Coming up on Kentucky Life... See how antique lovers flock to to the small town of Hazel.

In southwestern Kentucky.

We'll take you to Creelsboro Natural Arch in Russell County.

One of the largest stone arches east of the Rocky Mountains.

Meet Louisville-born actor Victor Mature.

A major motion picture star in the 1950s.

And we'll head to the big top with the University of Kentucky.

Circus Club.

All that's next on Kentucky Life ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hey, everybody, and welcome to Kentucky Life.

I'm your host, Chip Polston.

And today I'm here with the Kentucky Life crew.

At the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center in Mount Vernon.

When founder John Lair threw open these doors.

For the very first barn dance back in 1939, He had a clear vision of what he wanted to present: To give folks the very best entertainment available.

Keep it wholesome and clean.

And treat everyone who visited like good neighbors.

And nearly 85 years later.

Those tenants are still at the core of Renfro Valley And we're really looking forward to our day here today.

But first, antique lovers will be glad to know that.

You don't have to travel outside of the state.

To score some unique vintage finds.

In fact, you can travel down to the Tennessee border.

In the western Kentucky area.

To the tiny town of Hazel.

Home to less than 400 people.

Yet also home to nearly a dozen antique stores.

And if you spend some time there you just might discover.

Mayberry-like sense of community is the most valuable find of all ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Hazel is a small local town right here.

In the farther most part of western Kentucky.

About 8 miles to 10 miles south of Murray.

Right on the Tennesse state line.

It is a wonderful little town to take a day trip.

We've got a couple of really good restaurants.

We got ice cream, but best of all we've got... Antiques.

We've been known for antiques.

Quite since the early '80s.

The thing about Hazel is that.

It was a train depot town for a long time.

The train would stop here.

And it was hustling and bustling We had a newspaper, we had a school.

We had two popcorn factories because, you know.

One is never enough.

We had several banks.

We had our own jail.

It was really a nice little busy community.

But then when the train depot closed.

Things had to change.

we had to adapt and that's what what Hazel did.

And in, I think, the late '70s, maybe early '80s.

There was this fella and his name was Sonny Parkhill.

He was from Paris and he came to Hazel.

To have a Pepsi at the restaurant here.

Well, before he headed home to Paris.

He had purchased one of the stores here that had been vacant And he turned it into an antique store.

And that was the very first antique store in Hazel.

And it caught on.

So we owe a whole lot of what we are today to Sonny Parkhill.

I grew up here and I have so many good memories of this town.

And these stores and these business owners.

That they could not not be special.

But I think that it also offers that to people.

That were not born here.

It is just a community that's so tight knit.

And so kind and so generous with each other.

I think that you really feel that when you come to visit us.

We've had a positive trend in our business.

Because so many department store gone out of business.

So, if you need a really good item to decorate.

Your home or apartment, the only thing around here.

you can really go to is a Walmart.

or a couple of the other, I call them, "classic" stores.

So, if you were to really redecorate a place.

The antique store is now where to go.

Our name is Mantiques and, like the name implies.

it's a store for men, at least 50% of it.

What's really nice though is there's stuff for ladies too.

Just like it says on the building.

Born and raised in Miami, Florida.

I bought a vacation home in Big Sandy.

And we actually found Hazel, one afternoon we got lost.

And as we were driving through it.

we thought it was a really cute town.

we stopped and did some shopping Took up a friendship with a couple of shop owners.

And then eventually a shop came for sale.

And we ended up in Hazel.

What's really nice about Hazel is.

With Hazel being right on the border.

of between Tennessee and Kentucky.

we get a lot of people from the north.

And we get a lot of people from the south.

And they all have a general feeling like "Wow, this is out of nowhere, but this is a really cool town."

And you see stuff in this town.

That you don't even in the large cities.

We're kind of like a museum where the stuff is for sale.

What makes Hazel unique now is the fact.

That we're a destination town.

All we have here is antique stores.

And I love books.

When my husband and I travelled to England one time.

When we got ready to leave.

He had to buy two suitcases to put all my books in.

