Kentucky - Jefferson County

Iroquois Park, Louisville, KY

Donald Vish was a Louisville attorney and avid photographer.  He was known for his photographs of the Kentucky Derby.  He took many photographs in Olmsted parks and other parks in the Louisville parks system.  His views of the Louisville parks gave people a new perspective of the scenes of the Louisville parks.  The year 2023 was the last year of his life.  Now it is left to others to see the beauty of the Louisville area in a similar way. 

Kentucky - Jefferson County

The Winter Woods Spectacular

The Winter Woods Spectacular is a community walk event with a presentation of lights in a wooded area in Iroquois Park.  Funds gathered from the event benefit the Parks Alliance of  Louisville. 

Kentucky - Nelson County

Nelson County, Kentucky

What seems eternal?  It may be that limestone outcrops in Kentucky have changed little in thousands of years.  The water resources of Kentucky have supplied clean water for most of the time that Kentucky has been inhabited. Clean water is a basic for human health.  Preserving Kentucky's water resources is a worthwhile pursuit.   

Kentucky - Louisville

 

World War II Era Trainer Aircraft BowmanFest October 2022

The 2022 BowmanFest celebrated one hundred years of flying at Bowman Field in Louisville, Kentucky. Bowman Field is one of the oldest continually operating towered airports in North America. The aircraft in the image is a T-6G.

Kentucky - Louisville

 

The fall foliage was vibrant in 2021. This solitary tree in Iroquois Park was one of the best trees of the brilliant fall. We realized the continuity; the trees and us.

 

  

Kentucky - West Point

 

Fort Duffield was built by the Salt River near the Ohio River

 

 

Fort Duffield was named for one of the soldiers’ father, a minister. The Fort was built as a part of a Union effort to defend the Louisville Nashville turnpike approach to Louisville and the railroad near Louisville. The soldiers that died while serving at Fort Duffield died from several causes. The most common cause was infectious disease. One soldier was killed by a sniper. The labor to build Fort Duffield is evident at the site of the Fort.  Neighbor was to fight neighbor. Brother was to fight brother. The country was so divided that it’s own inhabitants were fighting and killing each other in battles. It is a sobering place; the reason for the Fort being constructed brings sorrow to one’s mind.

Kentucky - Clermont

Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest

The Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest was provided to the people of Kentucky by Isaac W. Bernheim.  The Olmsted firm provided the landscape plan for the Arboretum.  Isaac Bernheim paid for the stature of Lincoln at the Louisville Public Library.  The graves of Isaac Bernheim and many family members are at the Arboretum. During his life Issac Bernheim moved to Colorado.  He was attracted to Kentucky and he was attracted to Colorado.

Kentucky - Corbin

 T. Coleman du Pont wanted to preserve the Falls at Cumberland Falls so anyone could see them. He purchased the land with the intent to give the land to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. During the process he died.  His widow, Alice Elsie du Pont did the work  so his wishes could be fullfiled. She gave the land to build the park to the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Kentucky - Parker’s Lake

A lake was built by the Cincinnati Southern railroad in McCreary County Kentucky to provide water for the railroad’s locomotives. A Cumberland Falls station was built on the Cincinnati Southern line at Parker’s Lake. There travelers could get a wagon to go to see the Cumberland Falls.  The Cumberland Falls is considered one of the most scenic places in the Southeast. Mules were there to move the wagons to Cumberland Falls.  Travelers had to endure a rough four hour ride to get to see the Cumberland Falls.

Louisville’s Olmsted Parks - Iroquois

Eastern Redbud adds to the color in the Iroquois Park woods

 

Olmsted stated his vision for Iroquois Park in his 1891 report to the Park Commission. Olmsted said Iroquois provided “the grandeur of forest depths.”Iroquois Park was to provide the visitor with the experience of being surrounded by the forest. The central hill was to provide overlooks to view the surrounding land. Iroquois was and is unique in the park system.

Louisville’s Olmsted Parks - Shawnee

Frederick Law Olmsted provided an 1891 report to the Park Commission.  In Olmsted’s vision for the Louisville parks the topography of the land would not require much change.  Shawnee would have terraces sloping to the shore of the river.  With large areas available, Shawnee would be the Louisville park for outdoor public meetings.  The corridor of the river was to be the attraction.  Picnic areas and flower gardens were to provide visitors with settings to match with the scenic river corridor.

The Shakers

The Shakers set up communities at South Union and at Pleasant Hill in Kentucky. Men and women lived communally in separate houses. The communities began operation around 1810.  The last members left around 1910.  There were communities in Ohio and New York State. The Shaker movement began in New York State. The seeds sold by the Shakers were popular with buyers.  The Shakers had a good reputation as sellers. 

