Times have changed in the past 50- 75 years, but the allure of the tiny waist, the puffed sleeves and the ruffles of easter frocks haven't dimished a bit. The belle of the wasp waist era, wearing the lace black corset probably needed the bed post to help her into an hour glass figure. No wonder it took so long to dress years ago, but she always looked neat and trim and seldom went any place without her hat.

Men encouraged style many years ago just as they do today.There was something grand about a man who wore a Prince Albert in the Easter parade and a gentleman dressed in a cut-away coat always stole the show. The derby hat was just the thing.

The group shown in the above picture could be considered among the best dressed in Harlan. In the front row is Tom Ward who was smartly dressed with tight fitting trousers, derby, white stand-up collar and bow tie.

Ollie Cornett, seated in the center, was fashionably dressed with matching hat. Ladies always carries gloves, handkerchief and sometimes a tiny fan. Nannie Smith's neat outfit was accented with frilly hat trimmed with black velvet.

Gather At Picture Gallery

Laura Dishman, standing, also features the frilly collar and plume hat. Miss Dishman, whose home was in Barbourville, visited in Harlan often. The two standing men, Will Lewis and Turner Howard, are handsomely dressed with white stiff collars, bow ties and vests.

Groups like these usually gathered at the "picture gallery" on Sunday afternoons to pose for the photographer. A short time after the picture was made, Ollie Cornett became the bride of Will Lewis and Nannie Smith was married to Turner Howard.

Soon after, Will Lewis became the youngest judge in Kentucky. He was 29 at the time. He and Mrs. Lewis owned the Imperial Hotel. The hotel was located where the Post Office now stands. It was a large rambling two story structure with a huge lawn and lots of shade trees.

Judge and Mrs. Lewis visited the Imperial Valley in California one summer and thought the name sounded "kinda aristocratic" and decided to name their hotel here "The Imperial."

Photo Studio In Attic

Mrs. Lewis had her photo gallery in the attic of the hotel. It was a sort of a hobby for her. She loved to make pictures.

Many distinguished persons visited the hotel, one in particular was Franklin D. Roosevelt before he became President. While Mr. Roosevelt was in Harlan he wrote many letters to his wife, Eleanor, describing the country and his travels. They are contained in her book, "This is my Story."

Roosevelt and his uncle, Warren Delano, made a trip to Harlan in the interest of coal mining property. The visitors stopped in Pennington Gap, Va. and took a train down the valley to Hagan, Va., and from there on horse back to Harlan.

They stayed at Henry Smith's about three miles out on Catron's Creek and came into Harlan for their meals at the Imperial Hotel. They visited other friends in the neighborhood.

FDR Views Harlan

Mr. Roosevelt described the sucession of ridges covered with rhododendrons and holly. He wrote, "we got to the top of the Cumberland Mountain and had one of the most magnificent views I have ever seen looking to the south over the angle of Virginia and nothward over the Harlan County Kentucky section that Uncle Warren is interested in."

"We continued along the ridge for a mile or so, got lost, came down over the top and started down into the valley over what they thought was a trail, I though: otherwise-for half an hour we slipped, slid and fell down the slope, the horses slipping sliding and almost falling on top of us and ended up in a heap in the stream at the bottom."

"Uncle Warren said it was the roughest ride we had ever had. We started up on a so-called wagon road, positively the worst road I have ever seen or imagined and one which is not really easy to traverse on horseback."

"We dropped own into the valley along Catron's Creek and came to this house at 6:30 p.m., having done 22 or 23 miles in all, most of it on the roughest trail and worst road in a county famous throughout the land for bad trails and worse roads."

Mr. Roosevelt told of eating breakfast very late at a MR. Smith's (7 a.m.) and riding into Harlan where they met W.W. Duffield, manager of Kentenia. They lunched at the Imperial Hotel.

Describes Second Day

The second day in Harlan as described by Mr. Roosevelt.

"We rode into Harlan again in time for lunch and are now ensconced here, saddle bags and all at Judge Lewis' hotel. This afternoon we are just back from a ride of five or six miles up Martin's Fork, the most beautiful country we have seen yet."

"The sides of the valley going up 2,000 feet, heavily wooded with great poplars, chesnuts, and a dozen or two other trees and a mile or so of fertile bottom land with fine crops and a stream of splendid water. I will add to this in the morning. Tuesday. Can't add, just ' off for an all day ride up Clover Fork."

So ends the description of Harlan County by the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as he wrote to his wife.

Sunday March 22, 1953

Volume 52 Number 67

Pages 1 & 8

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