I just [opened] this book room right before the pandemic.

I sell books every weekend and most every day.

Have a lot of Murray state students.

That are regulars over here.

You know, if someone doesn't have their shop open.

you're gonna be on the phone.

Call to see if something is wrong.

And if you're running late.

You call the other shop owner and say, "I am running late, if you get customers.

Please tell them I will be there " We care about each other's families.

And what's going on in their lives.

It's like being one big office but different shops.

To me, if you looked at Mayberry in the dictionary.

It would be the City of Hazel.

You know, I've got a 10-year-old son.

And it's just really cool that he can walk down.

To the gas station and he can walk down to the other store.

And there's really no fear or anything like that.

Because we're a very small community.

We all look out for each other.

And it's just good old southern hospitality.

In the '90s, my grandmother had an antique store in Tennessee.

She passed away about two and a half years ago.

And we were trying to figure out what do we do with all of nana's antiques.

One day I just happened to be walking through Hazel.

And I saw this building.

And I've driven past a million times and it was for sale.

And it just hit me that, you know what.

This might be what we need to do But the kicker was.

The name of this building has been Memory Lane for 50 years.

There's a big mural outside "MEMORY LANE" And would you believe that 30 years ago.

The name of my grandmother's antique store was Memory Lane?

Most of these items have been in the stores for about 30 years And they were antiques then.

My grandmother collected anything.

From Fenton to high sea to all the amberina stuff.

Just a good variety of items.

One thing that's really unique.

About Hazel is almost like a family.

Even though we have our own stores and our own shops.

We're all in collaboration with each other.

And it's very positive.

We're always helping each other.

If I need something, I know I can walk right next door.

And Miss Mollie would be there to help me out.

if ever I needed.

And likewise, if she needed something from us.

So it's really a family atmosphere in the sense.

That we're always connected.

My hope is that people value the fact that they can hold it.

Touch it, inspect it in our shops And still give us a little bit more value with having a brick And mortar to shop in versus looking at it online.

I just think that it is so important.

For people to recognize how special these small towns are.

Not just Hazel, but all these little Hazel-like towns.

That are known for something.

I think that when you're out travelling with your family.

You should check them out.

Because they all have something really special to offer.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Just downstream from Wolf Creek Dam.

On the Cumberland River stands The largest natural bridge east of the Rockies.

This natural wonder, affectionately.

Named the Rock House, Provided shelter for centuries for Native Americans.

It's now an attraction for tourists and locals alike.

Who can enjoy its splendor.

And while it's provided wonder and awe to so many.

Not long ago it was in danger of disappearing.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Downstream from the Wolf Creek Dam.

Situated next to the Cumberland River is a natural formation.

Called the Creelsboro Natural Arch.

This arch is one of Kentucky's hidden jewels.

Due to the roominess of the structure.

120 feet wide as you enter, over 36 feet of vaulted ceiling.

And you walk through 100 feet to the Cumberland River.

There is a sense of awe and excitement.

When you first see the opening that it's really special.

And because it represents Kentucky's geoheritage.

Kentucky has the most natural arches in the eastern states.

On the side of the Mississippi River.

For geologist Steve Martin.

It's a great example of how these marvels are formed.

Water, fractures in the rock.

And temperature change are the ingredients.

You need to create a natural arch opening.

When people come here to visit.

What they should look for geologically, what you can notice here is the horizontal layers in the rock.

And just know that some of those layers.

Are more resistant than others.

And that's what helped the arch.

The Creelsboro Arch has been a draw for human beings.

Through the centuries and still today.

These rock formations play a role in human history.

As in the indigenous people have been using these shelters.

There's evidence of petroglyphs, and even today.

It provides us recreation activities.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Around the turn of the 20th century.

local citizens would give another title to this arch.

The Rock House.

They did a lot of picnics down there.

They did a lot of revivals when a bad storm was coming.

Everyone went under it and they were protected.

So it sort of became the Rock House.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The arch is actually located on the private property.

Of the Goff family.

