May 1, 2025 • 25 mins
Deputy Judge Jon Park takes us on a journey through Shelby County's hidden gems and historical treasures, revealing surprising discoveries and community stories along the way. He shares his path from Illinois to Kentucky and explains how his background in ministry and public service prepared him for his current role.
- Born near Abraham Lincoln's home in Springfield, Illinois, with a deep appreciation for history and civic engagement
- Served as Executive Director of Constituent Services under Governor Matt Bevin, helping citizens navigate government resources
- Spearheaded the Gold Star Family Memorial at Veterans Park, honoring families who lost loved ones in military service
- Workers discovered what appeared to be a child's casket during excavation, which turned out to be a misplaced time capsule
- The historic courthouse, built in 1912, revealed a hidden tunnel beneath its front steps during renovation
- Colonel Sanders and his wife Claudia made Shelby County their home from the mid-1950s until their deaths
- Ongoing restoration projects include the courthouse windows and the old stone jail with a $150,000 Brownfield grant
- Describes Shelby County as "Mayberry" – a close-knit community where people work together to preserve history
Join us at the Kentucky State Fair to visit the expanded Shelby County booth and possibly meet Colonel Sanders and Abraham Lincoln reenactors!
Do you know someone who would be an excellent guest on Kentucky Hidden Wonders? You can nominate them by filling out the form linked HERE or going to visitshelbyky.com/podcast and scrolling to the bottom of the page.
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🥃 Plan a visit to Your Bourbon Destination® at www.visitshelbyky.com. Located in the heart of central Kentucky and less than an hour from Louisville and Lexington, ShelbyKY is the perfect Kentucky getaway. Complete with two great distilleries, action-packed outdoor adventures, and the best vacation rentals near Louisville, put ShelbyKY at the top of your list when planning a Kentucky Bourbon Trail® trip, romantic couples retreat, or a whole-family vacation.
🎙️ Kentucky Hidden Wonders is hosted by Janette Marson and Mason Warren and edited by Mason Warren.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Janette Marson (00:23):
Welcome to Kentucky Hidden Wonders.
I'm Janette Marson.
And I'm Mason Warren.
Together, we're uncovering the secrets, stories
and hidden gems of ShelbyCounty,
Mason Warren (00:33):
From unforgettable places to off-the-beaten-path
adventures.
Join us as we explore Kentuckytreasures and Shelby County's
best-kept secrets.
Janette Marson (00:41):
Today, our guest is Deputy Judge Jon Park and
Jon, thank you so much for beinghere with us.
We're thrilled to have you.
Thanks for having me.
Well, why don't we start by yougoing ahead and telling the
listeners a little bit aboutyourself and your background and
let them get to know you just alittle bit better?
Jon Park (01:00):
Well, originally I'm from Illinois.
I was born and raised inSpringfield.
My home was about three milesfrom Abraham Lincoln's home.
I know he was born here inKentucky.
He ended up in Springfield,called it home and growing up
that was every field trip,school function, everything was
all about Abraham Lincoln and sothat's where I got my love for
Lincoln and loved to study him,for Lincoln and loved to study
(01:27):
him.
My mother and father bothworked for the state of Illinois
and met working in the Capitoland later married.
And then I was born after that.
But growing up it was allpublic service, interest in
politics and just our civicslearning both sides.
We watched both sides duringconventions and debates and I
got a really good education inthat.
(01:48):
So that was my early bringing.
I was called to the ministry.
I went to school to be aminister.
Then later on in life I was apastor for a while and in the
ministry, but then I went towork for healthcare and worked
with hospice patients and sothose two things.
(02:09):
I look back and see how Godkind of moved me to where I am
today.
I still consider this to be amission field, but service and
being a servant to the peoplearound me, so that's how I got
to where I am today.
Janette Marson (02:21):
Well, you make a wonderful deputy judge and
we're very thankful for you,yeah.
Mason Warren (02:27):
So you've talked a little bit about what sparked
your interest in working inpublic service, but what are
some of the roles you've had inthat sector?
Jon Park (02:36):
Well, early on, like I said, ministry and then after
that in health care, becameinvolved in different aspects of
county politics and all thatthat goes with it.
But Matt Bevin, after he wonthe nomination and won the
governor's race, called me andasked me if I'd come to work for
him.
He had a perfect job for me Hiswords, not mine but said that
(03:01):
he wanted me to be his executivedirector of constituent service
.
Janette Marson (03:05):
What is that?
What does that entail?
But said that he wanted me tobe his executive director of
constituent service.
What is?
Jon Park (03:09):
that.
What does that entail?
Jokingly, that's the complaintdepartment.
But people have issues andconcerns and they will call the
governor's office, thinkingthat's the place to call and
sometimes it is and we were ableto help those people with
concerns.
Other times we would have todirect them to their local
county government or theirfederal delegation to answer
those problems.
(03:29):
But any time we had theopportunity to help somebody and
that was our goal we solvedproblems.
That was our motto in thatoffice and we loved helping
people.
Sometimes it was education forthem to learn how this all works
and whose authority is whereand that sort of thing.
Quick story to that when I wasin the governor's office had a
lady call Her mother and father.
(03:49):
Both were in the militaryduring World War II.
Afterwards they went home likeeverybody else.
They started a family.
They were killed in a caraccident.
They lived in eastern Kentucky,a family of very little means,
a family of very little means,and so for 50 years mom and dad
were in a grave that was notmarked and they found out that
(04:12):
the military offers gravestonesfor these folks.
They asked me, I got involved.
I got involved with acongressman and within a matter
of months there were gravestoneson those graves because this
person called the governor'soffice.
We couldn't do it, but I knewwho to call on the federal side
and got it taken care of.
Janette Marson (04:31):
Well, that's an important job.
I sure hope they have thatposition.
Even still, they do Because, ohgood, I'm so glad, I'm so glad.
