessible to everybody," Ms. Long said.
Arcadia, which publishes only with pictures, has also done books on Bardstown and Georgetown. The books can be found in such stores as Barnes & Noble and B. Dalton. "Faith, Family and Farming," life in Boone County 1885-1945, a lecture and slide show, will be presented by the authors from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 5 in Room 125 at Conner High School. To register, call 334-2111.