Diana Goff remembers the story of how her father Thomas Goff.

learned to love the land his father.

My grandfather took over a school.

where the boys were running their teachers off.

And he made a deal with the young boys.

That if they would study really hard before lunch.

That after lunch he would go out and play with them.

And the Rock House was the playground.

Thomas Goff grew up playing and exploring around the Rock House.

At age five his family moved away.

But Goff's love for the Rock House never left him.

Years later, the land became available.

Thomas Goff would buy the property.

But within a few years, Thomas Goff.

And his wife Lorene found themselves at odds.

With plans to expand.

The capability of the Wolf Creek Dam.

These plans would have flooded.

The area submerging the arch forever.

My parents and many local people stood up.

and said, no.

We had universities and colleges that stepped up.

And did studies and did tests.

And they proved the Rock House is very special.

Eventually, the National Park Service stepped in.

And named Creelsboro as a national natural landmark.

And Thomas Goff had won the battle.

Mr. Goff preserved a part of Kentucky's history.

By preserving this opening.

It's a very impressive opening and to think.

That maybe it could have been destroyed.

In building of the dam, he did a great service.

To the citizens of Kentucky that they can enjoy.

This natural wonder.

Thomas Goff would die six months later, but his wife Lorene carried on this loving tradition.

For the Rock house.

She fell in love with the Rock House through my dad.

My mother was 91 when she passed And on her way out she said said to me, "I would love for the Rock House to stay in the family.

And to this day, Diana Goff believes.

Creelsboro Natural Arch still instills the beauty.

And peacefulness her father found so many years ago.

I feel hope and revival when I go there.

I hope that the people that go to the Rock House find peace.

And quiet and will walk away from there with hope.

For their future and be revived to face the challenges.

That they're facing today.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Louisville-born actor Victor Mature came of age in Hollywood.

When big epic films with religious themes.

Were very popular.

His appearances in movies like "Samson and Delilah" And "The Robe" turned Mature into one of the industry's Most sought-after actors.

But it was his roles in gangster films.

And westerns that really cemented his lasting reputation.

As an iconic presence on the American screen.

From the Golden Age of Hollywood ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Victor Mature was born in Louisville.

Kentucky, on January 29, 1913.

His mom was from Kentucky.

But his dad was an Italian immigrant.

Mature went to St. X High School And later to the Kentucky Military Institute.

It was during the Depression.

So after that he was casting about for odd jobs.

Worked here and there, worked in a restaurant.

And then decided to make his way to California to see If he could find any opportunities out there.

There he got involved in theater.

He worked at the Pasadena Playhouse for a little bit.

And then eventually was discover by Hal Roach.

Who casted him in some of his first films.

Victor Mature is best known for these big historical epics.

And to call them beefcake is not to miss the mark.

"Samson and Delilah" directed by Cecil B. DeMille.

Was an enormous hit.

And it turned Victor Mature from a working actor.

Into one of the biggest stars in the world.

In 1949, Mature appeared as Samson in "Samson and Delilah," One of these big biblical epics.

That's probably what he is most known for.

Mid 20th century, you know, if you're dealing with Hollywood Then the biblical epic is one of the big budget.

It's a claim, it's one of the biggest genres that they have.

And so this brought him a lot of attention.

He was a big guy.

He was known as kind of big hunk of man.

That was kind of how he was built.

So that role was perfect for him.

A bit later he's in "The Robe."

You might remember that if you've ever watched it on Easter It's a common biblical epic on Easter mornings.

And he's up against Richard Burton there.

Who is acting to the nth degree.

And Mature is holding his own in a kind of quiet.

Understated way, maybe he is just staying out of Burton's way But regardless he makes an impression.

You're afraid, but you really don't know the reason why.

Watching "The Robe" now is interesting.

To watch in my view anyway.

Richard Burton look bored and then overact.

Whereas Mature, again in my view.

Knows exactly what he's doing.

You think it's his robe that made you ill.

But it's your own conscience, your own decent shame.

Even when you crucified him, you felt it.

