Joe Wolek 5/29/25 Joe Wolek 5/29/25

A Gift from One River Traveler to Another

*Magnetic medal found on a door hinge at Payne Hollow*

by Susan Griffin Ward, Community Engagement Director for the Kentucky Waterways Alliance and Payne Hollow on Ohio Board Member.

Following days of torrential February rains and icy snowstorms, daffodils and snowdrops pushed up through the half-frozen earth at Payne Hollow. Ephemeral streams sprang back to life, singing their way down steeply sloped hillsides and filling the hollow with the song of spring. I’ll take it; even a false spring offers hope.

Lately, a literal flood of bad news pours in from every direction. The whole world seems on edge. So, it was good for the soul to spend a couple of afternoons wandering around Payne Hollow. We climbed hills, listened to creek music, and mucked our way across flooded river bottom fields. The river was rising, but my spirit was settling.

While seeking relief in the Hubbard’s house from the cold wind blowing off the river, David (my husband) poked around and found a magnet attached to a door hinge. The engraving on the magnet depicted a man carrying a child across a river. Embarrassingly, after 16 years of Catholic education, I didn’t recognize it as a religious medal–the nuns who taught me would be disappointed—again.

Relying on the Gospel of Google (risky, I know, i.e., the Gulf of America) I learned it was a St. Christopher medal, a type made in Italy in the 1950’s. Google reports, “Christopher was a man of great size and strength who devoted himself to Jesus by helping travelers cross a dangerous river. One day a child asked to ride on Christopher's shoulders across the river, but the infant seemed to grow heavier and heavier with every step. When they arrived on the opposite shore, the child identified himself as Christ, telling the holy man that he had just carried the weight of the world. Saint Christopher became one of the most popular patron saints for travelers in the Middle Ages.”

The night before finding the medal, coincidentally (or maybe not; this story is a good reminder to keep room for serendipity in one’s life) we saw a documentary titled He Who is Blessed about Harvey Simmonds, who rescued the Payne Hollow manuscript that had been lost on the dusty shelves of a publishing company for years and facilitated he publishing the first edition by Eakins Press. What I didn’t know was that like Thomas Merton, Simmonds became a Trappist monk, a member of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance.

Here’s the thing: for years I’ve wondered if Merton and Hubbard knew each other, or of each other, or if any connection between them existed. I wanted to know not only for the reasons I’m about to outline below, but because both individuals have offered me ways of looking at the world that made living in the world a little easier.

Born 15 years apart at the beginning of the 20th century, both Merton and Hubbard lived for a time in New York City and were educated there; both had connections to the world of art and music, both felt deeply unsettled in their lives; both had early troubles with women; and in midlife both felt called to live in the rural hills of Kentucky.

When Merton and Hubbard couldn’t reconcile the traditional path taken by most men of their generation, they both made choices that were considered unusual. One turned to God and the other turned to the river—semantics as far as I’m concerned.

Merton went to live in a hermitage in the knobs of Nelson County at the Gethsemani monastery and Hubbard went to live in a nautical version of a hermitage, a one room Shantyboat that he set adrift downriver, and then eventually lived out his life in a small cabin in at Payne Hollow in Trimble County. But neither lived in isolation. Merton had his fellow monks and a community of artists and thinkers with whom he maintained relationships; Harlan was married to Anna, and had relationships with family, friends, and neighbors. Both men found deep inspiration in the woods and water—they wrote books, loved music, made art, kept journals and sought peace of mind and spirit on the “fringe of society.”

And now here is a third person, Harvey Simmonds, who went both to a monastery and the river. The similarities and connections between his life and the lives of Merton and Hubbard are remarkable.

He was a star in New York City’s bohemian world of art and publishing. He was a master gardener, a botanical expert with deep connections to the earth. He credited Merton’s book, Seven Story Mountain, for saving his life when he was in deep despair during an episode of depression. He, too, had a relationship with a woman that ended badly. In midlife, he left his life in NYC to work on the Delta Queen for two years and was introduced to Harlan Hubbard by a riverboat captain. He became a monk, took the name Brother Benedict, and went to live in an abbey next to the Shenandoah River for the remainder of his life.

