Independence

Title: IMAGES OF AMERICA - INDEPENDENCE BY GAILEN AND DEBRA BRIDGES

Publisher: The Journal News KY

Date: 6/29/2011



ABOUT THE AUTHOR-Gailen and Debra Bridges are a husband and wife team, and lifelong multigenerational residents of the Independence area. They are proud of Independence and want everyone to share that pride. They love local history, and had the time of their lives sitting at kitchen tables and mining nuggets of history from old photo albums with old and new friends They reside on a cattle farm with their family on Madison Pike. The authors have rehabbed and preserved many historic buildings in the local area. They have four children and one granddaughter, and are active in the community and have served and do serve on various boards. Gailen was elected to the Kenton County conservation board in 2008, where he currently serves, and has been an attorney for 30 years.

WHAT TO EXPECT--

This book celebrates the wonderful people and places of Independence. It is our hope that these images will pass on our rich history, showcase the attributes of this great city, and bring back memories of people, places and days gone by. The extensive history included will serve as a reference for future historians, and we preserved and described hundreds of pictures before the information about them was lost for all time. We hope the book further instills and boosts civic pride in Independence, and gives newcomers an appreciation for the city. Even a casual reading shows the extensive architecture and history still existing in the city, and perhaps this book can further efforts to appreciate and preserve that history.

10 INTERESTING HIGHLIGHTS ABOUT THE BOOK--

1. Ninety percent of the pictures are from private family collections, never before seen outside that family, with few newer than 50 years ago.

2. Almost every picture is described with the exact or approximate date, current address, and if any building in the picture still stands.

3. The authors discovered and published the oldest image known of the first courthouse (c. 1841-1911) from the 1870s, which was a tintype.

4. The book discusses the little known connection between Independence and The Red Baron.

5. In these pages you will meet people with first names of Albina, Aleda, Alta, Ambrose, Atwood, and Auline, all the way to Zella.

6. A chapter contains a walking tour of downtown Independence, from the cemetery to Independence Station Road, building by building.

7. The only picture know of Union Church (1884-1895, and across the street from Independence Christian Church) is published, unfortunately showing it on fire the day it burned.

8. The book contains an extensive history on Independence, with original research, including the first information published on the life of John McCollum, the founder.

9. The authors discovered and published a picture of the laying of the cornerstone of St. Cecilia Church in 1919.

10. The book describes Roman candle fights on the 4th of July in the 1800s.

Gailen and Debra will be at a booth selling and autographing the book at the Independence Festival Friday, July 1st from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Saturday, July 2nd from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. For more information contact them at independencebook@ymail.com.

Title: History of Independence Told in New Book
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
Date: 6/27/2011


New from Arcadia Publishing and local authors Gailen Bridges and Debra Bridges is Independence. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images, giving readers a unique opportunity to reconnect to the history that shaped their community.

Independence was named to celebrate the newfound independence of Kenton County when it was formed from Campbell County in 1840. Incorporated on February 24, 1842, the new county seat and courthouse were located in the exact center of Kenton County on 5 acres donated by John McCollum. For decades, the area was mostly farmland with the exception of a commercial center around the courthouse. The first courthouse, built in the 1840s, was replaced in 1912 by the current iconic Kenton County Courthouse.

Parades have long been a staple and men would line the streets for Roman candle fights on July Fourth in the 1800s. These rural beginnings are traced to the present-day growth of suburbs and commercial areas that may potentially result in Independence being Northern Kentucky's largest city. From a population of only 1,715 in 1970, the city has grown to over 22,000 in 2009 without losing its small-town feel.

Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or www.arcadiapublishing.com.

Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America's people and places. Have we done a book on your town? Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.