Nothing like a weird taxidermy story to get your day off to a fine start. Toss in Miley Cyrus for a bit of fun.
It seems that the moose head from Phoenix Hill Tavern is being donated to the Frazier History Museum by Joe and Lee Kresovsky. The moose head will remain on display in the “Entertaining Kentucky” gallery at the Frazier’s Cool Kentucky exhibit alongside artifacts from ear X-tacy, Club Madrid, Teddy Bear Lounge, Jack Harlow, and more.
The moose was unveiled this morning at Frazier.
When Ben Rogers founded Phoenix Hill and Jim Porter’s Good Time Emporium, he shopped for the weird and wonderful to decorate his bars. The moose head is believed to have been a ‘80s flea market find. The moose head remained in the Saloon at Phoenix hill until the business closed in 2015. According to the press release, the Courier Journal’s Jeffrey Lee Puckett asked bargoers to share their favorite memories, David Jackman said: “Sitting under the moose head with my future wife on our first date, October 4, 1984, listening to the Bobby Lanz Band.”
When Rogers was liquidating the two bars, he put the moose up for auction where Kresovsky purchased it. His band, Wicked Frog, used to perform at Phoenix Hill.
When Kresovsky moved from Louisville this year, he sent a call out on Facebook for interest in the moose, hoping it would find a good local home. He had no shortage of requests being flooded with inquiries from bars, restaurants, music venues and more.
The Frazier Museum’s senior director of engagement Casey Harden invited him to tour the Cool Kentucky exhibition and showed him the spot that the museum envisioned for the moose. Kresovsky knew that the museum would take care of it and made his decision.
“The moose was like the fifth Beatle,” he said in a release. “It was synonymous with good vibes. You wanted to make sure to rub the chin so that you had good juju going with the crowd.”
Dave shared this anecdote with the Frazier who relayed the sentiment in the release about the sort of unforgettable nights people had in that saloon.
“On Halloween 2009, Dave got a call from a sixteen-year-old Miley Cyrus. At the time, Dave played bass for Miley’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus. Miley was in town that night to perform at Freedom Hall; meanwhile, Phoenix Hill Tavern was hosting its annual Lou-A-Vull’s Most Outrageous Halloween Costume Ball. During their set, Dave’s band, Jefferson TARC Bus, brought Miley and her entire entourage on stage to dance and sing “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.” The performance took place in the saloon, in front of the moose head.”
The Moose needs a name… at least that’s what we think at LEO, and please don’t say Bullwinkle.
This article appears in May 8-21, 2024.