Russellville, Kentucky: Lightning Portrait of Startled Lady Bather
RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report
Maple Grove Cemetery
515 W. 9th St., Russellville, KY
At the northeast corner of Maple Grove Cemetery, which is at the corner of W. 9th St./US Hwy 79 and Nashville Rd/US Hwy 431. Private residence, viewable from cemetery if you ask.
Lightning Portrait of Startled Lady Bather
Lightning is said to have etched a nude woman's surprised face into a window overlooking a cemetery.
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Visitor Tips and News About Lightning Portrait of Startled Lady Bather
Odd, but the cemetery area is peaceful. Parking across the street. On the corner of Nashville Road, and West 9th Street.
[Stephen Francia, 06/03/2020]
I stopped by earlier this month, and the window has been enhanced with a large silhouette of the lady that is a lot easier to see than the original etching. It was probably done to satisfy people stopping by to see it.
The urban legend (no matter which version you believe) is intriguing. It's like a place claiming that George Washington slept here. How do you know? The old timers in town swear he did. That being said, let's face it... there is really nothing to see but painted windows. I wanted to knock on the door armed with a paint scraper and turpentine and state my intentions. After all, the people who frequent RA deserve to know the truth.
[Darren And Donna, 09/06/2014]
Lightning Portrait
Russellville has a haunted house. It is on Hwy 79 on the south edge of town, appropriately enough in the corner of the old cemetery. Supposedly, a woman was bathing in the turret room and a storm came up. As she was preparing to go to a ball, she cursed the storm and lightning struck the turrett. Her face was etched in the glass of the window. No amount of paint or reglazing has been able to remove her angry face. I myself have never seen it but have heard about it all my life.
[Claire Wood, 08/22/1998]
We checked this out in person. The cemetery caretaker and current owner told us the story. The window was painted over long ago because ofall the unwanted visitors that ended up standing around outside. The current owner got curious and started to scrape off the paint. It turned out to be a big job, so he gave up...!
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