“To understand Kentucky, one must feel its warmth and listen to its stories.”
-Harriet Beecher Stowe
Greg Orth’s Story
My wife Kathleen and I moved to Mercer County in 1999 and built our own home over a year period. I soon learned that my farm field was once a native American Indian village which had once held many arrowheads, yet long ago found. I became curious how the native people accessed the river to the north, and once I found their trail, began to find other trails branching off of it. This began a twenty-year long effort to find and map Mercer County’s ancient trail network.
In doing so I discovered that Mercer County once had a large lake, called “The Big Pond” which was the reason so many of the local trails were leading to the same location, the lake. It also explained why Daniel Boone spent so many months living at Boone’s Cave, which was located along the lake’s shoreline. The lake was drained by the Shakers in 1860, yet a soil map from 1930 shows much of the lake survived until then. The ancient lake bed still holds water when it rains heavily, even flooding nearby Burgin Ky.
My early research was published by Springer Nature in 2024 under the chapter title “The Mystery of Daniel Boone’s Footprints. My current research continues to focus on the ancient infrastructure left behind, mapping the trails, and writing about the discoveries along the way.
My continuing work will become an additional chapter in the “Mystery of” series focusing on ancient trails and sites in Mercer County and nearby, including some pioneer “Stations” such as Simon Kenton’s Station near Danville, recently re-discovered, and Irving’s Station and Caldwell’s Station near Danville.
Maps of the research are being produced by my research partner Donna Jean Webb, as part of our study group “Mercer Mappers”. Additionally, significant archaeological discoveries have recently been made in Mercer County and were reported to the State of Kentucky agencies involved in site preservation.
Some research maps were made available prematurely due to the local Data Center debate. The possible location of the data center is on the site of the “The Big Pond” and above the remaining aquifer and, close to Boone’s Cave, and importantly, the larger ancient trail network leading to it.
I hope to bring further attention to the site and its importance to understanding our county’s history.
Mark Turner
I immigrated to America in the early 90’s with a little over $50 to my name.Worked for a Saddlebred training farm in Indiana for 26 years. Part of our yearly show schedule included The Grand Old Mercer County Fair and Horse Show I believe its the longest running fair in the U S. I always knew that one day I would open my own training stable and from the yearly visits to the Mercer County Fair I fell in love with the area.
While we were in town for the fair we would always drive around and would always end up on Lexington Road and Handy Road where historic farms such as Oakhill Farm and Arrowhead Farm were located. Both landmarks in our industry.
Today we are fortunate enough to own the famous Arrowhead Farm In 2015 me and Caitlin took the leap and opened Desmar Stables in Harrodsburg on Handy Road. Rented our dream farm and took a little detour before we came back and rented it 2 more years until we could finally afford to buy it in Feb of 2025. Little did we know it lays across from 600 acres of farmland that a developer would eventually try to get the zoning changed on to build a data center on. Either way it is our piece of heaven and one of the prettiest farms in the state of Kentucky. We love Harrodsburg and Handy Road and the people and farms around us.
Kathleen O’Brien
Greg and I moved here in 1999 from Boulder Colorado, by chance. Discouraged that we could find no affordable land there for a homesteading lifestyle which also came with water rights, ( in Colorado it was illegal to catch water from our own roof), we set off for North Carolina to find our place.
On the way Greg wanted to spend time at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. We made friends there and loved the peace, the robins and abundance of the land. We returned there after realizing NC was not our place. The first person we saw was our new friend Randy Folger, beloved singer at the village. He opened his arms and said “Welcome Home!”. For us this was a sign so we drove around making notes of nearby roads, and subscribed to the Harrodsburg Herald.
Within months we found 40 acres almost contiguous to the village, that we later learned was a part of the Shaker’s original farm. Our home in Boulder sold by owner to the first looker. It felt like our Irish/Scottish ancestors and the Shakers, were helping us find our forever home.
We set off to begin building with intentions to steward the land like the Shakers did. We lived in Burgin during the year it took for Greg and son to build our sustainable home. It was crushing to start the first week by learning of Randy’s death…and the basement was flooded. Years later Greg would research the Big Pond and learn why this area suffers water flooding. Luckily, we met neighbors who pitched in to help with construction.
I worked as an interpreter at the village. I am proud to have learned so much history that we then shared with visitors. It was a privilege to know the great Jim Thomas, president and original restorer. When the property to our north was threatened with development, we went to him and he gave us permission to tell them Pleasant Hill would fight that. All our neighbors on Phillips Lane feel the same. Luckily that was defeated.
Having a sense of community of like-minded folks who want to care for the land gives us the sense of belonging and home. Peacefulness is the quality we have cultivated, one that has pervaded my art. Over the years we have shared this through Open Studio and garden events, and lecture tours of the trails Greg has researched.
What we have dreamed of and built is all we have to pass down. It is uncomfortable to imagine that the value of prime irreplaceable agricultural land, water and history could be disrupted so ruthlessly with a Hyper data center, to say the obvious and least.
“Abraham Lincoln’s Kentucky”, (drawing, watercolor, collage) created by Kathleen O’Brien, with a grant from Kentucky Arts Council, for the Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration.
Diane Floyd
My name is Dr. Diane Floyd. I’m a biology professor, a mother of three, and a Mercer County resident who cares deeply about the future of this community.
