Beech Tree News Network

The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS)  dedicated a new historical marker April 17, 2015, in Butler County to honor former civic leader Maurice Hudson Thatcher. The ceremony took place Friday on the courthouse lawn.

Thatcher, a Chicago native, moved to Butler County as a young boy in the mid-1870s. He held several jobs as a young man, and was clerk of the Butler County Circuit Court for three years. In his mid-20s, he studied law in Frankfort. Thatcher lived to be 103.

Over the course of his long life, he practiced law, served as assistant attorney general of Kentucky and as assistant United States attorney for the western district of Kentucky; was the first governor of the Panama Canal Zone; and represented Kentucky in the U.S. House of Representatives for 10 years. In that role, he guided passage of legislation that created Mammoth Cave National Park, Lincoln's Birthplace National Historic Site and Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.

Butler County now has twelve  Historical Markers placed throughout the county that provide on-the-spot history lessons.  The markers add drama and interest to the countryside for native Kentuckians as well as tourists. Through this program, the wealth of Kentucky history is made accessible to the public as they travel along the state's roadways.
The Kentucky Historical Marker Program, administered by the Kentucky Historical Society in cooperation with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, commemorates historical sites, events, and personalities throughout the commonwealth.

In January on 2013, Jeremy Hack, of Beech Tree News, traveled the county videoing the nine Historical Markers.  Sit back and enjoy his captivating video as he takes you on a historical trip through Butler County.