HISTORIC BETS BEST Daniel Boone and Abraham Lincoln once walked here. Dig into their legacies and those of other significant historical figures. Perryville Battlefield State Park, Perryville. Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, Hodgenville Narrating the humble beginnings of one of American’s most beloved presidents are an early 19th century cabin symbolizing the one Abe Lincoln was born in and his boyhood home at Knob Creek. Here, where Lincoln lived from ages 2 to 7, is where his character, ideals and principles were shaped. Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage Park, Nicholasville During the Civil War, this National Historic Landmark and part of the Underground Railroad, was the second-largest depot and permanent encampment in the state. As the third-largest recruitment camp for African-Americans in the U.S., eight regiments of U.S. Colored Troops were founded here. A living history re-enactment takes place in September. 1780. The park re-creates a frontier experience through historical, craft and educational programs, and offers numerous recreational opportunities, including camping, fishing and boating. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Harrodsburg Make a turkey-wing hand-tied broom. Take a candlelight or standup paddleboard yoga class. Dine on dishes made from heirloom recipes using ingredients grown in gardens outside. This 3,000-acre landmark offers visitors an active experience in the spirit of the Kentucky Shakers. 859-527-3131 www.parks.ky.gov/parks/ recreationparks/fort-boonesborough Perryville Battlefield State Park, Perryville Glimpse vistas seen by soldiers on the day of the largest and bloodiest Civil War battle in Kentucky, which raged on Oct. 8, 1862, and left 7,600 soldiers dead, wounded or missing. Today, this peaceful National Historic Landmark is one of the nation’s best preserved and most pristine Civil War battlefields. 859-734-5411 www.shakervillageky.org 270-358-3137 www.nps.gov/abli/index.htm 859-881-5716 www.campnelson.org Trail of Tears Commemorative Park, Hopkinsville Walk hallowed grounds at the site of the 1838-1839 encampment set up during the forced removal of the Cherokee people. The weekend after Labor Day, the park hosts a Pow Wow with Native American singing, storytelling, dance, arts and crafts, foods (fry bread!) and more. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Middlesboro Dr. Thomas Walker explored this area in 1750, but 20 years later the more high-profile Daniel Boone came through. The Cumberland Gap, that rugged passage through the southern Appalachian Mountains, led into the vast wilderness of “Kentake” — the name Native Americans had given it, meaning “meadowland.” Lincoln Birthplace. Big South Fork Scenic Railway, Stearns Dig into coal-mining history with a ride into the heart of Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area and Barthell Coal Mining Camp. Before your journey, enjoy live music at the historic depot. Afterward, tour exhibits at McCreary County Museum, housed in the 1907 Stearns Coal and Lumber Company corporate headquarters. 859-332-8631 parks.ky.gov/parks/historicsites/ perryville-battlefield www.trailoftears.org For more, visit KentuckyTourism.com and click on See/History & Heritage! 606-248-2817 www.nps.gov/cuga/index.htm Fort Boonesborough State Park, Richmond Named for Daniel Boone, this park memorializes the frontiersman who lived here in a thriving fort from 1775 to Above, left to right: Fort Boonesborough blacksmith shop; Big South Fork Scenic Railway. 606-376-5330 www.bsfsry.com 606-376-5730 www.mccrearymuseum.com 22 1-800-225-8747 / 1-800-225-TRIP
Kentucky Official Visitor's Guide 2017 Kentucky Official Visitor's Guide: Page 22