I teach anatomy and physiology at the college level, where I focus on helping students understand how systems work—how structure, function, and environment are all connected. That way of thinking doesn’t stay in the classroom. It shapes how I look at the world around me, especially when it comes to land use, infrastructure, and long-term decision-making.
At home, I live on a small farm where I raise animals, grow plants, and spend a lot of time paying attention to how natural systems respond to stress and change. You can’t spend your days watching weather patterns, soil conditions, and animal health without developing a deep respect for balance—and a healthy skepticism of anything that claims growth comes without trade-offs.
I became more involved in local issues because I believe people deserve clear, honest information about decisions that affect their lives. Through my work with We Are Mercer County, I’ve spent time reviewing public records, asking questions, and trying to help make complex topics more understandable and accessible to others.
My goal isn’t to tell people what to think. It’s to make sure we’re all working from real information—not assumptions, not marketing, and not incomplete data.
Because at the end of the day, I’m not just thinking as a professor or even as an advocate.
I’m thinking as a parent.
And like a lot of families here, I’m asking what kind of Mercer County we’re leaving behind—and whether the decisions we make today will hold up for the next generation.
Kimberly Hodge
I moved with my family in 1986 to Mercer County from Dallas, Texas. I grew up with rows and rows of streets and houses and to say moving to the country was a culture shock, is an understatement. In Texas, I only had two streets I could roam in the busy city and my friends were very close to my house. When we moved to Mercer County, there wasn’t another house in sight. I didn’t know how I would make friends or adjust to my new environment. Then one day, a girl showed up at my house asking if I could play. From that moment on, we rode our bicycles over every back road we could take during our summer freedom. Everyone that passed us on the roads knew us and would wave or stop to talk. That’s just how it was at the time, everyone knew everyone. When
I became older, I tried living in the city again. I found out quickly that Mercer County had transformed me from a city girl to a country girl. I loved the country so much, I requested my parents deed me an acre of their land so I could carve out a peaceful little life on the country roads of Mercer County. I love Mercer and hope to never live anywhere else.
Sincerely a country girl who hopes to save her hometown.
Cody Stinnett
I’m Cody Stinnett, and I’m running for Magistrate in Mercer County’s 2nd District because our rural communities: Bohon, Terrapin, Salvisa, Duncan, and the backroads in between, deserve a real voice on Fiscal Court. I’ve called Mercer County home for the last six years. My fiancé grew up here, and we’ve chosen to continue that tradition by building our life here with our three-year-old son. This community is family to us, and right now, too many people feel like our local government is not listening or being straight with folks.
For years, I’ve worked hands-on jobs that taught me how things really get done. I spent eight years as a tow truck driver and four years as a dispatcher in Lexington, handling wrecks, breakdowns, storms, and upset customers under real pressure. I also worked with my grandfather in the septic tank business he owned for more than 45 years. I have experience in landscaping, concrete, and asphalt. Those experiences gave me practical knowledge in reading plans, dealing with permits, understanding health regulations, zoning, soil, and drainage. It is real-world experience in infrastructure and logistics that connects directly to Mercer County’s challenges, including flooded roads and fair land use.
What sets me apart is that I know how to listen and de-escalate. Towing taught me that when someone is upset, you hear them out, acknowledge the problem, explain the facts calmly, and resolve the situation. No drama, just results. That is exactly how I will approach complaints and decisions as Magistrate. I will actively listen, take concerns seriously, lay out clear options, and vote for what is fair for our district and for Mercer County as a whole.
Why now? Because people can feel that transparency is lacking, budgets feel out of touch, and too many decisions are not putting working families and our next generation first. The roads still consistently flood when we get heavy rain and snow. Our Zoning committee should protect our farms and homes as laid out by our comprehensive planning and zoning plan, not open the door to massive projects like data centers that would change our way of life and the face of our community overnight. Public safety should be efficient and responsive without waste. Working families should not be hit with higher taxes while other areas get all the attention.
That is not right, and it does not have to stay this way.
As your Magistrate, I will go line by line through the budget, ask the tough questions, and hold the line on spending. I will fight for real solutions, including better drainage, safer roads, strong zoning that protects our rural character, and public safety that works for everyone. I will stand firm against unnecessary tax burdens on working families.
I am not a politician. I’m someone who has worked in the mud, under pressure, solving real problems and dealing with real people every day. I will bring that same grit, common sense, and determination to Fiscal Court.
Together, we can bring accountability back to Mercer County and get real results.
Let’s get to work.
Dana Hanson
I’m a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. I’m originally from New York City, but in 2018 I made my way to Kentucky after ten years on the rural seacoast of New Hampshire, looking for peace, quiet, and a more grounded way of life. What I was really searching for was a place where people cared about their community. I found that here in Mercer County.
This community has been incredibly welcoming, with friendly neighbors and genuine connections that are hard to come by. What makes Mercer County special isn’t just its landscape, it’s the people and the shared sense that this place matters. That’s something worth holding onto.
The concern now is about the future. Decisions being made today will shape what Mercer County looks like for years to come, and those decisions should reflect the voices of the people who live here. Growth isn’t the issue. How it happens, how transparent it is, and whether it truly benefits the community, that’s what matters.
This is about preserving what makes Mercer County strong while being thoughtful about what comes next. The goal isn’t to stop progress, it’s to make sure the future of this community is shaped with care, honesty, and input from the people who call it home.