The spell isn't in his robe, it's in you.

Your heart and your mind.

Face it, Marcellus.

Don't be afraid of him.

And in particular, I would point to his work in the western films And the noir as two other genres that he did splendid work.

In that sort of drowned beneath the weight.

Of those sword-and-sandals epics A good example of Mature's work in film noir is "Kiss of Death" From 1947, which really holds up as one of these types of films.

And there Mature's presence is again quiet, understated.

Somewhat dangerous.

And he photographs so well in black and white.

The crankiness of his face, his hair, his eyes.

Everything about him worked in that kind of genre.

Nick, he's a three-time loser now.

All we've got to do is catch him with a gun on him.

And we can send him up for life.

And suppose he don't make a mistake?

He didn't the last time.

You made the mistake.

Sooner or later, he'll trip himself up.

They all do.

You got to trust me I'm through trusting you, the police or anybody but me.

There's only one way to get Udo, and that's my way.

In "Kiss of Death" what you see is a perfect balance.

Between two different men, and Mature brings the moral center.

His character is the moral center of the film.

Kids like to have fun.

We'll all have some fun together.

You and me and your wife... And your kids.

Touch my family and you will hear singing.

like you never heard before.

There's another noir that's I think also underrated.

It's called "Cry of the City."

It's not nearly as well known even as "Kiss of Death."

But in that, there's a wonderful scene.

where Richard Conte is having a sort of feeling self pity.

About how poor he is.

Crummy tenements.

No food.

No clothes.

Save it for the jury, Marty.

Who do you think you're kidding?

I was brought up in the district too.

I've heard that dialogue from you hoodlum hotshots.

Ever since I was ten years old.

Certainly his origins, like, coming from Kentucky.

And coming from this difficult background.

Gave that movie a little more heft.

And a little more weight.

which I think you can still see when you watch it today.

Don't be a square.

Stay with the smart money.

Let the old man get calluses digging ditches.

No food, no clothes, crummy tenements.

You're breaking my heart, Marty.

When you talk about Mature.

You have to talk about his biblical epics.

you certainly have to talk about his film noir work.

But you really have to talk about his work in westerns.

If I was gonna pick one western.

As sort of a prescriptive template for all westerns.

it might be "My Darling Clementine."

It's a beautiful performance.

It's quiet and melancholy and beaten.

And it's a show of a man.

And Mature handles that perfectly well.

Particularly in scenes with Fonda and Linda Darnell.

..the sweetest, from under a broad sombrero.

And there he plays Doc Holliday.

up against Henry Fonda's Wyatt Earp.

We're through talking, Marshal.

My advice to you is start carrying your gun.

That's good advice.

At least in the public mind.

pigeon holed in a certain kinds of roles.

But when he had the opportunity working.

With good directors like Robert Siodmak, Henry Hathaway.

who had a long career, or a great director like John Ford.

He was able to achieve something remarkable.

Victor Mature has been honored.

with one of the photographic murals of famous Louisvillians.

Up in Louisville, Kentucky.

And I think that's apt.

His career and his life shows range.

And flexibility, but he is also somebody.

Who never takes himself too seriously.

He's a working actor who shows up, he does good work.

Sometimes he does astonishingly compelling work.

But he's always game.

And he is always willing to try something different.

And I think that's an excellent quality.

For Kentuckians to celebrate.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ When the University of Kentucky philosophy professor thought.

It would be interesting to offer a class on circus arts.

Her idea continued to grow to the point where UK students.

Who may have never even been to a circus.

Found themselves on a trapeze or juggling pins.

The Circus Club experience is certainly.

One that has some UK students.

Tapping in to their own greatest show on earth.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ The Circus Club is an environment.

To practice circus skills.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ And it's really just this interactive space.

Where we practice skill sharing.

And show each other different apparatus.

which you all see here today.

The Circus Club was founded in winter of 2021.

And a lot of the people who came and if they had heard of circus.

It was something you watched.

And not something you do.

So the idea of having a Circus Club where you come.

And you learn to do these things You've probably seen other people do was kind of exciting.

