"The Community's strange spirit today finds its modern expression in calling the farm bell on Charlie Brackett's sister-in-law's place, Woollcott speaking."

 So explains a letter to Fox Film Corporation that accompanied the Lloydsboro Valley map prepared by the people of Pewee Valley for the Shirley Temple film, "The Little Colonel." 

So why did the town call the farm bell "Woollcott speaking"? 

We believe the bell was named for Alexander Woollcott  (January 19, 1887-January 23, 1943),  a critic and commentator for "The "New Yorker," magazine, host of the radio show "Woollcott Speaking,"  and one of the most quoted men of his generation. He happened to be friends with two Pewees: Charles Brackett, Academy Award winning screenwriter and movie producer; and George Madden Martin, authoress of "Emmy Lou."  An August 16, 1945 "Courier-Journal" article, "Woollcott Had Louisville Ties," written by Mary T. Clowes, talks about a visit Woollcott made to Pewee Valley during his lifetime:  

"....Until his death early in 1943, Woollcott and Mr. and Mrs. (Attwood R.) Martin ( who wrote under the pen name George Madden Martin) remained a staunch trio of friends. Whenever the Martins were East, they would go see him, and whenever he came to Louisville, there was always a get-together. Mr. (Samuel Hopkins) Adams, in his biography (of Alexander Woollcott), mentions a time when Woollcott was in Louisville and Mrs. Martin phoned him to see what she could do for him. He replied succinctly, 'I'm not going to do anything you want me to and you're going to do everything I want you to do.' 

"Elaborating on this particular occasion, Mrs. Martin says that she did not know 'Woolly' was in town until she picked up the Courier-Journal and read in an interview that he had arrived the night before at the Brown Hotel. The story went on to say that Woollcott had given the reporter three reasons for coming to Louisville: 

1. To visit famed Pewee Valley
2. To see the murals in the Cathedral at Bardstown
3. To have a get-together with George Madden Martin. Telephoning him immediately, Mrs. Martin chided him for not advising her that he was in town, to which Woollcott replied, 'I let you know in the morning Courier-Journal!' 

"Having his own way, of course, Woollcott accomplished all the three purposes of his visit here under Mrs.. Martin's guidance, and she recalls with particular pleasure the day's outing to Pewee Valley. She and Woollcott lunched with the Misses Matthews who know the lore of the Valley intimately, called on Miss Mary Johnston at the home of her mother, Mrs. Annie Fellows Johnston, and would up in the afternoon with tea at the residence of Lillian Fletcher.  As it happens, this was an especially felicitous gathering, as Woollcott was long a close friend of Miss Fletcher's brother-in-law, author Charlie Brackett."