The Kentucky Rifle and America's Cultural Fabric with Mel Stewart Hankla

PodcastMel HanklaInto the BluegrassKentucky Rifle

Oct 18

In this episode we're talking with Mel Hankla, renowned historian, author, collector, artist and historic interpreter known for his devotion to all aspects of longrifle culture. We travel down memory lane with Mel, taking a retrospective on how he got his interest in history, how he became one of Hershel House's first students and later went on to collect some of the finest Kentucky Rifles, co-founding the Contemporary Longrifle Association, and most recently, published his own book, "Into the Bluegrass", to document Kentucky's rich history.

We cover a broad array of topics with Mel today if you'd like us to go into detail in another episode, let us know or reach out to Mel yourself by using his email - melhankla@amhiss.com

Mel Stewart Hankla was born in 1956 and grew up in the small town of Jamestown, Kentucky on the banks of Lake Cumberland. He attended Western Kentucky University earning Bachelor of Science Degrees in Agriculture, and Wildlife Management and Ecology, and a Master of Science Degree in Administration. In 2010 he completed an Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) in Education Administration.

The founder of American Historic Services LLC, he is a noted collector, researcher, lecturer and writer of Kentucky’s heritage. He has been an active member of the Kentucky Rifle Association since 1990, is a past president and co-founder of the Contemporary Longrifle Association, and editor of American Tradition magazine. He is a builder of traditional Kentucky Longrifles and in 1984 was awarded a National Endowment of the Arts Folk Art Apprenticeship grant to study with legendary riflesmith Hershel House.

A historical actor/educator, he worked 20 years with the Kentucky Humanities Council presenting Chautauqua characters of frontiersman Simon Kenton and General George Rogers Clark. In 2012 he was cast for the leading role, in the PBS documentary, An Audacious American, the story of Kentucky abolitionist Cassius Marcellus Clay. More recently has been an appraiser for Kentucky Educational Televisions popular show, “Kentucky Collectibles.”

Hankla serves on the Museum Board of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution and on the Advisory Board of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA.) He is a member of the Kentucky Material Culture Collectors and the prestigious American Society of Arms Collectors. Today, Hankla lives on Heavenly Hill Farm in Carter County, Kentucky with his wife Angela.