The History of Meadowthorpe (Continued)

The association has been invaluable as a liaison between the community and the city-county government.

Research revealed that the stone wall between Leestown highway and the street by that name was an old one which had been built by slaves, and was the responsibility of the city, so arrangements were made for its repair.

The Association has sponsored community wide observances of Christmas,Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Fourth of July. The Baptist and Presbyterian congregations, under pastors Clayton Garland and Ned Hollandsworth, had held joint Thanksgiving services with fellowship afterward for a number of years. The Neighborhood Association sponsored community Thanksgiving services from 1983 to 2001.  Meadowthorpe has twice won the contest for best float in the city's Fourth of July parade and also sponsored a children's parade through the neighborhood. The Association has distributed flags to be placed in front of each home on the 4th and Luminaries to be lit on Christmas Eve. It has also given prizes for the best outdoor Christmas decorations and parties at the park with Santa.

The Fayette County Cooperative Extension Service and the Kentucky Utilities Company in 1982 chose Meadowthorpe as one of the areas for a tree-planting project, removing those interfering with power lines and replacing them with low-growing varieties. Five years later, trees were given free to any individual who wanted to plant one on his property. Also in 1982, Hillenmeyer Nurseries donated flowers for planting at the Boiling Springs entrance, and citizens volunteered their time to plant and care for them.

Meadowthorpe has always been blessed with a number of residents who knew the proper and most effective channels for getting things done. All have benefited from the work of active groups such as the Optimists and Homemakers Clubs, and individuals such as our county commissioners and state representatives. The remarks usually heard, though, in response to any problem or need, are not, “I wish they would do something about it” but rather “We need to do something about it”  Our organization, from the beginning, has been supported entirely by dues,  which are actually voluntary contributions solicited once a year. It has also received gifts of money from Winn-Dixie, from Councilmen Tom Fields and Richard Moloney. Donations from other near by neighbors have supported many worth while projects. Improvements to the Community Center have come about through gifts of labor and materials such as that of Jenkins Electric Company, which installed the lights there.

The Meadowthorpe Neighborhood Association has sponsored community wide garage sales and clean-up days. Funds have been collected to help families with unusual medical bills.

A service road built behind the shopping center now named Antique Drive, and a flag pole, bought by the Association, was installed at the main entrance of the subdivision. The organization has supported zoning changes on the south side of Leestown Road to allow construction of a new Winn-Dixie supermarket, and to allow residential, but not industrial development, beyond Viley Road. The last possible residential development within the beltline had taken place several years ago with the construction of the apartment complex, Westchester Apartments.

The merger of the city and county governments January 1, 1974 resolved the annexation question and brought sewers, street lights, and city garbage pick-up to Meadowthorpe A banquet was held November 13, 1986, for all who had lived in Meadowthorpe 25 years or longer with 90 people attending. Many of these had occupied the same house during that entire time. But at the same time, some of our longer-term residents began to sell their homes and move to retirement housing. Others are staying or moving into Meadowthorpe for their retirement years. A very lively group of our older residents were honored at the Association meeting September 17, 1987. Meadowthorpe contains a mixture of all ages. A third generation is now growing up here. There are even a few children whose great-grandparents lived in Meadowthorpe. Many children have grown up here and stayed, or moved away and returned. Children who attended Meadowthorpe Elementary School are now leaders of its PTA.

Even those in rental housing are a relatively stable population. Some become future home owners in the neighborhood. Some home owners move to apartments when the household becomes smaller or maintenance chores become too arduous, but remain in Meadowthorpe. Still others have never owned homes, but have rented the same living quarters for years. Vacancies are usually filled very quickly without advertising.

Meadowthorpe has never been an insular community. With IBM (standing for “I've Been Moved”), the Veterans' Hospital, and the former "NARCO" (Federal Narcotics Hospital) now FCI (Federal Corrections Institute) nearby, people from many parts of the country have been transferred in and out. People with careers in education, medicine, and the military service have moved from one location to another, with Meadowthorpe as a temporary or permanent stop. Although many residents grew up in Lexington or smaller towns in Kentucky, there have always been people from many geographic backgounds making up the mixture of business and professional people who compose the Meadowthorpe community. Since Leestown Road leads directly to Frankfort, people working in the state government have sometimes chosen to live in Meadowthorpe and commute. From time to time residents needing larger or smaller living quarters have had to find them outside of Meadowthorpe. Friendships have endured many years. The Meadowthorpe Bridge Club began in 1952 and is still going strong. Undoubtedly there are many other groups that are just as durable. As Maureen Mauser says, "Meadowthorpe friends are the best!"