I’m sending this from somewhere between North Carolina and Phoenix, Arizona during my trip to visit family. I had to delay my motorcycle trip by five days waiting for the turbulent storms to dissipate in the lower Midwest and upper South, which has led to extremely high waters along our beloved Ohio River. The Associated Press has revived historical memories of the Great Flood of 1937, which killed 385 people and left approximately one million homeless from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois. I wrote my last newsletter about the Covington flood wall murals, which have been doing strong work this spring, and I’m continuing the theme today with flood wall mural trivia. Note to my fantastic new subscribers:Monthly trivia is for sport. It’s not a test of intelligence or character. I couldn’t answer these questions without a significant amount of research, either! Do your best and enjoy learning something new. Oh, and if you do, would you share the quiz with someone else?QUESTIONSAnswers in the footnotes.* Who painted the Covington flood wall murals?a) Diego Rivera started them before his death. His large frescoes helped establish the mural movement.b) Robert Dafford painted them all. He’s an internationally acclaimed mural artist and blues enthusiast from Louisiana who has painted more than 400 murals in the United States and Europe.c) Thomas Hart Benton, a Missouri native who was at the forefront of the Regionalist art movement. His fluid, sculpted figures showed everyday people in scenes of life in the United States.d) Shepard Fairey, an American contemporary artist, activist and founder of OBEY Clothing who emerged from the skateboarding scene. * What is the primary purpose of the murals? Only one applies.a) To advertise local businessesb) To beautify the city with abstract artc) To depict and preserve the region’s layered historyd) To showcase modern Kentucky life* What river(s) does the Covington flood wall protect against? More than one may apply.a) Kentucky Riverb) Licking Riverc) Ohio Riverd) Sciota River* The mural that features the Roebling Suspension Bridge highlights a major architectural achievement linking Covington and Cincinnati. What role did this bridge play in regional commerce, and why was its construction significant for Covington’s identity? More than one answer may apply.* It facilitated the transport of goods between Covington and Cincinnati, strengthening the region’s role as a key industrial hub.* Until the invention of the Model T, it was primarily a pedestrian bridge that connected two cultural districts in the region, boosting tourism and art exchange.* Its engineering innovation—as the first major suspension bridge in the U.S. to use wire cables—made it an architectural marvel of its time while helping solidify Covington's identity by connecting it to the economic and cultural heart of Cincinnati.* It was the first bridge to connect Covington to the rest of the United States, fostering a boom in agricultural exports.* The mural known as Resident Artists, features Frank Duveneck and John Farney. Which of the following is true of these artists? Choose wisely.* The inclusion of John Farney and Frank Duveneck suggests that Covington’s cultural history was primarily shaped by international art movements rather than local artists.* The inclusion of Frank Duveneck and John Farney highlights Covington’s strong cultural and artistic legacy, which extended beyond its industrial growth in the late 19th century.* A mural depicting the Latonia Race Track shows a lively day at what was once one of the most prestigious Thoroughbred tracks in the country. Which of the following is true about the mural and what it represents, historically? Choose one.* In the mural, the jockey in red silks wears a badge with the initials “A.J.” This is widely understood to be a tribute to Alonzo “Lonnie” Clayton, one of the most successful Black jockeys in American horse racing history.* The mural shows the grand reopening of the racetrack in the 1950s, after World War II prompted a decades-long closure.* The jockeys in the mural are all modeled after famous Triple Crown winners, despite none ever racing at Latonia.* The mural known as Covington Churches features several of Covington’s historically and architecturally significant churches, depicting the city’s religious diversity. True or false: One of the houses of worship in that mural is a Jewish temple.* Also depicted in that mural is the Western Baptist Theological Institute, founded in Covington in the 1840s. The seminary owned a large amount of land in the region. What happened to this land after the seminary dissolved over disagreements about whether ministers could enslave people?a) The land was sold to local businesses for commercial development.b) It was repurposed as a public park and remains a popular site for community events.c) The land became part of Northern Kentucky University's original campus and other civic ...
