Our Lady? Of the Bathtub?

Who is she, and why should we appreciate her? Anyone who grew up in a predominantly Catholic town or region has probably seen her. She usually stands approximately three feet tall, wears a draping robe and a serene, all-knowing expression. She can be found on stately lawns, behind chain-link fences, and amongst rambling unkept weeds. Often (especially in more rural areas, I've noticed) she is accompanied by other concrete figures-squirrels, deer, angels, and housed in what resembles (or actually is) an old clawfoot bathtub. Hence the name, Our Lady of the Bathtub.

I grew up in Bardstown, Kentucky, a largely Catholic town south of Louisville, so I have been a lifelong admirer of the "Our Ladies." When I was little, they were just visual interest amongst the otherwise blah landscape on the way to relatives' houses in rural Nelson County. They were just colorful statues to tally as I rode quietly in the backseat. My parents and others in subdivisions in town kept "nice" lawns and had no interest in such things as whimsical concrete lawn ornaments. Perhaps my fascination with statues of the Virgin Mary in makeshift grottoes stems from unexpressed childhood rebellion, but I think they deserve more respect than they get. I'm sure that to their owners, they are something more than lawn kitsch for subdivision folk to gawk at. So with that, I begin the Our Lady of the Bathtub Appreciation Society, to find out the stories behind the concrete testaments to the Catholic faith. I'm starting in Louisville, KY, where I live now (and which has large pockets of Catholic heritage) and eventually working my way back to my homeland of Nelson County.

Oh, and I can't forget to thank the people who inspired this project as I begin:
-Josh Michtom who created http://www.somervillemadonnas.com/
He created the first web page documenting this type of lawn ornamentation. Go to his webpage and take your appreciation to a whole new level.
-My friend Matt for sending me the link posted above.
-My boyfriend Brendan for giving me the digital camera to take the pictures (and probably any technical know-how you'll see displayed here.


P.S. Are you in the Louisville area? Do you know someone who has an Our Lady of the Bathtub and wants to share pictures and stories? Have you seen some picture-worthy "Our Ladies?" Email me!