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McConnell Springs


	Movie Premier Held in Lexington, KY for new Documentary Film

By Kathy Cummings Photos by Jim Cummings

Re-Enactors arriving by Limo? It was an unusual mix Thursday evening as the Documentary The Story of McConnell Springs was shown at the Kentucky Theater. Narrated by award winning narrator Peter Thomas and produced by Michael Breeding MEDIA the film will air in June on KET (Kentucky Educational Television). Shot over the last two years, primarily at Founder’s Day at McConnell Springs, and other locations the film tells the story of early Lexington and it’s founders. Steve Caudill portrays William McConnell and Tony Richardson is his brother Francis McConnell. Also on hand last evening and featured in the film was Shawnee native re-enactor Greg McDonald.

Radio Host “Kruser” from WVLK Radio 590 in Lexington interviews Steve Caudill as he steps from the limo.

Narrator Peter Thomas flew in from his home in Florida for the occasion. Thomas is the voice of thousands of films, commercials and is especially known for PBS’s Nova and Forensic Files. The 83 year old Thomas is less known for his service in WWII but has an amazing number of medals and awards from that period in his life.

Commerce Secretary Marcheta Sparrow presents Thomas with another honor - that of a Kentucky Colonel.

Richardson shakes hands with producer Michael Breeding.

Former Lexington Vice Mayor Isabel Yates has been behind the McConnell Springs project since it’s conception. The property was restored and preserved from years of debris and is now recognized as a national historic site and the founding place of Lexington.


	Greg McDonald dressed as a Shawnee warrior presented an unusual site inside the lobby of the theater.


	Re-Enactors stop for a photo with Isabel Yates. Yates is known not only for her work with McConnell Springs but serves on the boards of numerous organizations including the Kentucky State Park Foundation.

Outside the Kentucky Theater are from left to right Steve Caudill as William McConnell, Tony Richardson as Francis McConnell, Greg McDonald, a Shawnee Warrior, Linda Morgan of the Premiere Committee, Jamie Millard Co-Executive Producer, Rita Keys of the Premiere Committee, Isabel Yates Co-Executive Producer and Michael Breeding of Michael Breeding MEDIA who produced the film.

Tony Richardson prepares to exit the limousine.

Greg McDonald also known as “The Quiet One”

A large crowd gathered in the theater for the premier.

A reception was held at the theater following the film.

On the big screen - credits for the films sponsors ran over top of this full sized photo of Caudill. The film was sponsored by JP Morgan Chase, Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau, Lexmark International, Inc., Pepsi Cola Bottling Company of Lexington, and Vulcan Materials Company.


	More about McConnell Springs

		McConnell Springs is a 26-acre nature preserve and National Register Historic Site west of downtown Lexington. In June 1775, William McConnell and his fellow frontier explorers camped at a natural spring in the wilderness of the Virginia territory known as Kentucky. Word came from nearby Fort Boonesborough that the first battle of the American Revolution had been fought in Lexington, Massachusetts. In honor of the battle, the group named their future settlement “Lexington”. During the ensuing years, McConnell Springs — a National Registered Historic Site — served as the location of a mill, a gunpowder factory, a distillery, and a dairy farm. In more recent years, however, the site lay abandoned — but not forgotten.

Citizen efforts to reclaim McConnell Springs for its historical and natural value began with the publication of Carolyn Murray-Wooley’s book The Founding of Lexington published in Lexington’s Bicentennial Year. In 1993, The Friends of McConnell Springs came together to raise funds and recapture the site. JPMorgan Chase donated the original property to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government for parkland. Meanwhile, The Friends had cleared hundreds of tons of trash and construction debris, and in November 1994 purchased an adjoining lot to build the Kentucky-American Water Company Education Center.

McConnell Springs is owned by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and managed by its Division of Parks and Recreation.


	About the Film

The network-quality film tells the story of the naming of Lexington and describes the geological and hydrological features that make Central Kentucky unique to the world. In addition to the re-enactors pictured at the premier viewers might also recognize other familiar faces. Some footage also included in the film came from The Native Sun Production done for The Cumberland Gap Visitors Center. Breeding told the story of inquiring about purchasing the footage from the Cumberland Gap NPS and was told that he could not purchase it - but that they would allow it’s use for free !

The film will air on KET1: Thursday, June 12 at 10:30 pm and again on KET2: Wednesday, June 18 at 8:00 pm or can be purchased from the filmmaker.

To see a 4 minute clip of the film at Michael Breeding MEDIA click here.


	To learn more about McConnell Springs visit www.mcconnellsprings.org Also at this site is a 122 page document prepared by Nancy O’Malley - Department of Anthropology - University of Kentucky entitled McConnell Springs In Historical Perspective

		To learn more about Steven Caudill who portrays William McConnell in the film go to www.danielbooneofkentucky.com