Well, you've done a lot ofwonderful things for Shelby
County and one of the mostmemorable maybe that I can think
of is the Gold Star FamilyMemorial in the Veterans Park.
Can you talk a little bit aboutthat, how that came to be, and
(04:53):
then we'll expound on it as yougo.
Jon Park (04:56):
Well, to begin with, everybody needs to go and check
out Woody Williams.
Google his name.
He's done TED Talks.
He's an amazing person whoduring World War II, was a
flamethrower and he ended up andsaved a lot of lives.
He was given the Medal of Honor.
President Truman put that medalon him and later in life he got
(05:17):
involved in doing things and hehad a catchphrase the cause is
greater than I.
That was his thing, and so hebegan to realize that there was
a need in his hometown in WestVirginia for a monument for Gold
Star families.
It was going to be a one-timething and then it took off and
(05:38):
it began to go everywhere.
That's how I got involved.
He and his grandson, whoincidentally lives here in
Shelby County, chad Graham thetwo of them met with the
governor's office militaryaffairs and said we want to
bring a gold star monument andput it on the Capitol lawn, and
so we helped with that.
I was honored that I, on thatcommittee that I was on, I got
(05:59):
to be the one to make thatmotion that we do this.
Not done with any tax dollars,it was all donations.
But when you pull into theCapitol now you see that Gold
Star Monument.
Later on, when I became deputyjudge and working for Judge
Eisen, looking across the streetsaw Veterans Park and I told
the judge.
I said you know, that'd be agreat place for a Gold Star
(06:20):
Monument.
We started talking about it.
I invited Chad and Woody tocome.
Woody Williams picked out thespot where he wanted that Gold
Star Monument on that park.
So he'd been here a couple oftimes and let me interrupt real
quick.
Mason Warren (06:34):
Can you explain what a Gold Star family is?
Jon Park (06:37):
So a Gold Star family is someone who has lost a loved
one who is in active duty,whether it was during World War
II, you know, families would puta blue star in their window to
let people know that their lovedone was fighting for this
country.
Unfortunately, sometimessomebody would come to the house
and they'd trade out that bluestar for a gold star flag to put
(06:59):
in the window that let peopleknow that this family lost a
loved one.
And so that's what started it.
And so there are Gold Starfamilies, gold Star moms, gold
Star children, extended family.
So Woody Williams decided torecognize these families that
have given up everything, losinga loved one, in the service of
(07:23):
their country, and so that'swhat this monument is.
You'll notice that there are nonames on it.
They want everybody to be ableto come there, and this is for
me and my family, whether theylive here in Shelby County or
Frankfurt or wherever.
But that's what that is.
Janette Marson (07:41):
Well, it's wonderful.
There's lovely seating you cansit and just contemplate, and
beautiful um bushes and trees.
Jon Park (07:49):
It's a lovely, lovely lovely community stepped up and
and not a, not one tax dollarwas used for that Uh, there's a
Mason uh uh, cement, uh, someonewho works with cement, uh that
came in and volunteered his timeand the materials to put the
walkway in.
And then we had an electricianthat came in, volunteered his
time and material to put thelights around it.
(08:11):
So it was a community effortand it was funded by just
donations.
Very good.
Janette Marson (08:19):
So when you were planning now of course our show
is called kentucky hiddenwonders there you um, when they
were digging, there wassomething hidden that was
surprising.
Jon Park (08:30):
So I like I like to mason and I like to highlight
these hidden gems and littlefunny little stories, so talk a
little bit about what was hiddenas they were preparing the
ground in veterans park to uhput this monument.
Uh, they were out there and inour we had road department out
there that was helping with thisand uh, they called me and said
(08:53):
you need to come down here, wehave a problem.
And so I went down there andthey looked a little bit
startled and concerned and, uh,as they were digging, they found
what appeared to be a child'scasket.
And so we began to do a littlebit of research.
I talked to one of themagistrates at the time, ross
Webb, and he said that's a timecapsule, that an area funeral
(09:16):
director donated that box to putthe items for the time capsule
in, and so that's what was there.
So we have purposely moved thatto another location.
Sorry of the park but it'sstill there.
We just moved it so we could putthe monument there and they'd
have access to that time capsulelater on.
Janette Marson (09:36):
Did it have a note on it?
I mean so, of course, in mymind I'm thinking I could see
the people.
I'm not going to open it.
Are you going to open it?
I'm not going to open it.
Are you going to open it?
I'm not going to open it.
Let's call Joe.
Jon Park (09:45):
There is something that's on that box that says
time capsule, I think.
Janette Marson (09:54):
Did it say what year that was?
I knew you were going to ask methat it's not due to be open
yet, I can tell you that much.
Mason Warren (10:00):
I can't believe it wasn't marked.
I mean, in the park there was aplaque, there was a plaque.
There is a plaque, but it wasin another part.
Jon Park (10:07):
They didn't bury that box where they buried the.
You know, as I'm not sayingcoffin.
They buried the box a littlebit separate from where that
plaque is.
So now that plaque is directlyover that capsule.
Janette Marson (10:20):
That makes more sense.
You'd have to dig a whole lotof holes to find it Literally do
some digging.
Mason Warren (10:26):
So moving back to the monument really quick.
What was the response to thatin the community, especially
from we have a lot of militaryfamilies?
Jon Park (10:35):
here?
Yes, we do, so what?
Mason Warren (10:37):
was the response to that.
Jon Park (10:38):
It was.
It was very moving.
People stood up to write checksand to help pay for this and it
was very well received.
And, like I said, in theprocess of doing this we
discovered that one of ourcounty employees is a
(10:58):
granddaughter I'm sorry, a nieceof someone who was killed in
battle, so she is a Gold Starfamily member.
We have a family that's herethat lost their son a few years
ago and they were very muchinvolved in this.
In fact, those people were theones that were invited to remove
the covering when we did theunveiling.