How astounding is it that this is the person who got Harlan’s book published? Learning this piece of the Hubbard story and the connection to Merton delights me to no end.

And because everything seems to be connected to everything else, it is not much of a leap to imagine that it was Harvey Simmonds/Brother Benedict who gave Harlan Hubbard the St. Christopher medal—a gift from one river traveler to another.

It’s also a bit wondrous that David found a St. Christopher medal after a day of building rock bridges so we could safely cross icy creeks flooded by a rising river all in pursuit of respite from the troubles of the world.

I think I just found myself a patron saint. Now I just need my own St. Christopher medal.

Joe Wolek 3/24/25 Joe Wolek 3/24/25

Higher Education and Payne Hollow: A Site for Interdisciplinary Research and Teaching

by David Wicks, Payne Hollow on the Ohio board chair

This year marks an exciting chapter for Payne Hollow on the Ohio as we deepen our role as a site for interdisciplinary research and teaching. Building on the legacy of Anna and Harlan Hubbard—who embraced simplicity, creativity, and environmental stewardship—Payne Hollow is becoming a dynamic hub where universities, students, and scholars explore the connections between art, culture, environment, and history.

Summer Research: Connecting Ecology, History, and Technology: This summer, Payne Hollow will host two major university-sponsored research projects, demonstrating the value of place-based, community-engaged learning.

The University of Louisville’s Speed School of Engineering, through a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, will return to Payne Hollow as part of the Community-Engaged Educational Ecosystem (C-EEEM) project. Two research teams will focus on Payne Hollow. One will create an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) Tour that brings Payne Hollow’s history, ecology, and art to a wider audience. A second team will explore Ohio River Islands, linking river ecology to Payne Hollow’s setting.

Simultaneously, the University of Kentucky’s Cooperative Extension Service will sponsor an eight-week research project focusing on documenting the historic resources of Trimble County, connecting Payne Hollow to surrounding communities like Milton and Bedford. This research highlights how the site continues to inspire deep connections between history, land, and people.

Fall 2025: National Honors Seminar and Historic Preservation: Our engagement with higher education will continue into Fall 2025 when the University of Louisville Honors Program hosts a national travel seminar centered on Payne Hollow, led by Dr. David Wicks and Russ Barnett. As part of this "Managing Natural Areas" course, students will explore conservation and land ethics through visits to Bernheim Arboretum, Horner Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary, the Berry Center, and the Aldo Leopold Foundation. These experiences will culminate in student presentations envisioning the future of Payne Hollow as a model of environmental stewardship and education.

In addition, the University of Kentucky’s Department of Historic Preservation will lead a course to develop Payne Hollow’s National Historic Register application, a significant step toward preserving this historic site and deepening public engagement with its story.

A Living Classroom for Interdisciplinary Study: These university collaborations reflect Payne Hollow’s vision to serve as a regional center for interdisciplinary education and conservation. Rooted in the Hubbards’ values of simplicity, creativity, and respect for nature, Payne Hollow is becoming a place where students and scholars engage in hands-on research, artistic exploration, and ecological restoration. Whether documenting biodiversity, exploring historical narratives, or creating art inspired by the landscape, Payne Hollow offers a setting for immersive learning across disciplines.

Looking Ahead: As we build these higher education partnerships, Payne Hollow is emerging as a living classroom and research field station, where students and faculty can connect meaningfully with land, history, and community.

In the words of Harlan Hubbard, “May it long remain as it is, not merely for our selfish enjoyment, but for the satisfaction it must give many people to know there is such a place.”

Finally, Payne Hollow on the Ohio is working with Hanover College to explore establishing an internship program, offering students opportunities to contribute to Hubbard research and Payne Hollow’s ongoing story. Through these efforts, we aim to keep Payne Hollow vibrant, relevant, and inspiring for generations to come.