Knowledge was once appreciated

Kentucky was once considered to be “the West.”  When Ephraim McDowell was perfecting his skill at treating people, Kentucky was considered to be a location where the best minds were living and working.  In more recent times an antipathy has has come to the fore about expertise.  Experts in their field are mocked.  Kentucky was once a place that drew the top minds of  North America.  In Kentucky knowledge was once appreciated.

The most difficult problem

Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky.  There is a Lincoln Birthplace property that people can visit to see this site in a rural area in Kentucky. Of all the presidents Lincoln had the most difficult problem to deal with during his term of office.  It is remarkable that he bought the nation through the rebellion that threatened the nation’s existence.

General Butler State Resort Park

 

General Butler State Resort Park - Carrollton, Kentucky 

General Butler State Resort Park is a state historic park in the Kentucky State Parks system. The park has the Butler-Turpin historic home built in 1859.   The park is located  in Carrollton , KY.  The park's knolls stand above the surrounding area.  The woods have been heavily cut and are in the process of maturing.  The CCC built the lake, trails, pavilions and  shelters.  The park would not exist were it not for the CCC work. The site has been protected. Many groups hold meetings at this park.  It is a busy site year round. A dulcimer group meets regularly.   It is one of the good experiences of the experiences in exploring Kentucky.

Rough River Dam

Sign at Trail head - Rough River Dam State Resort Park

Rough River Dam State Resort Park near Hardinsburg, Kentucky does not have several trails to explore.  Hardinsburg is the county seat of Breckinridge County, Kentucky.   The population was 2,343 at the time of the 2010 census. Hardinsburg was named after Captain William Hardin. Captain William Hardin  was an American Revolutionary War soldier, farmer, marksman, and hunter.  The area the park has is smaller than some of the other parks.  The park does not offer the scenic features that many of the other parks offer.  It does offer an airfield.  People can land at the airfield walk to the park dining room, eat and return to the airfield and fly away.   The park is located in a rural area.  It can be a quiet getaway especially after the last week in October when demand lessons.  It is said to be off the beaten path.

Kentucky's Favorite Places

Cumberland River, High Water, Kentucky

 

The stone bridge constructed by the CCC at Kentucky's beautiful Pine Mountain State Park.  The high explosives storage structure and the cabins constructed by the CCC at Cumberland Falls State Park.  The stone fenced overlook constructed by the CCC at General Butler state park.  The woodland steps constructed by the CCC at John James Audubon state park. These are places to lift our spirits.  The CCC made these bridges and other things out of a faith that our country could come out of hard times.  It can happen again. 

Kentucky's Most Scenic Place?

Natural Bridge in Eastern Kentucky

The Natural Bridge is in one of the oldest Kentucky State Parks. The park was developed by the Lexington and Eastern Railroad. The location was later integrated into the Kentucky State Park system. The sandstone arch is located  near Slade, KY. The woods have thickets of rhododendron and mountain laurel.  Mature hemlocks and tall oaks make up the forest around the span of the arch. 
The sandstone arch stands 65 feet high and spans 78 feet in length. The arch is arguably among the most scenic places in Kentucky.  The site has been protected.  It is one of the best experiences of any of the experiences in exploring Kentucky.

Kentucky's President of the United States

Bronze statue on Kentucky Street, Bowling Green, Kentucky

The bronze statue of Abraham Lincoln was installed for the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth.  Of the U.S. presidents Lincoln was perhaps the person of least means.  After the end of the War Between the States deep divisions continued in Kentucky.

Lincoln put his effort into preserving the republic.  Over the years his incredibly important service to the republic have been appreciated in Kentucky and in the nation.

The Cumberland River

The Cumberland River in Southeast Kentucky

This is the Gatliff Bridge. It crosses the Cumberland River at the border of McCreary County  and Whitley County.  The road is Highway 90. On one side is Cumberland Falls State Resort Park and on the other side are tracts of the Cumberland Falls State Resort Park and the Daniel Boone National Forest. The bridge is located above Cumberland Falls. The bridge was built in 1953.  It is hard to imagine how the local people got around before 1953.  There is a plaque on the bridge that honors Mr. Gatliff.  Mr. Gatliff worked at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

The bridge appearance was chosen to look natural with its forest setting.  A low cost bridge could have been erected but the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet stood firm for a bridge appropriate to the scenic setting. It could have looked like a railroad bridge with steel structure over the bridge deck. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet stood firm. Hence the bridge is made with an outer layer of cut stone.  Masons were brought to the site to lay the stone during the construction.

A 16.1 mile corridor of the river is designated a state wild river.  There are only nine rivers in Kentucky with the wild river protection.  Generally there are not buildings along the wild river protection areas of these special areas.

It is one of the region's most beautiful places.  It stuns with its surprising beauty.
  
Have you seen this scenic Kentucky place? If not, what are you waiting for?