Janette Marson (11:21):
Wow.
Now, moving toward, I'm goingto talk about the courthouse
just a little bit, which is justright across the street from
Veterans Park.
You and Judge Eisen have beendoing a whole lot of work on
that beautiful, beautifulcourthouse and talk a little bit
about the history for listenersthat don't know a lot about the
(11:44):
courthouse.
I mean, it is beautiful.
For those listening that havenot been in, I definitely invite
you to take a peek inside.
But what are some interestingfacts and interesting stories
about the courthouse?
Jon Park (11:55):
So the old courthouse, as we call it today, because we
have a new judicial centerblocked down the street, but the
old courthouse was built in1912.
Or block down the street, butthe old courthouse was built in
1912.
It's the fourth courthouse forShelby County and it's seen a
lot of history.
Early on during the suffragemovement, there was a well-known
(12:18):
British woman, ethel Snowden,who came through Shelby County
as she spoke across the countryon giving women the right to
vote, and the newspaper of theday said that the churches in
the area closed.
It was a Sunday night and allthe churches closed so people
could come and hear this womanspeak.
So that's an interesting partof history of this building.
(12:41):
The courthouse was the actualjudicial courthouse at the time
when there was a very famousmurder trial that took place and
there's books about it.
I don't remember all thedetails.
I apologize, but there's a lotof history in that building.
Janette Marson (13:02):
Well, it's absolutely beautiful and I
remember so.
As I had said just a moment ago, the judge is doing a lot of
work trying to fix it up.
So when you were redoing thestairs outside the courthouse,
there was another hidden gem, ahidden wonder that was
discovered.
Tell the listeners a little bitabout that.
Jon Park (13:23):
So the architect that was helping us with all this he
would come in and every time hecame in he would find something
else.
And I got to a point where Isaid, look, we need to put a
blindfold on you, because everytime you come in you find
something else.
That's going to be a problemthat we have to take care of.
One of those things was thefront steps of the courthouse,
(13:47):
the granite steps that are outthere.
He noticed that they wereturning in and kind of creating
a valley in the middle.
The supports underneath weredisintegrating, and so he
suggested we need to fix thatproblem.
So they pulled all those stepsoff, numbered them, set them
aside so they can get underthere and fix that.
When they did, they found anopening which led to a tunnel,
and it's closed in now.
But the story is that thattunnel was sometimes used to
(14:09):
move prisoners that were thereat the courthouse from the
courthouse to the jail.
That was about a block and ahalf away to the south of the
courthouse.
Janette Marson (14:18):
And, of course, I wanted you to call me so I
could go in it but I love thingslike that me, so I could go in
it.
But I love things like that,was it brick.
Jon Park (14:30):
What was like?
What was on the inside?
Was it dirt or brick?
Well, the floor is dirt, andbut the building itself, the
entire building, is brick, butit does have the stone facade on
the outside of it.
So but yeah, it was interestingto look in there.
None of us wanted to go in.
Janette Marson (14:44):
Yeah, I probably would stick my head in actually
and say I'm good.
Jon Park (14:47):
Yeah, that's what we said.
Janette Marson (14:50):
But it's interesting, it's historical and
it's neat that you found it soswitching gears a little bit.
Mason Warren (14:56):
You've worked in state and local county
government, and how has thatshaped your perspective on what
makes communities like ShelbyCounty thrive?
Jon Park (15:09):
Well, when you're on the state level, you're dealing
with 120 counties and there's alot of different, varying
situations when you get to thecounty.
When I came here from workingin the governor's office, well,
I went from the governor'soffice to the attorney general's
office and then Dan Isen calledme and asked me to come to work
for him.
When I got here, I'd lived inShelby County for a while.
At that point I knew thecommunity.
(15:31):
I knew a lot of the people.
But as I've gotten involvedI've realized that this is more
than just a county, it's acommunity.
And do we always agree everybit of the time?
No, we don't.
But at the same time, we allhave the common bond that we
want to make Shelby Countybetter and everybody's working
(15:52):
that way.
So we have a great relationshipwith our two cities and the
other communities.
We have a great relationshipwith our main street director.
We have a great relationshipwith our tourism director and we
all work together to do what wecan to make Shelby County
better than we found it.
Janette Marson (16:10):
And you may have already answered this question.
This next one.
So what would you say?
You've lived here for a while.
What makes living in ShelbyCounty fabulous?
Jon Park (16:24):
for you personally.
Well, I tell everybody, it'sMayberry.
We have a sheriff who walksaround.
I don't know if I should saythis or that, but he doesn't
always carry a sidearm.
He's a great guy, friendly toeverybody.
Janette Marson (16:37):
But I think he could take you down without a
sidearm.
Yeah, yeah, shout out to MarkMoore, but to that I mean
Shelbyville.
Jon Park (16:45):
Shelby County is Mayberry and you can't go in the
bank without them saying yourname when you walk in and they
don't need you to fill out allkinds of information.
They go right to work, takecare of your business and move
on.
Everybody knows everybody hereand Judge Isen will tell you
there are no secrets in ShelbyCounty.
Sometimes that's good,sometimes that's not so good,
(17:09):
but it's a great community to bea part of and one of the things
I do as deputy judge.
When I talk to people I say, asdeputy judge, I want to invite
you to just come home to ShelbyCounty.
Janette Marson (17:18):
Well, so I've been here three years and one of
the first things my husband andI both said oh my gosh, they're
just so nice.
Everybody everywhere electedofficials, the community, very
welcoming.
They're just so nice.
That should be a slogansomewhere.
Mason Warren (17:36):
I think they tried that or something at one time,
so I remember reading thatsomewhere.
So you talked just a little bitabout it just now.
But what is your role as deputyjudge executive?
What do you do?
Jon Park (17:49):
I wear a lot of different hats.
I'm the judge's chief of staff.
I'm the guy that steps in whenhe can't be there.