Joe Wolek 12/27/24 Joe Wolek 12/27/24

The Spirit of being Kind and Neighborly…

Earlier this fall, Brian Bailey and his lovely daughter, Amanda, visited Payne Hollow. As a boy he lived in the Hanover faculty housing with his family. His father, Alvin Bailey, a professor would often play music with Harlan and Anna when they visited the college. He played piano, so Anna would have to surrender that role and go to the cello when they trio-ed. The Bailey’s also visit Payne Hollow once in awhile, Brian in tow as a young kid exploring the riverside hollow.

Brian had not been back to the area in many decades and had a trip planned to show his daughter around his old youthful haunts in southern Indiana. He reached out to us and asked if he could include a tour when they were around. His story was interesting and pleasant and thought we could get some special information from him about those music ventures his parents shared with Harlan and Anna as well as elements of Harlan and Anna’s connection to the college, so agreed to honor his request.

It was a great visit with lots of good memories shared by Brian and they appreciated hearing all that we had done in the time since Payne Hollow on the Ohio acquired the place and our plans for the future. A few weeks later a heartfelt thank you letter arrived along with a very substantial check from his Donor Advised Fund included. We had no expectations whatsoever and were very surprised by the extreme generosity. It just goes to show that, like the Hubbard’s, it’s just simply good to be kind and neighborly. What comes around goes around…

This year Payne Hollow welcomed visitors from near and far--even as far away as Alaska and Germany! It is clear that there is a community of people across the United States, and beyond, who care about protecting the Payne Hollow homestead, the legacy of the Hubbards, and the beautiful hollow next to the Ohio River.

Payne Hollow on the Ohio is a completely volunteer run nonprofit. The restoration efforts and the vision of the new strategic plan will be possible only because of the generosity of supporters like Brian Bailey and people like YOU! As the end of the year draws near please know that donations are needed, and that any gift of any amount is deeply appreciated.Here are some ways to give:

Donate online at www.paynehollowontheohio.org.
Mail a check to Payne Hollow on the Ohio, PO Box 292, Prospect, KY 40059. (No service fees tis way!)
Use a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF): Through your DAF, recommend a grant to Payne Hollow on the Ohio, ensuring a tax-efficient, impactful gift. Learn more at freewill.com.

Joe Wolek 12/13/24 Joe Wolek 12/13/24

Our first open house!

On Sunday December 8th we had the first public open house at the historic site and a reception up top at the Hollowpayno base camp. At the reception we premiered the new video created with the help of the folks at Kertis Creative, our new 3 year strategic plan done with the Center for Nonprofit Excellence and a Landscape Inventory completed by Michael Gaige, a historical ecologist. It was a great day with over 100 folks attending, many for the ffirst time to see Payne Hollow! (Photos by John Nation, Susan Griffin Ward and Joe Wolek)

Joe Wolek 12/5/24 Joe Wolek 12/5/24

Pete Bartnick, nephew of Anna, visits Payne Hollow

Pete used to visit often as a child with his parents and then as a young adult would come on his own. When here, he would stay in the visitor’s cabin on the south side of the creek. He tells some good stories and memories of his time in the hollow when he visited this past fall.

View here

Joe Wolek 10/22/24 Joe Wolek 10/22/24

HARLAN HUBBARD AND WADE HALL: LIFE AND ART.

by R. Ted Steinbock, MD

Wade Hall (1934-2015) was a Professor of English at Bellarmine University for 30 years before retiring and returning to his native Alabama. He was the author of numerous books and articles on Kentucky and Kentuckians such as statesman Wilson W. Wyatt, civil rights leader Lyman Johnson, and country music performer Pee Wee King. He organized the Ohio Valley Book Fair and hosted the long-running interview show on KET called “Wade Hall’s Kentucky Desk.” A fellow inquisitive and inveterate collector, I knew Wade for years, and we often shared our latest Kentucky acquisitions and traded back and forth.

