Out of tragedy, new insight

Or in the case of the fire at Hyden Kentucky’s Richard M. Nixon Recreation Center, new opportunities to enjoy part of Nixon’s sunset years, early edition.

To recap, the 1978 dedication of the building bearing Nixon’s name was one of the first public appearances by the Disgracedformerpresident after his 1974 resignation.

Nixon entertained the recreation-seeking locals with a forty minute speech. He called for strengthening the CIA to confront “aggressive dictatorships,” presumably Cuban intervention in Africa, attracting the attention of Ronald Reagan, then plotting his 1980 run.

The Recreation Center fire prompted a local TV station to put a 25 year retrospective on the event up on their web-page. Sadly the only sound from Nixon is him commenting on how hot it is, but the era’s immense cars provide some excitement.

A sample of how Hyden’s youth spend their time these days can be found here.