My hand hurts because I'm theone that signs all the checks,
and there's a lot of checks.
We have a $40 million budgetfor Shelby County, and so
there's a lot of good things wedo, but I get to be a part of
(18:09):
that.
And again, I'm also constituentservice.
I'm the complaint department.
I'm the guy that they call whenthey have an issue with a
pothole on their county road ora dog running loose, whatever.
Read Facebook and you'll seesome of the complaints that we
hear or don't read.
Mason Warren (18:28):
Facebook for that Peace of mind.
Maybe don't.
Jon Park (18:32):
But I get to do.
It's not a job where I justcome and sit and do the same
thing over and over and overagain.
Everything.
I don't know what I'm cominginto sometimes when I come to
work.
Janette Marson (18:42):
Well, I see you out and about in so many
different areas so I knowdefinitely you wear a whole lot
of hats, a whole lot of meetings, and we are lucky to have you
and Judge Eisen both.
So is there anything surprisingor little-known facts that you
want to share with the listeners, or something that you have
(19:06):
recently learned about ShelbyCounty that maybe listeners
don't know, about somehistorical fact?
I've shared some of that.
Jon Park (19:13):
But the courthouse initially, like I said, it was
the courthouse.
When they built the newjudicial center they kind of
abandoned the old courthouse fora while.
It became a storage unit forall intents and purposes.
But when Judge Eisen came in hebelieved that the courthouse
(19:34):
needed to be the seat of countygovernment and went in there and
started from the inside,started kind of cleaning things
up and restoring it, and then wemoved to the outside.
The historic California tileroof was broken and leaking,
causing problems in the building.
We fixed the roof.
There's gunshot holes aroundthe top of the building.
(19:57):
I tell everybody that eventhough it was built in 1912, it
was involved in a series ofCivil War battles.
It wasn't.
But it makes for a good storyBack in the day to get rid of
the pigeons and we had nothingto do with this, just full
disclosure.
But they would come in onSundays and have pigeon shoots
just to try to reduce thepopulation.
(20:18):
So when we restored thebuilding, we restored all that
facade, that's on the outside,the stonework, 100-plus-year-old
building.
So the stone was starting todeteriorate.
You could put your hand alongthe wall and sand would just
come off.
We've restored some of thosestones.
We've sealed it, of course, thesteps, like you mentioned
(20:38):
earlier.
We've got a new project gettingready to start putting in new
windows.
It's still a historic buildingand they will be accurate to the
time period, but it's afunctioning building, and to
have windows sliding out oftheir frames and getting very
cold in the wintertime, that'sour next step.
We put new doors on.
(21:00):
We've spent quite a bit ofmoney just to but it's important
.
Janette Marson (21:04):
I remember, right before we started the
podcast, the funding.
A lot of that funding came fromour tourists that come in
Absolutely so the hotel tax.
Jon Park (21:14):
we ask you all to help us and guide some of that funds
to us as you can, and that wasthrough the interlocal agreement
too, yes.
Janette Marson (21:25):
To be clear, oh, very good.
So at the back is the old stonejail, which is really amazing.
Um, which is a hidden gem, ahidden wonder, definitely.
And I know because you andjudge Eisen are so good about,
uh, funding.
You had gotten a grant, Ibelieve, to fix up the jailer's
house.
(21:45):
How's that coming?
Jon Park (21:46):
It's slow because it's a Brownfield grant which is
federally funded, and anytimeyou say federal government, that
slows everything down.
A lot of red tape, a lot ofthings have to happen.
But we did get approved for$150,000 grant to abate that old
building.
It's an old building, sothere's lead paint, there's
(22:08):
asbestos.
All that has to be remediatedbefore we can move forward and
repurpose that building.
Janette Marson (22:15):
But that is the plan.
Well, very exciting.
And one neat thing about ShelbyCounty that we all know we're
so good about saving historicbuildings and saving history.
Jon, do you have anything else?
Mason Warren (22:31):
that you'd like to .
I don't have anything else foryou, yeah.
Janette Marson (22:33):
Do you have anything else?
Jon Park (22:35):
Well, one of the things that we've teased about
before, but one of the hiddengems or secrets of Shelby County
is, while Cordon, Kentucky, isthe birthplace of Kentucky fried
chicken, Colonel Sanders foundhis way.
He and his wife, Claudia, foundtheir way to Shelby County Back
in the mid-50s.
They moved here and lived therest of their life here, and so
(22:57):
you can still go to ClaudiaSanders' restaurant it's Colonel
Sanders' chicken and enjoy thata little bit.
As you drive in, you look atthat house and realize, yep,
Colonel Sanders lived in thathouse.
Janette Marson (23:08):
That's very historic.
I wondered if you were going tobring old colonel sanders into
the conversation, because youmake a wonderful reenactor.
Well, thank you of that, ofthat historic.
Jon Park (23:18):
I was just thinking about that and uh, you know, the
fair is right around the corner, we'll be out there again.
And uh, it's interesting towatch people come up and tell
stories of how they met thecolonel.
Apparently he did a lot ofplane travel because they met
him on a plane or in an airport.
A lot of people have goodstories to tell about him and
those who worked for himsometimes have a little bit more
(23:38):
interesting story.
But overall Colonel Sanders isstill very well loved in Shelby
County and to get to be a partof that loved in Shelby County
and to get to be a part of that,and when you have two
reenactors one who is lookingkind of likes Colonel Sanders
and the other guy is AbrahamLincoln and when the two of them
are out at the fair together byaccident, everybody stops and
has to get a picture with bothof them.
Janette Marson (23:59):
Oh, and he Larry .
Um, yes, reenactor also.
So those listening definitelyjoin us at the Kentucky state
fair.
Um, shelby County always has abooth.
We've expanded this year we'regoing to have a 10 by 30,
inviting some partners to joinus and hopefully the judge and
deputy judge will be-.
