Beech Tree News Network

A reception was held Saturday at the Green River Museum in Woodbury to posthumously honor Victor Hugo Lytle. Lytle served as Lockmaster for Lock No. 4 in Woodbury from 1952-1959, staying in the Superintendent’s House which is now part of the museum’s grounds.

 “This year we honor the memory of Victor Lytle for his mark on Butler County’s past as Lockmaster and fourth resident of the Superintendent’s house,” stated GRM Board President Tommy Hines. “Mr. Lytle devoted his life to our former superhighway: our river system of locks and dams that were at one time vital to the growth and development of this region. We are most thankful of his work and the legacy he left behind.”

“Victor Hugo Lytle was born November 3, 1904 in Sorgo, Daviess County, Kentucky. He was one of eleven children born to Victor Hugo Lytle, Sr. and Gertrude Hall Lytle. Growing up only a few miles from the Ohio River and benefitting from the employment opportunities provided at the time, Mr. Lytle started his career as a laborer at Lock 46, near Owensboro. He married Louise Lorraine Crowe in Rockport, Indiana on the 4^th of July in 1925. They would eventually have four children: Hilda Mae, Maxine Ann, Randall Hugo and James Robert.”

“In 1936, Victor Hugo Lytle was appointed Lock Operator at Lock No. 2 Green River, located in Rumsey, Kentucky. His career received a boost on December 1, 1941 when Mr. Lytle and his family relocated to Spottsville, Lock No. 1 on the Green River, where he became Lock Master for nearly a decade. In 1952, Mr. Lytle was appointed to a position that would signal the final phase of his career: Lock Master at Lock No. 4 in Woodbury. Mr. and Mrs. Lytle and their sons Randy and Jim Bob moved into the Superintendent’s House, called the Lockmaster’s House since the 1930’s,” stated Hines. “Victor Hugo Lytle served as Lockmaster at Woodbury from 1952 until 1959, after which he retired to Sacramento in McLean County, Kentucky where he died March 30, 1980 at the age of 74.”

Following his speech, Hines presented the 2015 GRM Impact Award to Victor’s son Randall Lytle, who accepted the award on behalf of his father. Randy Lytle, who served as Lock Operator at Woodbury from 1966-1973 and Rochester from 1973-1981, spoke extemporaneously about the importance of river trade to the development of Butler County. He described the river trade as a vital source of outside commodities and luxuries and talked about the lumber trade, describing details like the practice of farmers leaving wood within sight of the river and coming to barter when called by the boat’s whistle. Lytle also spoke about employment brought by the river trade.

“A lot of the river men were Butler Countians,” stated Lytle. “They would come here to the District office and hire on as repairmen, crewmen, and boat operators. Some of them would work on the other boats. You had Woodbury here and Rochester down below.  Between the two of them Butler County took over half of the employment of the river people. It was a big boon to the county.

Victor Hugo Lytle is the fifth recipient of the GRM Impact award, which is presented each year in recognition of the creation or preservation of Butler County history. Previous recipients include Captain W.S. Overstreet, Captain James Birch, Bill Lawrence and County Judge Clay Johnson. “We thought we would honor someone who had either made or preserved history in Butler County,” stated Board President Tommy Hines about the creation of the award. “It is related to what we do here. We have chosen people who have impacted this spot.”

 Story and photos by Mark Scherer, Beech Tree News