“Alice “Dolly” McNutt
June 22, 1917 – January 11, 1989
“Madam Eloquent” was a title bestowed on Alice “Dolly” McNutt by those who heard her speak. She was the first woman to become the mayor of a second-class city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, in 1971. Dolly carried 22 of the 28 precincts and tied for another. During her tenure in office the city enjoyed many federal funds that went for improvement of the infrastructure such as improved sewers and sewage treatment facilities. Also, new water, power, and sewer lines went out to what is now Kentucky Oaks Mall and out Coleman Road. Locally, she fully funded the pension funds for both fire and police departments. Hueblein opened a plant in Paducah to produce vodka. Bill Bartleman and Berry Craig summed up the career of Mrs. Houston McNutt in the Paducah Sun on January 13, 1989. Their article reported Judge J. William Howerton saying, “She didn’t count votes before she took a position on an issue. She decided what was best and worked to accomplish that, without concern about how it was going to affect her politically.” Former Governor Julian Carroll felt Mrs. McNutt was one of the rare people who not only was intelligent, but also had the ability to communicate. “We very rarely see anyone that has both of those abilities and because of it, she had a tremendous influence in her leadership in the General Assembly and as mayor.”” (This excerpt from Paducahans, Famous and Not so Famous by Allan Rhodes, Sr. and John E. L. Robertson, Sr.; used by permission)
Dolly McNutt served in the Kentucky State House of Representatives from 1976 to 1986. An outdoor civic plaza in Paducah is named in her honor. Alice “Dolly” Hite McNutt died of cancer on January 11, 1989 and is buried beside her husband, Samuel Houston McNutt, in Mt. Carmel Cemetery, Paducah, KY.
(This posting also created using Internet sources: www.findagrave.com; www.politicalgraveyard.com; and city of Paducah website.)