Colonel.
Jon Park (24:19):
Sanders will be out there, and Colonel Sanders, yeah
, we'll be out there as well,well, john, thank you so much
for joining us.
Janette Marson (24:24):
I love talking to you.
You are so insightful ofhistory and all that goes on in
Shelby County.
Thanks so much for being on theshow.
Thank you, I appreciate beinghere.
Thank you, thanks for beinghere.
Mason Warren (24:41):
This has been Kentucky Hidden Wonders.
Thank you to Shelby CountyDeputy Judge Executive Jon Park
for coming on the show and thankyou for listening.
If you've made it this far,make sure you subscribe and
leave us a review.
It means the world to us.
We'll return with a brand newKentucky Hidden Wonders episode
in two weeks.
Bye everyone.
Kentucky Hidden Wonders is aShelby KY Tourism production.
(25:07):
Your hosts are Janet Marson andMason Warren.
To learn more about Shelby KYTourism and to start planning a
visit, head to visitshelbykycomMusic.
Welcome to Kentucky Hidden Wonders.
I'm Janette Marson.
And I'm Mason Warren.
Together, we're uncovering the secrets, stories
and hidden gems of ShelbyCounty,
Mason Warren (00:33):
From unforgettable places to off-the-beaten-path
adventures.
Join us as we explore Kentuckytreasures and Shelby County's
best-kept secrets.
Janette Marson (00:41):
Today, our guest is Deputy Judge Jon Park and
Jon, thank you so much for beinghere with us.
We're thrilled to have you.
Thanks for having me.
Well, why don't we start by yougoing ahead and telling the
listeners a little bit aboutyourself and your background and
let them get to know you just alittle bit better?
Jon Park (01:00):
Well, originally I'm from Illinois.
I was born and raised inSpringfield.
My home was about three milesfrom Abraham Lincoln's home.
I know he was born here inKentucky.
He ended up in Springfield,called it home and growing up
that was every field trip,school function, everything was
all about Abraham Lincoln and sothat's where I got my love for
Lincoln and loved to study him,for Lincoln and loved to study
(01:27):
him.
My mother and father bothworked for the state of Illinois
and met working in the Capitoland later married.
And then I was born after that.
But growing up it was allpublic service, interest in
politics and just our civicslearning both sides.
We watched both sides duringconventions and debates and I
got a really good education inthat.
(01:48):
So that was my early bringing.
I was called to the ministry.
I went to school to be aminister.
Then later on in life I was apastor for a while and in the
ministry, but then I went towork for healthcare and worked
with hospice patients and sothose two things.
(02:09):
I look back and see how Godkind of moved me to where I am
today.
I still consider this to be amission field, but service and
being a servant to the peoplearound me, so that's how I got
to where I am today.
Janette Marson (02:21):
Well, you make a wonderful deputy judge and
we're very thankful for you,yeah.
Mason Warren (02:27):
So you've talked a little bit about what sparked
your interest in working inpublic service, but what are
some of the roles you've had inthat sector?
Jon Park (02:36):
Well, early on, like I said, ministry and then after
that in health care, becameinvolved in different aspects of
county politics and all thatthat goes with it.
But Matt Bevin, after he wonthe nomination and won the
governor's race, called me andasked me if I'd come to work for
him.
He had a perfect job for me Hiswords, not mine but said that
(03:01):
he wanted me to be his executivedirector of constituent service
.
Janette Marson (03:05):
What is that?
What does that entail?
But said that he wanted me tobe his executive director of
constituent service.
What is?
Jon Park (03:09):
that.
What does that entail?
Jokingly, that's the complaintdepartment.
But people have issues andconcerns and they will call the
governor's office, thinkingthat's the place to call and
sometimes it is and we were ableto help those people with
concerns.
Other times we would have todirect them to their local
county government or theirfederal delegation to answer
those problems.
(03:29):
But any time we had theopportunity to help somebody and
that was our goal we solvedproblems.
That was our motto in thatoffice and we loved helping
people.
Sometimes it was education forthem to learn how this all works
and whose authority is whereand that sort of thing.
Quick story to that when I wasin the governor's office had a
lady call Her mother and father.
(03:49):
Both were in the militaryduring World War II.
Afterwards they went home likeeverybody else.
They started a family.
They were killed in a caraccident.
They lived in eastern Kentucky,a family of very little means,
a family of very little means,and so for 50 years mom and dad
were in a grave that was notmarked and they found out that
(04:12):
the military offers gravestonesfor these folks.
They asked me, I got involved.
I got involved with acongressman and within a matter
of months there were gravestoneson those graves because this
person called the governor'soffice.
We couldn't do it, but I knewwho to call on the federal side
and got it taken care of.
Janette Marson (04:31):
Well, that's an important job.
I sure hope they have thatposition.
Even still, they do Because, ohgood, I'm so glad, I'm so glad.
Well, you've done a lot ofwonderful things for Shelby
County and one of the mostmemorable maybe that I can think
of is the Gold Star FamilyMemorial in the Veterans Park.
Can you talk a little bit aboutthat, how that came to be, and
(04:53):
then we'll expound on it as yougo.
Jon Park (04:56):
Well, to begin with, everybody needs to go and check
out Woody Williams.
Google his name.
He's done TED Talks.
He's an amazing person whoduring World War II, was a
flamethrower and he ended up andsaved a lot of lives.
He was given the Medal of Honor.
President Truman put that medalon him and later in life he got
(05:17):
involved in doing things and hehad a catchphrase the cause is
greater than I.
That was his thing, and so hebegan to realize that there was
a need in his hometown in WestVirginia for a monument for Gold
Star families.
It was going to be a one-timething and then it took off and
(05:38):
it began to go everywhere.
That's how I got involved.
He and his grandson, whoincidentally lives here in
Shelby County, chad Graham thetwo of them met with the
governor's office militaryaffairs and said we want to
bring a gold star monument andput it on the Capitol lawn, and
so we helped with that.
