152. A Brief History of Nudist Colonies in Kentucky & Indiana

In this offbeat episode, we take a break from heavy historical biographies and dive into something a little lighter. What started as a routine property history search for a Louisville listing led me down a rabbit hole of vintage newspaper clippings, culminating in an unexpected and fascinating journey through the early nudist (or naturist) movement in Kentucky and Indiana.

You’ll hear the bizarre headline that sparked it all—“Bee Intrudes as 2 Louisvillians Enter Ranks of Nudist Royalty”—and meet the surprisingly compelling couple at the heart of it. We cover the founding of Zoro Nature Camp in Indiana in the 1930s, its battles against public scandal and legal scrutiny, and how it became a hub for naturist conventions and moral high ground.

We follow the story of Bernard and Dorothy Harding, a deaf couple from Louisville who lived fascinating lives full of hardship, resilience, and—briefly—nudist royalty. Plus, we explore how lawmakers in Kentucky reacted to the idea of nudist colonies with 20-foot wall requirements, licensing fees, and statewide panic.

This episode has it all:

🔍 Historical deep dives📜 Archival weirdness👑 A nude coronation⚖️ Oddball legal history🧡 And a love story that’s almost too strange to be true.

Quotes to Remember:

🗞️ “We are unashamed of our bodies. It will take more than court orders and cold weather to stop us from leading our lives as we wish.”
👑 “A bee intruded itself upon the coronation scene… the ceremony was quickly finished.”
📜 “If a man wants to get off in the woods and gambol about in the nude, he ought to have that right.” – Rep. Henry Ward

Further Reading / Links:

Kentucky Nudism Laws: https://naturistaction.org/laws/kentucky-laws/

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Thanks for tuning in—and until next time, keep your curiosity uncovered.