William Gaston Coke - Exhibit

(1895-1977)

The Auburn Historical Society’s exhibit for the 2006 Autumn Days Festival was held on September 9th. & 10th, from 10a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. on Sunday at the Auburn Museum, 433 W. Main St.

The exhibit celebrated the life of William Gaston Coke, a man who throughout his life, was a civic leader and along with his family was a force for good to Auburn and the surrounding communities.

On display in the Auburn Museum will be numerous artifacts and memorabilia from the Coke family, some of which was given to the Kentucky Museum by the Coke family and graciously loaned for this occasion. A genealogy chart along with pictures of the McCutchen and Coke families and of the Auburn area in the 1800’s were on display.

When a lifetime or longtime resident of Auburn thinks of the Coke family, McCutchen Meadows inevitably comes to mind. William Gaston Coke was born in the house at McCutchin Meadows on April 14, 1895 to James Guthrie Coke and Carrie McCutchin Coke. He was one of four children born to these parents. Though the estate has twice belonged to others than the Coke family in the past few years, still to the old-timers it’s a part of Auburn history personified always with the Coke name.

An example of Mr. Coke’s leadership is seen in the excellent telephone service we enjoy in our area today. The telephone service in Auburn in the 1950s was in a sad state and deteriorating. Gaston Coke was asked and appointed by the Rotary Club to see what could be done to improve the service. The Adairville and Lewisburg communities were also unhappy with their service which was also being served by the Southern Continental Telephone Co. Under Gaston Coke’s leadership the Logan County Telephone Cooperative was formed and was incorporated in 1954 – a service that has to this day gone from strength to strength. This is only one example of the many contributions Gaston Coke made to Auburn and her neighbors.

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Click on the pictures below to enlarge.

McCutchen Meadows

This is the entrance gate to the McCutchen Meadows circa 1910

STEAMER TRUNK

This Steamer Trunk was found in Bowling Green, KY in 2006 by Dermot & Marie Foley. It had the name: W. GASTON COKE, AUBURN, KY printed on the back. This would have been the trunk Gaston would have brought with him on his many voyages abroad before the advent of air travel.

WORLD WAR I HAT

This is the had worn by Gaston Coke duriong World War I

SECTION OF EXHIBIT LAYOUT

Some of the many pictures and memorabilia of W. Gaston Coke.

DESCENDANTS OF GASTON COKE

Studying the artifacts of his great-greatgrandfather (Gaston Coke) is Cyrus Gaston Shick, with his mother (Catherine Winston Coke-Shick) and father (Robert William Shick Jr.)

THREE COKE GENERATIONS

Robert William Schik, Catherine Winston Coke-Shick (granddaughter of Gaston Coke), William 'Bill' Gaston Coke (son of Gaston Coke), and in front Cyrus Gaston Coke (Great Grandson of Gaston Coke).

TELEPHONE COMPANY ASSOCIATES - PAST & PRESENT

From left-to-right: Geraldine Campbell Dir. took over as director on the death of her husband (Bufort Campbell Jr., Adairville), and has been re-elected ever since; Grover Corum (Telephone Co Manager - Retired); Virginia Wilson (1st IBM Operator & Office Manager - Retired); Bill Coke (1st President of Telephone Co. - Retired).