I was honored that I, on thatcommittee that I was on, I got
(05:59):
to be the one to make thatmotion that we do this.
Not done with any tax dollars,it was all donations.
But when you pull into theCapitol now you see that Gold
Star Monument.
Later on, when I became deputyjudge and working for Judge
Eisen, looking across the streetsaw Veterans Park and I told
the judge.
I said you know, that'd be agreat place for a Gold Star
(06:20):
Monument.
We started talking about it.
I invited Chad and Woody tocome.
Woody Williams picked out thespot where he wanted that Gold
Star Monument on that park.
So he'd been here a couple oftimes and let me interrupt real
quick.
Mason Warren (06:34):
Can you explain what a Gold Star family is?
Jon Park (06:37):
So a Gold Star family is someone who has lost a loved
one who is in active duty,whether it was during World War
II, you know, families would puta blue star in their window to
let people know that their lovedone was fighting for this
country.
Unfortunately, sometimessomebody would come to the house
and they'd trade out that bluestar for a gold star flag to put
(06:59):
in the window that let peopleknow that this family lost a
loved one.
And so that's what started it.
And so there are Gold Starfamilies, gold Star moms, gold
Star children, extended family.
So Woody Williams decided torecognize these families that
have given up everything, losinga loved one, in the service of
(07:23):
their country, and so that'swhat this monument is.
You'll notice that there are nonames on it.
They want everybody to be ableto come there, and this is for
me and my family, whether theylive here in Shelby County or
Frankfurt or wherever.
But that's what that is.
Janette Marson (07:41):
Well, it's wonderful.
There's lovely seating you cansit and just contemplate, and
beautiful um bushes and trees.
Jon Park (07:49):
It's a lovely, lovely lovely community stepped up and
and not a, not one tax dollarwas used for that Uh, there's a
Mason uh uh, cement, uh, someonewho works with cement, uh that
came in and volunteered his timeand the materials to put the
walkway in.
And then we had an electricianthat came in, volunteered his
time and material to put thelights around it.
(08:11):
So it was a community effortand it was funded by just
donations.
Very good.
Janette Marson (08:19):
So when you were planning now of course our show
is called kentucky hiddenwonders there you um, when they
were digging, there wassomething hidden that was
surprising.
Jon Park (08:30):
So I like I like to mason and I like to highlight
these hidden gems and littlefunny little stories, so talk a
little bit about what was hiddenas they were preparing the
ground in veterans park to uhput this monument.
Uh, they were out there and inour we had road department out
there that was helping with thisand uh, they called me and said
(08:53):
you need to come down here, wehave a problem.
And so I went down there andthey looked a little bit
startled and concerned and, uh,as they were digging, they found
what appeared to be a child'scasket.
And so we began to do a littlebit of research.
I talked to one of themagistrates at the time, ross
Webb, and he said that's a timecapsule, that an area funeral
(09:16):
director donated that box to putthe items for the time capsule
in, and so that's what was there.
So we have purposely moved thatto another location.
Sorry of the park but it'sstill there.
We just moved it so we could putthe monument there and they'd
have access to that time capsulelater on.
Janette Marson (09:36):
Did it have a note on it?
I mean so, of course, in mymind I'm thinking I could see
the people.
I'm not going to open it.
Are you going to open it?
I'm not going to open it.
Are you going to open it?
I'm not going to open it.
Let's call Joe.
Jon Park (09:45):
There is something that's on that box that says
time capsule, I think.
Janette Marson (09:54):
Did it say what year that was?
I knew you were going to ask methat it's not due to be open
yet, I can tell you that much.
Mason Warren (10:00):
I can't believe it wasn't marked.
I mean, in the park there was aplaque, there was a plaque.
There is a plaque, but it wasin another part.
Jon Park (10:07):
They didn't bury that box where they buried the.
You know, as I'm not sayingcoffin.
They buried the box a littlebit separate from where that
plaque is.
So now that plaque is directlyover that capsule.
Janette Marson (10:20):
That makes more sense.
You'd have to dig a whole lotof holes to find it Literally do
some digging.
Mason Warren (10:26):
So moving back to the monument really quick.
What was the response to thatin the community, especially
from we have a lot of militaryfamilies?
Jon Park (10:35):
here?
Yes, we do, so what?
Mason Warren (10:37):
was the response to that.
Jon Park (10:38):
It was.
It was very moving.
People stood up to write checksand to help pay for this and it
was very well received.
And, like I said, in theprocess of doing this we
discovered that one of ourcounty employees is a
(10:58):
granddaughter I'm sorry, a nieceof someone who was killed in
battle, so she is a Gold Starfamily member.
We have a family that's herethat lost their son a few years
ago and they were very muchinvolved in this.
In fact, those people were theones that were invited to remove
the covering when we did theunveiling.
Janette Marson (11:21):
Wow.
Now, moving toward, I'm goingto talk about the courthouse
just a little bit, which is justright across the street from
Veterans Park.
You and Judge Eisen have beendoing a whole lot of work on
that beautiful, beautifulcourthouse and talk a little bit
about the history for listenersthat don't know a lot about the
(11:44):
courthouse.
I mean, it is beautiful.
For those listening that havenot been in, I definitely invite
you to take a peek inside.
But what are some interestingfacts and interesting stories
about the courthouse?
Jon Park (11:55):
So the old courthouse, as we call it today, because we
have a new judicial centerblocked down the street, but the
old courthouse was built in1912.
Or block down the street, butthe old courthouse was built in
1912.
It's the fourth courthouse forShelby County and it's seen a
lot of history.
Early on during the suffragemovement, there was a well-known
(12:18):
British woman, ethel Snowden,who came through Shelby County
as she spoke across the countryon giving women the right to
vote, and the newspaper of theday said that the churches in
the area closed.
