Ivy Mountain Dedication

Captain Owen Wright of Prestonsburg and his Confederate Guards began the ceremony by presenting the Confederate Colors. Standing next to Owen are Jordan and Donald Stransky of Warfield, Kentucky.
To enlarge, click here.

Pvt. Jordan Stransky, son of Don Stransky, served as Confederate color-bearer.
To enlarge, click here.

Robert Perry gave a short speech explaining how the monument came to be erected. For more on this, see The Man Behind the Monument. Adrian Stransky, daughter of Don Stransky, held the microphone. To enlarge, click here.

Prestonsburg Tourism Director Fred James applauded the project and said that the monument would benefit Floyd County tourism. To enlarge, click here.

Tom Fugate of the Kentucky Heritage Council supervised the project for the Kentucky Transportation Department. Thanks, Tom, for all of the work you have done. To enlarge, click here.

Judge Paul Hunt Thompson of the Floyd County Fiscal Court praised the project and those who made it happen, mentioning that his great-great-great grandfather had served at Ivy Mountain with the 5th Kentucky Infantry. Though he was too modest to mention the fact, Paul himself saw action in Viet Nam with the U. S. Marine Corps.

Following the dedication, a reception was held at the Samuel May House in Prestonsburg, the oldest house in the Big Sandy Valley and the birthplace of Colonel Jack May. Seen here are six Southern belles, most of them from Louisa, Kentucky, posing on the porch of the house. In the center is Patricia Johnson of Williamsport, President of the Mattie Morgan Chapter of the Order of the Confederate Rose. To enlarge, click here.

The Union color guard included Captain Jimmy Epling of Ashland, left, Pvt. John David Preston of Paintsville, center, and Pvt. Marlitta Perkins of Louisa, right. A well-respected Civil War historian, John David and his friend John B. Wells of Paintsville composed the text inscribed on the monument. Marlitta contributed to the ceremony by reading the names of the Union soldiers killed and wounded during the battle. To enlarge, click here.

Michelle Holbrook, seen here with her daughter Lauren, opened the ceremony with a beautiful rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner." She also sang "Dixie" and "God Bless America." Thanks, Michelle, for helping to make the ceremony a success.
Click here.