I left Ashland in 1985 and although I have returned often over the last 25 years, not all of the favorite places from my youth have survived. For example there were my favorite shopping places such as Raga Muffin, Parsons, Stars, Corman’s, Mark Mathews, The Cameo, Unisex and Gute’s Bottom Drawer… all gone. My favorite restaurants such as Chimney Corner, The Dairy Cheer, Dee’s and Burger Chef also gone. Or downtown hangouts like Murphy’s Five and Dime, Field’s Pharmacy, the Record Store or the Coffee Cup over by the park, again…. all gone. Our old drive-in movie sites like the Trail, Corral and Starlight are extinct like dinosaurs. I can still remember the Cinema’s at Mid-Town being built to replace the old Capital and Paramount movie theaters on Winchester Avenue. And now those Cinema’s only exist as the dollar budget movie place.

Structures and roads changed too over the years. Many times during one of my trips home I would be driving down a two street only to learn that some genius had decided that this particular street was now better as a one way street and I wasn’t going “that” way. Couldn’t they have put up some warning for us old timers, I mean after all, I must have driven down 13th street a million times in high school. Facelifts were given to Central Park, Putnam Football Stadium, and major changes happened to Paul Blazers’ student parking/track lot and the football practice field. And Coles Junior High is now a church, go figure that one!

Over the years many things have changed, but none, and I mean NONE, of these changes impacted me more than the closing of the “The Bluegrass Grill”.

Yes folks in case you don’t already know, on September 30th, 2006 the Bluegrass closed its doors after more than 60 years of serving some of Ashland’s best food. It’s been over two years now and I have still have not recovered. For as long as I can remember my comfort food was Bluegrass Spaghetti. Even as an adult, after I moved away, I would buy the sauce by the gallons and freeze it so I could still enjoy it no matter where I lived.

But even if I were not a huge fan of the Bluegrass food, I still could not deny the many good memories of “cruising” the Bluegrass in high school. I can remember that place being bumper to bumper and we would even overflow into the Heck’s parking lot. We were lucky back then to have our “cruise route” between McDonald’s and the Bluegrass and then on to the park in the summer. Ashland really was a great place to grow up.

So classmates, in honor of our old stomping ground, tell us about your favorite meal or memory from the Bluegrass. Here are a few pictures to help you remember the good times.

I would have to say my favorite was the Flying Saucer and onion rings. My whole family's favorite.
I don't ever remember eating there while we were cruzing. But what fun we had "buzzing the bluegrass".
I have a friend from Ashland (Jimmy Barber) that lives here in Lexington and when the last day came for The Bluegrass, he had his mother go get him a bunch of burgers and meet him half-way to deliver them to him.
We have a simular place here called the Parkette that just reopened this week. It could never be as good as the food at the Bluegrass.

the bluegrass was the best. i remember the route between mcdonalds and the bluegrass draining a tank of gas on fri and sat nights . my favorite food was twin burger and the best onion rings made. the manager of the bluegrass jim has his own place in the arcade so i can still get the spaghetti and the sauce taste the same as it did to me. and the hotdog sauce also . but he doesnt make onion rings

chris

Wow seeing these pictures is depressing. The lot is empty now. Not a sign it was ever there.

The Bluegrass closing was big news in Lexington.You try to describe the great spaghetti floating in grease to people.They just don't understand.It must be a Ashland thing.The Bluegrass was the best place to get you Cherry coke mixer.One time I stopped there with my younger brother and his friend.We were a little tore up and had the munches.We ordered burgers and milkshakes,But at the bottom of my brothers milkshake was the little propeller off the mixer.We gave him a hard time about getting a prize in his shake.Then we looked inside the Bluegrass and you could tell that the workers were looking for something.Can you guess what it was?My brother thought that if he took it back in that he would get a free meal or something.They just told him "we was looking for that" and thanks.So when he came back to the car and told us what they said we laughed and told him they repossessed his prize.

But getting back to things changing in Ashland.They also have tore down Condit school.I think I have a brick from the school that my mom saved for me.The health dept.is there now.The block where the house I grew up in is all thorn down except for my house.I understand the church just bought it also.So its just a matter of time before it is gone too.And when did Route 168 change to 35 mph the whole way from Blackburn to Route 23?There is no way I go that slow on that road.

But there are still good things that haven't changed.I still get home at christmas to see the lights at Centeral Park.I stop at South Ashland Market to get the best pork barbecue and slaw,and Crips still has a great footlong.