It was a Sunday night and allthe churches closed so people
could come and hear this womanspeak.
So that's an interesting partof history of this building.
(12:41):
The courthouse was the actualjudicial courthouse at the time
when there was a very famousmurder trial that took place and
there's books about it.
I don't remember all thedetails.
I apologize, but there's a lotof history in that building.
Janette Marson (13:02):
Well, it's absolutely beautiful and I
remember so.
As I had said just a moment ago, the judge is doing a lot of
work trying to fix it up.
So when you were redoing thestairs outside the courthouse,
there was another hidden gem, ahidden wonder that was
discovered.
Tell the listeners a little bitabout that.
Jon Park (13:23):
So the architect that was helping us with all this he
would come in and every time hecame in he would find something
else.
And I got to a point where Isaid, look, we need to put a
blindfold on you, because everytime you come in you find
something else.
That's going to be a problemthat we have to take care of.
One of those things was thefront steps of the courthouse,
(13:47):
the granite steps that are outthere.
He noticed that they wereturning in and kind of creating
a valley in the middle.
The supports underneath weredisintegrating, and so he
suggested we need to fix thatproblem.
So they pulled all those stepsoff, numbered them, set them
aside so they can get underthere and fix that.
When they did, they found anopening which led to a tunnel,
and it's closed in now.
But the story is that thattunnel was sometimes used to
(14:09):
move prisoners that were thereat the courthouse from the
courthouse to the jail.
That was about a block and ahalf away to the south of the
courthouse.
Janette Marson (14:18):
And, of course, I wanted you to call me so I
could go in it but I love thingslike that me, so I could go in
it.
But I love things like that,was it brick.
Jon Park (14:30):
What was like?
What was on the inside?
Was it dirt or brick?
Well, the floor is dirt, andbut the building itself, the
entire building, is brick, butit does have the stone facade on
the outside of it.
So but yeah, it was interestingto look in there.
None of us wanted to go in.
Janette Marson (14:44):
Yeah, I probably would stick my head in actually
and say I'm good.
Jon Park (14:47):
Yeah, that's what we said.
Janette Marson (14:50):
But it's interesting, it's historical and
it's neat that you found it soswitching gears a little bit.
Mason Warren (14:56):
You've worked in state and local county
government, and how has thatshaped your perspective on what
makes communities like ShelbyCounty thrive?
Jon Park (15:09):
Well, when you're on the state level, you're dealing
with 120 counties and there's alot of different, varying
situations when you get to thecounty.
When I came here from workingin the governor's office, well,
I went from the governor'soffice to the attorney general's
office and then Dan Isen calledme and asked me to come to work
for him.
When I got here, I'd lived inShelby County for a while.
At that point I knew thecommunity.
(15:31):
I knew a lot of the people.
But as I've gotten involvedI've realized that this is more
than just a county, it's acommunity.
And do we always agree everybit of the time?
No, we don't.
But at the same time, we allhave the common bond that we
want to make Shelby Countybetter and everybody's working
(15:52):
that way.
So we have a great relationshipwith our two cities and the
other communities.
We have a great relationshipwith our main street director.
We have a great relationshipwith our tourism director and we
all work together to do what wecan to make Shelby County
better than we found it.
Janette Marson (16:10):
And you may have already answered this question.
This next one.
So what would you say?
You've lived here for a while.
What makes living in ShelbyCounty fabulous?
Jon Park (16:24):
for you personally.
Well, I tell everybody, it'sMayberry.
We have a sheriff who walksaround.
I don't know if I should saythis or that, but he doesn't
always carry a sidearm.
He's a great guy, friendly toeverybody.
Janette Marson (16:37):
But I think he could take you down without a
sidearm.
Yeah, yeah, shout out to MarkMoore, but to that I mean
Shelbyville.
Jon Park (16:45):
Shelby County is Mayberry and you can't go in the
bank without them saying yourname when you walk in and they
don't need you to fill out allkinds of information.
They go right to work, takecare of your business and move
on.
Everybody knows everybody hereand Judge Isen will tell you
there are no secrets in ShelbyCounty.
Sometimes that's good,sometimes that's not so good,
(17:09):
but it's a great community to bea part of and one of the things
I do as deputy judge.
When I talk to people I say, asdeputy judge, I want to invite
you to just come home to ShelbyCounty.
Janette Marson (17:18):
Well, so I've been here three years and one of
the first things my husband andI both said oh my gosh, they're
just so nice.
Everybody everywhere electedofficials, the community, very
welcoming.
They're just so nice.
That should be a slogansomewhere.
Mason Warren (17:36):
I think they tried that or something at one time,
so I remember reading thatsomewhere.
So you talked just a little bitabout it just now.
But what is your role as deputyjudge executive?
What do you do?
Jon Park (17:49):
I wear a lot of different hats.
I'm the judge's chief of staff.
I'm the guy that steps in whenhe can't be there.
My hand hurts because I'm theone that signs all the checks,
and there's a lot of checks.
We have a $40 million budgetfor Shelby County, and so
there's a lot of good things wedo, but I get to be a part of
(18:09):
that.
And again, I'm also constituentservice.
I'm the complaint department.
I'm the guy that they call whenthey have an issue with a
pothole on their county road ora dog running loose, whatever.
Read Facebook and you'll seesome of the complaints that we
hear or don't read.
Mason Warren (18:28):
Facebook for that Peace of mind.
Maybe don't.
Jon Park (18:32):
But I get to do.
It's not a job where I justcome and sit and do the same
thing over and over and overagain.
Everything.
I don't know what I'm cominginto sometimes when I come to
work.
Janette Marson (18:42):
Well, I see you out and about in so many
different areas so I knowdefinitely you wear a whole lot
of hats, a whole lot of meetings, and we are lucky to have you
and Judge Eisen both.
