Many years ago, a group of men in Louisville met regularly to share their historical research on Kentucky and the Ohio Valley. Although they knew the collaboration was valuable, little did they know that their gathering would grow to become The Filson Historical Society, which is celebrating its 140th year.
Many things have changed in that time. But Dr. Patrick Lewis, director of collections and research, said the mission has changed very little. “The way we live that mission and who we include in that mission have changed a great deal,” he said. “But fundamentally, the basics of research, publications and gathering to hear lectures on Kentucky history—that has remained absolutely consistent for 140 years.”
The original group of 10, which included the primary founder and first president Col. Reuben T. Durrett, called themselves The Filson Club, which was a nod to early explorer and pioneer John Filson. In 1784, Filson published the first book about what would become the Bluegrass State, The Discovery, Settlement and Present State of Kentucke, as well as the first map of Kentucky.
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The Filson is headquartered in the 20,000-square-foot Ferguson Mansion on Louisville’s South 3rd Street, which dates to 1905. This beautiful example of Beaux Arts architecture is among other palatial estates in the Old Louisville neighborhood. Also on the property is the modern Owsley Brown II History Center, which houses exhibit galleries, library space and event venues.
The organization has a massive collection of historical items, including diaries, photos, early maps, books and newspapers. There is no definitive way to list them in order of value or status, but it seems everyone finds something that strikes a chord.
Richard Clay, who has been president and CEO for six years, has several favorites in the collection. Among those are paintings by Aaron Corwine (1802-1830), an artist from Maysville. “Corwine died at age 28, and so he didn’t turn out the volume that Matthew Harris Jouett, Oliver Frazer or Joseph Henry Bush did, but Corwine is of equal importance and value,” Clay said. “These works are really magnificent.”
The Filson is home to handwritten letters, some of which explain everyday life and others that contain historically significant details. Clay said he is moved by the letters that The Filson has from William Clark, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, to his brother Jonathan Clark. Jonathan stayed in Louisville and in these letters, William relates the story of the expedition.
Dr. Lewis, who will step into the role of president of The Filson upon Clay’s retirement at the end of this year, has some favorites in the collection, too. Among those are the historical family portraits and a pair of manumission papers that a formerly enslaved couple carried with them to prove they were freed.
Not everything at the organization is old. Lewis explained that, to stay relevant moving forward, things that will be historical eventually must be collected now.
One such item currently on display is a portrait on a piece of plywood that covered the windows of a downtown Louisville business during the protests of 2020. It was on this piece of wood that artist Red Biddix painted a Black woman with a poem written around her. The poem is about the summer of 2020, social justice, violence and race.
“That is our reminder to ourselves, and everybody researching, that history doesn’t stop. It is not all in the past. We are living in a historical moment. Everything we do is influenced by everything that happens in the world around us,” Lewis said. “One day, that piece is going to be one of the most important historical items that we were able to collect in the last few years.”
The organization also has given back items to ensure they belong to their rightful owners, as is the case with their Native American collection.
“We worked closely with tribes that were in Kentucky and the Ohio River Valley, including Choctaw and Cherokee, and we have repatriated everything in our collection that we should’ve never held. It is very important work,” Clay said. “We have also led other Kentucky institutions in helping them repatriate their materials.”
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The club originally was made up only of white men. Clay is proud to say that the organization today has a fully diverse board, diverse staff and diverse programming, along with a $2.5 million Jewish archive and a $3.4 million African American history initiative.
Access to the collection is within reach of anyone with a computer. Printed materials—such as newspapers, journals, diaries and letters—are digitized, and almost every lecture and program, about 100 per year, is recorded on The Filson Society’s YouTube channel.
Lewis intends to ensure that future generations are familiar with The Filson, with programs that invite multiple generations and show people how everyday stories of families like theirs are historically valuable and interesting. The Filson continues to empower by teaching research techniques and encouraging visitors to share their findings.
“In the earliest days of The Filson, all of the members were active researchers and writers. You didn’t come to passively sit in the room and listen,” Lewis said. “You came to share library resources, you came to share your ideas or a work you were drafting, and you hoped to get published and feedback. Everybody was an active participant.”
Clay believes The Filson has the deepest collection of Kentucky historical materials in the nation, which benefits not only historians and researchers but our democracy.
“The more you know about history, the more you understand basic civics, the better off all of us will be,” he said. “You have to understand it and see it in context throughout its history. And once you do that, you’re in a much stronger position to look at the good and the bad in American history and strive to make it a stronger, better, more cohesive union.”
Filson 140: A Heritage Jubilee
The Filson Historical Society has planned events throughout the year to celebrate this milestone anniversary. The largest gathering is the family-friendly party on May 18. Guests can tour the mansion and view exhibits while enjoying live music by Appalatin and the Louisville Leopard Percussionists. The Louisville Slugger company, which also celebrates its 140th anniversary, will be on hand with bat-making demonstrations. Guests can enjoy games, treats and the fun of Springfest, the annual festival in Old Louisville’s nearby Toonerville Trolley Park that will be going on at the same time.
“We want to expose more people to the services we have, and this will be a fun way to do it,” said Julie James, vice president of The Filson.
Here is a selection of the anniversary events scheduled for the rest of the year.
June 13 The Filson Historical Society will present a 20-minute program with snacks prior to Shakespeare in the Park’s presentation of Romeo and Juliet, and a pre-show in Central Park with self-guided maps and an introduction to the play
June 17 Theodore Sedgwick Distinguished Lecture Series
July 12 Filson Friday program — Flowing Stories of the Ohio River and Its People: The Filson Historical Society and an expedition on the Belle of Louisville
Aug. 8 Music Under the Trees with The Crashers at Oxmoor Farm
Sept. 8 Jazz at The Filson
Sept. 10 St. James Court Art Show Poster Unveiling Press Conference
Sept. 13 Harlan Hubbard exhibit opening
Oct. 18 Filson Sporting Clay Classic
Information on further events and activities can be found at filsonhistorical.org/events/upcoming-events.