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Inside Jesse Mains beats the heart of an 18th Century man
By WENDY MITCHELL Staff Writer
Thursday, September 14, 2006 9:07 PM EDT
BLUE LICKS BATTLEFIELD STATE RESORT PARK -- Living the life of a pioneer is more than a hobby for a Bracken County man; it is historical pride.
Jesse Ray Mains, the son of Anna "Corkey" Mains and the late Ronald Ray Mains, was raised in Bracken County, and lives most of his daily life following the traditional life of an 18th Century man.
Educated and computer savvy, Mains lives a simple life. Books, mostly historical reference books and magazines, are his companions and he reads a lot when he has the time; usually in the evening by candlelight. He has also consulted on movies like "The Patriot," starring Mel Gibson, and "Last of the Mohicans," and sometimes participates as an extra. His image, wearing buckskins has been used by photographers and artists to create popular artworks and even cover art for Muzzloader Magazine.
While working on his latest construction project, Mains has let others observe a lifestyle he has studied for years.
On a typical day, his internal alarm clock goes off at about 4:30 a.m. so he has time to get his campfire going to make breakfast.
"Got to have coffee," said Mains as he began the day's task of hand splitting shakes, 3-4-inch sections of wood thin enough to be used as roofing material.
The roof is the protective cover on the blockhouse that has been under construction over the last four years on property owned by Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park. Mains and others have been using historically traditional methods to bring the structure to life near the original site of Tanner's Station, home of the legendary Blue Lick springs.
"We have made a couple hundred, we probably will need about 70 more to get the roof finished," said Mains.
Getting the pieces of wood to spit the way he wants, Mains uses an axe and handmade wooden maul club to pry the shake from the piece of wood.
"The rule is work smarter, not harder," said Mains as he showed that leverage, not brute strength spit the shake faster. "Pioneers would have never gotten all this done without figuring out the mechanics of leverage helping with a task."
When the shake "popped" loose Mains used a hatchet to "bump" the shakes, shaving off the high spots for a smoother fit.
The work of splitting shakes was a job usually done by a boy of about 12 years old, said Mains. He is 33 years old.
"In the 18th century, many boys of 15 years old knew more about construction, tools, working with wood, hunting and farming than I will ever learn in my lifetime," said Mains.
"With the roof in place to protect the poplar logs of the walls, this should last at least 30 years," said Mains.
Tanners Station was a pioneer outpost where the likes of Daniel Boone, Simon Kenton and frontier settlers stopped to make or purchase salt made from the salt spring that once bubbled to the surface at Blue Licks. Later, the park was the location of a popular spa, hotel and Blue Lick's Spring Water.
"David Tanner was smart. He bought the land of Lower Blue Licks in 1783 or 1784. He had four iron salt boiling kettles that he would let anyone use to make salt, but his fee was half of the salt they made. He built a log pen around the salt spring, to protect saltmakers from Indians, but he put no roof on it, so he could see what they made, from his house about 150 yards north of the spring," said Main, who has studied the history of the area. "The house was in the area of where U.S. 68 now goes. The spring, which appeared to have dried up in 1897 is not covered, they diverted the road to avoid doing that, but only a few cattails show where the spring seeps to the surface."
Personal passion for restoring historical locations included voluntarily assisting with the construction of other outposts, like Martin's Station in Ewing , Va., in 2002. It was an experiment in archeological living; every aspect of the project was documented to give researchers a real picture of what the process of building a station from the ground up had on man, beast and materials in the 18th Century.
Using traditional methods, Mains and others have been able to erect a two story, blockhouse building and stockade fence so visitors to Blue Licks, and passers by on U.S. 68, near the Robertson County/Nicholas County line, can soon see what a pioneer refuge may have looked like.
"Other than elder hostel folks, I love to see the reactions from inner city children when they see this type of project. They eat up every bit of it," said Mains.
Mains is currently showing park employees how to construct an authentic style fireplace and chimney for the blockhouse.
"We have hauled about three ton of stone and are using native blue clay for mortar. After the stone firebox comes the stick and mud chimney. We use locust for that," said Mains.
When he is not re-fighting the battles of old or building ancient structures, Mains may be seen paddling his canoe along the Licking River, in search of a fish supper or patches of stone to aid in completing the station. To get some rocks moved down river, Mains and his helpers even ferried the stones, some weighing more than 100 pounds, by canoe; a traditional method of getting things done when water was available and an ox was not.
"I am glad to see this happening. You have Kentucky and all the history that happened here. That is what it is all about. Everybody back then wanted to come to the promised land in Kentucky. Tanner's Station, this one, will be the first historically rebuilt station in Kentucky. I am proud to be a part of that," said Mains.
His work and that of others who have given sweat and time to the project is appreciated by Park Manager Stefanie Gaither.
"Jesse is a treasure of knowledge and talent; what he has been doing can only enhance what was already begun," said Gaither.
For more area news, go to www.bracken-online.com
Contact Wendy Mitchell at wendy.mitchell@lee.net or call 564-9091, ext. 276.
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