Beech Tree News Network

The long anticipated Bill Monroe Museum in Rosine is closer than ever to becoming reality.

A groundbreaking for the project has been set for 10 a.m. May 22 at Everett Park in Rosine.

The project has "been a long time coming and I'm really proud we're going to eventually get started," Ohio County Judge-Executive David Johnston said.

By the time of the official groundbreaking, some progress should be seen on the project, he said.

According to Johnston, the museum has been a "long, long-term goal of mine," for at least half of his 26 years as parks and recreation director and the more than six years he's spent as judge-executive.

It's important for Ohio County to have their own museum dedicated to the Rosine native considered the father of bluegrass music, "because it's ours," he said. "... It's our legacy, it's our claim to fame for tourism ... and the museum is part of the piece."

To draw bus tours, Johnston said "you need multiple things within a theme," and the museum is "just the right extra added."

Along with the Monroe Homeplace, Uncle Pen's Cabin and the Rosine Barn, the museum "makes a good day trip for someone to come here."

Jody Flener, executive director for Ohio County Tourism, shared similar sentiments.

The museum will help turn Ohio County from a "couple hour visit" to possibly an overnight destination, she said.

With visitors coming to Rosine from around the world, Flener said guests to the Bill Monroe homeplace have asked if there's anything else.

For Flener, the new museum is important to have in Ohio County "because he was born here. This is where it started ... First, he was born in Kentucky, then he was born in Rosine, so when the world thinks about Bill Monroe, they think about Kentucky and know he was born in Rosine. The roots of bluegrass are in Rosine, Kentucky, so if you're going to really see where it came from, you better go to Rosine."

Ohio County has been trying to build either a Monroe museum or a bluegrass museum for nearly two decades.

In 1999, Ohio Fiscal Court paid $250,000 from coal severance funds for Monroe memorabilia that has been kept in a non-climate-controlled storage facility. The collection includes instruments, clothing and even a Cadillac owned by Monroe.

In 2015, then-Gov. Steve Beshear gave the county $300,000 of discretionary funds to use toward the construction of a museum.

At this point, Johnston said the county is only committed to spending that $300,000, which is "going to build a pretty good-size building" with a porch.

Flener said the state funds will be used to build the museum shell, but fundraising efforts continue for displays, to get the memorabilia in "show condition," plaques and more.

Donations to the museum continue to come in. According to Flener, one man called and said he has a garage full of Bill Monroe memorabilia he's been saving, "waiting for Rosine to build a museum."

Brick pavers, for the proposed "Blue Moon Walkway" that will lead to a statue of Monroe, are still for sale and cost $75 for a 4- by 8-inch brick and $250 for an 8- by 8-inch brick.

As for a completion date, Johnston said they're aiming for Bill Monroe's birthday, Sept. 13.

For more information about the project and additional fundraisers, visit visitohiocountyky.com or Ohio County Tourism on Facebook, or call Flener at 270-298-0036. Donations can also be made online at billmonroemuseum.com.

 * * * 

Date: 03-06-2017

By Stephanie Salmons
The Messenger-Inquirer

Kentucky Press News Service