So is there anything surprisingor little-known facts that you
want to share with the listeners, or something that you have
(19:06):
recently learned about ShelbyCounty that maybe listeners
don't know, about somehistorical fact?
I've shared some of that.
Jon Park (19:13):
But the courthouse initially, like I said, it was
the courthouse.
When they built the newjudicial center they kind of
abandoned the old courthouse fora while.
It became a storage unit forall intents and purposes.
But when Judge Eisen came in hebelieved that the courthouse
(19:34):
needed to be the seat of countygovernment and went in there and
started from the inside,started kind of cleaning things
up and restoring it, and then wemoved to the outside.
The historic California tileroof was broken and leaking,
causing problems in the building.
We fixed the roof.
There's gunshot holes aroundthe top of the building.
(19:57):
I tell everybody that eventhough it was built in 1912, it
was involved in a series ofCivil War battles.
It wasn't.
But it makes for a good storyBack in the day to get rid of
the pigeons and we had nothingto do with this, just full
disclosure.
But they would come in onSundays and have pigeon shoots
just to try to reduce thepopulation.
(20:18):
So when we restored thebuilding, we restored all that
facade, that's on the outside,the stonework, 100-plus-year-old
building.
So the stone was starting todeteriorate.
You could put your hand alongthe wall and sand would just
come off.
We've restored some of thosestones.
We've sealed it, of course, thesteps, like you mentioned
(20:38):
earlier.
We've got a new project gettingready to start putting in new
windows.
It's still a historic buildingand they will be accurate to the
time period, but it's afunctioning building, and to
have windows sliding out oftheir frames and getting very
cold in the wintertime, that'sour next step.
We put new doors on.
(21:00):
We've spent quite a bit ofmoney just to but it's important
.
Janette Marson (21:04):
I remember, right before we started the
podcast, the funding.
A lot of that funding came fromour tourists that come in
Absolutely so the hotel tax.
Jon Park (21:14):
we ask you all to help us and guide some of that funds
to us as you can, and that wasthrough the interlocal agreement
too, yes.
Janette Marson (21:25):
To be clear, oh, very good.
So at the back is the old stonejail, which is really amazing.
Um, which is a hidden gem, ahidden wonder, definitely.
And I know because you andjudge Eisen are so good about,
uh, funding.
You had gotten a grant, Ibelieve, to fix up the jailer's
house.
(21:45):
How's that coming?
Jon Park (21:46):
It's slow because it's a Brownfield grant which is
federally funded, and anytimeyou say federal government, that
slows everything down.
A lot of red tape, a lot ofthings have to happen.
But we did get approved for$150,000 grant to abate that old
building.
It's an old building, sothere's lead paint, there's
(22:08):
asbestos.
All that has to be remediatedbefore we can move forward and
repurpose that building.
Janette Marson (22:15):
But that is the plan.
Well, very exciting.
And one neat thing about ShelbyCounty that we all know we're
so good about saving historicbuildings and saving history.
Jon, do you have anything else?
Mason Warren (22:31):
that you'd like to .
I don't have anything else foryou, yeah.
Janette Marson (22:33):
Do you have anything else?
Jon Park (22:35):
Well, one of the things that we've teased about
before, but one of the hiddengems or secrets of Shelby County
is, while Cordon, Kentucky, isthe birthplace of Kentucky fried
chicken, Colonel Sanders foundhis way.
He and his wife, Claudia, foundtheir way to Shelby County Back
in the mid-50s.
They moved here and lived therest of their life here, and so
(22:57):
you can still go to ClaudiaSanders' restaurant it's Colonel
Sanders' chicken and enjoy thata little bit.
As you drive in, you look atthat house and realize, yep,
Colonel Sanders lived in thathouse.
Janette Marson (23:08):
That's very historic.
I wondered if you were going tobring old colonel sanders into
the conversation, because youmake a wonderful reenactor.
Well, thank you of that, ofthat historic.
Jon Park (23:18):
I was just thinking about that and uh, you know, the
fair is right around the corner, we'll be out there again.
And uh, it's interesting towatch people come up and tell
stories of how they met thecolonel.
Apparently he did a lot ofplane travel because they met
him on a plane or in an airport.
A lot of people have goodstories to tell about him and
those who worked for himsometimes have a little bit more
(23:38):
interesting story.
But overall Colonel Sanders isstill very well loved in Shelby
County and to get to be a partof that loved in Shelby County
and to get to be a part of that,and when you have two
reenactors one who is lookingkind of likes Colonel Sanders
and the other guy is AbrahamLincoln and when the two of them
are out at the fair together byaccident, everybody stops and
has to get a picture with bothof them.
Janette Marson (23:59):
Oh, and he Larry .
Um, yes, reenactor also.
So those listening definitelyjoin us at the Kentucky state
fair.
Um, shelby County always has abooth.
We've expanded this year we'regoing to have a 10 by 30,
inviting some partners to joinus and hopefully the judge and
deputy judge will be-.
Colonel.
Jon Park (24:19):
Sanders will be out there, and Colonel Sanders, yeah
, we'll be out there as well,well, john, thank you so much
for joining us.
Janette Marson (24:24):
I love talking to you.
You are so insightful ofhistory and all that goes on in
Shelby County.
Thanks so much for being on theshow.
Thank you, I appreciate beinghere.
Thank you, thanks for beinghere.
Mason Warren (24:41):
This has been Kentucky Hidden Wonders.
Thank you to Shelby CountyDeputy Judge Executive Jon Park
for coming on the show and thankyou for listening.
If you've made it this far,make sure you subscribe and
leave us a review.
It means the world to us.
We'll return with a brand newKentucky Hidden Wonders episode
in two weeks.
Bye everyone.
Kentucky Hidden Wonders is aShelby KY Tourism production.
(25:07):
Your hosts are Janet Marson andMason Warren.
To learn more about Shelby KYTourism and to start planning a
visit, head to visitshelbykycomMusic.
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