Whether remembered as “Craw,” “The Bottom” or “Crawfish Bottom,” it’s likely if you lived near Frankfort in the first half of the 20th century, you were familiar with the community near the river with a reputation for violence and corruption. But for those who lived there, Crawfish Bottom was home, and while inhabitants admit it had flaws, it was more respectable than newspaper headlines made it seem.
In Crawfish Bottom: Recovering a Lost Kentucky Community, Douglas A. Boyd explores an area that was demolished for urban progress. Through interviews with surviving residents of the community, Boyd sheds light on the displaced population and offers a clearer picture of the area. Readers will discover that Crawfish Bottom was a place where people simply sought to make a living and raise their families.
— K. Melissa Burton