Wade made several visits to Payne Hollow in the last years of Harlan’s life, specifically on June 27, 1987, and later in August about five months before Harlan’s death. They also corresponded back and forth, and Wade used these interviews to publish “A Visit with Harlan Hubbard” that was printed in 1996 by the University of Kentucky Libraries. It is a brief but wonderful account of Harlan’s reminisces about his early life, his past life with Anna, and his current life as an octogenarian and widower living alone at Payne Hollow. This is a much more personal account than in Harlan’s own journals and provides details not generally available elsewhere. Here Harlan becomes an individual rather than writer and artist. Though not readily available, I highly recommend this “Hubbard monologue” that Wade produced from these visits and letters.

On Dec 11, 1986, Harlan received the Artist Award for Lifetime Achievement at a ceremony hosted by Governor Martha Layne Collins. The printed program has a watercolor of the Ohio River shoreline painted by Harlan in 1949. (Fig 1). Titled “River Scene,” the original work was presented by Gov. Collins to Barry Bingham, Sr. (1906-1988) who received the Milner Award that same evening in recognition for his longtime commitment to the Arts. On March 11, 1986, Harlan presented to Wade Hall a large oil painting dated 1950 that was inspired by the watercolor. (Fig 2). On the back in large cursive writing Harlan inscribes “For Wade Hall. Anna and I enjoyed your visits. We look forward to your book. Harlan Hubbard, March 11, 1986.” A note signed by Wade is also attached to the back stating “Oil painting by Harlan Hubbard inspired by the watercolor of 1949 used for the cover of the Governor Arts Award which Harlan received in 1986. Harlan presented me this work in 1986. Wade Hall.”

This large oil painting measures 23 x 28 ½ inches and is a prized part of my Hubbard art collection. Both the watercolor and the oil exhibit Harlan’s looser style and they are imbued with his love for the Ohio River and its everchanging shoreline. I am indebted to Crit Luallen for providing me with the original Governor’s Awards in the Arts program for 1986. She was Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of the Arts at that time.

Joe Wolek 10/19/24 Joe Wolek 10/19/24

Lots of restoration work completed this season at the Hollow

Ray Kleinhelter and his team of his son, Zack, and Charles Sledge, finished many tasks so far this summer and fall. Just last week they finished re-enforcing the foundation of the studio building by adding a post and beam truss system and then demolished and reconstructed the cinder block wall that had been crumbling away without destroying the upper brick wall that was so aesthetic. Now there are two means of support for the building so it won’t be going anywhere…. Additionally over the past weeks the iconic picture windows on the front of the house had been repaired to open and close again. These and the other windows had been reglazed and painted as well. The leak in the roof over the main entrance had been sealed and the damage to the ceiling and floor beneath repaired and replaced. And amazingly—as Ray was looking for some scrap masonite to use for the window repair—he discovered an old painting study of Harlan’s on riverboats that had been in the stack of scrap wood for years… Other tasks have been completed as well, such as both cistern systems cleaned and resurfaced, rails put on the balconies of the visitor cabin and the temporary gutters put on parts of the house and studio to drain water away from the foundations and to feed the cistern. Ray’s team hopes to complete the last task of the season and dig a trench to install a french drain system along the rear and side walls of the studio building to further assist in the drainage and remove water flow against the studio walls. Great progress!

Joe Wolek 10/18/24 Joe Wolek 10/18/24

AmeriCorps NCCC Team helps out in the Hollow

For three weeks a 10 member AmeriCorps NCCC teamperformed great work at Payne Hollow and Hollowpayno base camp where they stayed. Unfortunately due to the disaster of Hurricaine Helene they were called to service down in the Carolinas and cut their work stint here in half. We are hoping that they—or a different AmeriCorps NCCC team—returns next spring. While here, they transported all of the lumber for footbridge construction along the bell trail, brought to site all of the building materials for the studio foundation rebuild, collected river stones for the pathways, built some benches for the trails and started on creating camping platforms for basecamp shelters. Above all they made good friends with people involved with our mission and some local Trimble County and Madison folk. We miss them already. The materials they brought to the site will help us tremendously in restoring the historic site and we will count on fans of Payne Hollow to come and lend a hand to complete what they were not able to.