Augusta in Bracken County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

A Foster Inspiration

Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 13, 2019

1. A Foster Inspiration Marker

Inscription. Stephen Collins Foster, as youth, visited here, May 1833. His uncle, Dr. Joseph S. Tomlinson, was then President of Augusta College. The musical, harmonious voices from the old Negro church on the hill floated softly over the town. “It can hardly be doubted,” Foster was impressed by these since he “put into song at a later time the sorrow their voices reflected.”

Erected 1964 by Kentucky Historical Society and Kentucky Department of Highways. (Marker Number 750.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Churches & Religion • Education. In addition, it is included in the Kentucky Historical Society series list. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1833.

Location. 38° 46.265′ N, 84° 0.081′ W. Marker is in Augusta, Kentucky, in Bracken County. Marker is at the intersection of Heather Renee French Boulevard (Kentucky Route 8) and Frankfort Street, on the right when traveling west on Heather Renee French Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Augusta KY 41002, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. In Memory of All American Veterans (a few steps from this marker); Augusta College (approx. 0.2 miles away); Built by B.F. Powers

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(approx. ¼ mile away); Augusta World War Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); Augusta In Civil War (approx. 0.3 miles away); Bracken County Wine (approx. 0.4 miles away); Philip Buckner (1747-1820) (approx. 0.4 miles away); Fort Ancient Village at Augusta / Who Were Fort Ancient People? (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Augusta.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Also see . . .
1. Stephen Foster & Co. Book of lyrics by Stephen Foster edited by Ken Emerson on Amazon.com. Excerpt:

Although some of Foster’s blackface lyrics are abhorrent — the second verse of “Oh! Susanna” is a shocker — at their best they imbue African Americans with a dignity and pathos that were unprecedented. No songwriter had called a black woman a lady before “Nelly Was a Lady.” Unbeknownst to most of the throng that sings bowdlerized lyrics on Derby Day, “My Old Kentucky Home” does not celebrate cavaliers and crinolines in the Old South — it invokes Uncle Tom’s Cabin and indicts
Photographed By J. J. Prats, June 13, 2019

2. A Foster Inspiration Marker
slavery for breaking up black families.

(Submitted on July 7, 2019.) This website may earn income if you use this link to make a purchase on Amazon.com.

2. My Old Kentucky Home - Stephen Foster - Robert Shaw Chorale.

This version is faithful to the original published lyrics, which were revised in 1968. The working title was “Poor Uncle Tom, Good Night!” (Submitted on July 7, 2019.)

3. Wikipedia entry for Stephen Foster. “Stephen Collins Foster (1826–1864), known as ‘the father of American music,’ was an American songwriter known primarily for his parlor and minstrel music. He wrote more than 200 songs, including ‘Oh! Susanna,’ ‘Hard Times Come Again No More,’ ‘Camptown Races,’ ‘Old Folks at Home’ (‘Swanee River’), ‘My Old Kentucky Home,’ ‘Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair,’ ‘Old Black Joe,’ and ‘Beautiful Dreamer,’ and many of his compositions remain popular today. He has been identified as ‘the most famous songwriter of the nineteenth century’ and may be the most

Stephen Collins Foster (1826–1864) image. Click for full size.

circa 1860

3. Stephen Collins Foster (1826–1864)

recognizable American composer in other countries.” (Submitted on July 7, 2019.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2020. It was originally submitted on July 7, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 311 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 7, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.