KET program fishes for info on now-underwater old Burnside

Jun. 24—"Old" Burnside may not be around anymore, at least above water. But it remains afloat in the memories of many.

On Tuesday, a film crew from Kentucky Educational Television (KET), the Bluegrass branch of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), visited the West Lakeshore Drive home of Brandon Becker, chairman of the Burnside Historical Society to talk to members of the community who still recall Burnside the way it used to be.

The town had to be relocated to higher ground in the early 1950s due to the creation of Lake Cumberland, which effectively flooded what had been the historical community of Burnside, formerly Point Isabel. In its early days, the town was a major transportation hub, both by steamboat and rail, but 1951, Burnside as it was ceased to be.

It's the task of the Burnside Historical Society to preserve that legacy, and they're not the only ones interested. The Commonwealth Journal spoke to Reeve Daulton, the KET producer for "Kentucky Life" and appropriately a local product, during his crew's visit to Becker's home, which overlooks the area where old Burnside once stood.

"We are doing a story on the old Burnside that was flooded during 1951 in order to build Lake Cumberland ... to tell the historical aspects of the town of Burnside," said Daulton, who noted that "Kentucky Life" is now in its 29th season on the air.

"I grew up in Somerset, I've been in and around the area a lot," he added. "When they lowered the lake (in the late 2000s), I remember reading about all these remnants of old Burnside coming up. I was just always really curious about this idea of there being a town underwater, and the flooding of a town. So I just felt like it was something that not a lot of people really knew about, it was something that happened and (became) a 'water-under-the-bridge' kind of thing.

"I was really interested in learning more about old Burnside and what the town was like before Lake Cumberland, before all the tourism and all that," continued Daulton. "I kind of wanted to return to a simpler time and see how those people lived and how the flooding affected the area, and where we are today."

In addition to those at Becker's home, Daulton also planned on visiting General Burnside Island State Park, he noted.

Becker said that the production crew is also looking to scan a number of old photos of the former Burnside location.

"It went great," said Becker of the shoot. "They were very happy with the way everything went."

Becker said that "Kentucky Life" reached out to him through the Historical Society and he let them know that there were a "few key members of our community that still remembered the way the town was way back when."

In particular, Becker hosted Jim Brooks, a former mayor of Burnside among many other roles, and Charles Hardwick, who grew up in Burnside and three hours down from his current home in Ohio to share his memories for the program.

Also present was Susi Brooks Lawson, Jim's daughter and wife of Burnside Mayor Robert Lawson, and Historical Society member Stephanie Daffron.

Becker noted that they talked about the "development of Lake Cumberland and how it affected the local community, how it affected industry and a lot of different things."

He said that the Historical Society was "able to provide more information than (the producers) were expecting."

"Fortunately our organization has a lot of information and it's a great source," added Becker.

The program is expected to air later this year, likely in the fall.