Silks are exactly what they sound like.

They're long silks that hang down from the ceiling.

And people climb on them.

And makes all sorts of shapes.

There's a hoop that you see hanging in the air.

That's called the lyra.

Trapeze, it's a straight bar with ropes coming off of it.

Partner acrobatics or acrobalancing.

It involves usually multiple people on the ground.

Or standing on each other and making shapes together.

Find out the sort of sequences.

And moves that you love, and just [dance it out.].

What I love about the circus is.

You can do anything and there's all these different apparatuses.

But I really love the silks.

They're beautiful and it's really fun to be up in them.

But it's also the intricacies of the knots that you have to tie.

It's a bit of knot theory.

so figuring out how to weave the silks in and out.

It's a bit of a logic problem.

And I teach logic, so there was this natural fit.

Between the technical bits.

And the fact that there was this harmony.

Or nice match between the difficulty and the puzzle aspect But also the beauty that results when you do it correctly.

It's a little bit of an adrenaline rush and for me.

It's a challenge.

Both physically being able to get up there.

And get into the positions and then also mentally.

So I founded the club.

I was taking the circus and philosophy class here at UK.

With our faculty advisor, Meg Wallace.

And I wanted to be able to continue learning.

All those circus skills as well as bring them to my friends.

And other people in campus.

The class itself is kind of unusual.

We actually have students do circus arts.

Instead of just looking at it or watching it.

There are a couple of reasons I came up with the idea of circus.

And philosophy.

So, for whatever reason.

People who do circus tend to be already open to questions.

About themselves and what they're like in the world.

And their identity.

And these are all philosophical questions.

And I'm not sure why, I mean, one of it might be, well, look.

When you flip upside down.

You literally see the world from a different perspective.

So, one of the themes of the class is to start out.

As an individual and ask yourself.

How do I become a good person?

And you start by doing things.

That take lots of repetition and practice.

Like juggling.

And they see that if they could just practice a little bit.

Like five minutes every day, the get really good very quickly.

Well, there are a lot of philosophers.

In particular Aristotle.

who thought that being a good person.

Was much like learning a task like juggling.

I have to practice this thing every day.

After practice being good.

I have to practice thinking good Thoughts and doing good deeds.

And we end with acrobalancing.

We're working with others.

And so the themes at the end.

Are how about being a good individual.

can work its way into being a good community member.

And so we start talking about community.

And building trust and learning to engage with other people.

so that you can be a good human being in a human society.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ It's a series of discoveries for yourself.

And then I don't know what it is But in circus you want others to have that experience, too.

There's just this joy in getting other people to do.

This weird thing that you've just learned.

And so it's already got this intrinsic way.

Of sharing with others this really cool thing.

That you've learned.

And I thought a circus club would bring that to more people.

Than just this one class that I can only offer once a year.

I think something like this has a profound mental health benefit And people come here to have fun and relax.

There's not the sort of pressure that comes with all the classes.

There is no pressure if you get it wrong.

Everyone's supportive when thing go well.

And when things go.

It's providing a space for students to be able to just kind Of get in touch with your child side again.

You just already see a sense of community and support.

And that can mean in the sense of like.

No, I physically have got you.

You're not gonna fall and I will support you.

But also, it just seems like people are encouraging.

You will hear lots of cheers.

And claps when somebody gets something.

Yay.

When you walk into the club.

And you don't know what to expect.

It's just this beautiful spectacle.

That it sort of generates a feeling of awe.

And wonder and playfulness, it's great.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ We've had a terrific time today.

Exploring the legendary music hall here at Renfro Valley.

You know, everyone from Ricky Skaggs.

The Oak Ridge Boys, Glen Campbel.

Little Jimmy Dickens and the like.

They've graced this stage here.

And at one time, part owner of this facility.

Was none other than Willie Nelson himself.

Many thanks to everybody at Renfro Valley.

For letting us share this iconic venue with you.

But for now, I'll leave with this moment.

I'm Chip Polston, cherishing this Kentucky Life.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