Ed, all of my looking around the internet today has yielded these findings:

1. in the 1910s and 1920s there were cola brands that were similar to (or knockoffs of) Coca-Cola.


2. My Coca appears to be one of these (as does "Koke").


3. There was at least one court case to try and get a Lexington, KY man (in 1915) from selling "My Coca" by that name.


4. Bottle collectors sell My Coca bottles and say that they are somewhat rare and, therefore, valuable.

s/Dan Phillips

Looking at Picture 39971, taken by Maurice Hoover in 1971, it appears the signage or directional problems have been with Columbia for some time. In the picture, a vehicle coming off Cambellsville street would not have a "to EAST" 80 sign. Moreover, they tried to alleviate the problem of left hand turns on the square by augmenting with extra signs of "NO LEFT TURN" and the green signs that had the different town names with corresponding arrows. I believe both of these types of signs are not there anymore and they looked retro, non-comtemporary. -Jeffery Scott Johnson

My father (1911-1997), a refugee from the wilds of western Pulaski County who in the early 1930s sought surcease from sorrow within the comforting confines of the Sacred Triangle, referred to soft drinks as "dope" to his dying day. -"Jim"

Today is the 125th birthday of Coca Cola according to CBS's Sunday Morning. The original formula did contain small amounts of cocaine which were removed by the Coke, dope folk in 1903. - Billy Joe Fudge

Another ordinary day was done
and sleep was welcome, came both fast and sure,
and left abruptly with the rising sun,
bequeathed recalled familiars insecure.

The sights and sounds and smells unchanged have changed
yet dare one risk the treks untakeable
and find the times and places disarranged
for careless disconnects will make a null.

A stream of special days must fill the heart.
Attention must be paid to details small.
When old must stop, some goodly new must start.
When aged is slowed, the young will have their scrawl.

Remembered blooms must fade, still bushes grow
in their ways, not ways we in dreaming know.

- Robert Stone, 8 May 2011

To Mary Keltner: Glad your are having fun and doing well in Vermont. Agree with you there is no place like Adair County. Hurry Back. -Pat Hare

Here of late, the pages of CM have been filled with reports of acts of charity and kindness, of the good people of Adair County helping others, not for fame or glory or even a pat on the back but rather, simply because it's the right thing to do.

Columbia resident Eld. Z.T. Williams recognized the altruism of Adair Countians when he took time to reflect on that very point, via a "Card of Thanks" in the pages of the News. He wrote, in part (the added emphasis is mine):

"One would become pessimistic sometimes, and think, 'No one cares,' if it were not for his times of need, when it seems every body cares."We desire through the good News to thank the men and boys, yes, the kind ladies too, who came to our help Sunday night [December 3rd], when they thought our home was about to be burned. There are no kinder people any where, than in our own Columbia." /s/ Z.T. Williams and wife and Mrs. Lizzie Grissom.

"There's always stump winter," Hammerhead said drolly.
"Stump winter? That's a new one," someone said. "What does it mean?"
"It means that your winter supply of firewood is already used up and all you have left to burn is a stump...or maybe some of that old furniture stacked out in the garage," H-man explained.

"This is academics, this is the core. This is what it's all about." - Columbia Mayor Mark D. Harris

Ed, This article reads the beverage of choice was My Cola in 1910. I have seen a couple of these old bottles and they say "My Coca", not "My Cola." Just curious if the actual article read Coca or Cola? -Marlton Loy

Stump winter is the last winter you have before it actually gets hot. When it gets cool again after it has been warm for a while. You have to gather up all your stumps and kindling to start a fire. This is when you used to use wood stoves, back in the day. That is why it was called stump winter. -Susan Bohannon

I do not know the chronology of any of these except the obvious ones, but I do recall that stump winter is when all the burning wood is gone and you have to go bust up the stumps to burn for wood. My inclination is that this would be very deep into spring because you cannot chop down any more trees because they are already greening up - so you burn the stump wood. Linen britches is supposed to be when you have already put away your winter wardrobe and it turns cold again, so you have to drag your linen britches back out. Not sure how accurate any of this is. - Leshia Fair

I have a cow which has been missing for about week or more. It is a whitish color beef cow missing from White Oak Church Road in Columbia, KY. If anyone has seen her or knows her whereabouts please contact Johnny or Shirley Jones at one of these number (270) 634-1733 or (270) 384-6125. -Shirley Jones