Area Attractions
Kentucky Festivals at KyFestivals.com http://www.kyfestivals.com/index.php
Kentuckians are famous for their spirit of adventure so come join the fun! There are a lot of exciting things happening around Kentucky and this site is dedicated to making your travel planning easier. Start your next trip by using the KyFestivals search tool. Just select a month, county or city that you'd like to visit and you are off.
Click for a filtered view of Kentucky Festivals happening between June 12 and June 19.
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Ragged Edge Community Theater and Arts Center http://www.kycom.net/~raggededge/Home.htm
"The Ragged Edge Community Theater is a non-profit organization founded in 1983, with its own facility located on Main Street in downtown Harrodsburg. Its mission is to provide and promote the performing and visual arts and to increase the cultural and educational opportunities for the citizens of Mercer County and all of central Kentucky."
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Kentucky Department of Parks - Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park http://parks.ky.gov/resortparks/bl/
"Throughout history, the salt springs at Blue Licks State Park have attracted prehistoric animals, Indians and pioneers such as the legendary Daniel Boone. Many 19th-century southerners came to the area seeking the rejuvenation of the therapeutic, bubbling waters.
Blue Licks is more widely known, however, as the site of the last Revolutionary War battle in Kentucky. In 1782, Kentuckians engaged Indians and British soldiers near the Licking River. Outnumbered, Kentucky suffered great losses, including one of Boone's sons. Boone's words, "Enough of honour cannot be paid," are inscribed on the monument dedicated to the fallen soldiers in the Battle of Blue Licks."
Note: Our own relative, John Frye, fought and died at the battle of Blue Licks. Keep an eye on the Genealogy page for more information about Carpenter family history.
More information about The Battle of Blue Licks http://earlyamerica.com/review/winter2000/bluelick.html
Please ignore the advertising link at the top of this web page. Despite the clutter, this page gives a good summary of the history of this battle.
TIP: If you do not have a browser that blocks pop ups, then you may want to consider getting a better web browser like Mozilla Firefox, which works very well. -- JWC
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More Area Attractions
There is so much more to see and do than I could ever list. However, I will copy and paste some information from brochures and web sites that have come to my attention while preparing to visit Kentucky in June. For more information, you should visit several tourism web sites:
Kentucky Department of Tourism
http://www.kentuckytourism.com/interest.aspx
"Kentucky is a wonderful place to spend time with friends and family. Our interest finder is designed to help you quickly find activities you will enjoy. Just choose your interest from the drop down menu and start planning a great Kentucky getaway. If you are unable to find exactly what you are looking for try searching our site."
Southern & Eastern Kentucky Tourism Development Association
http://www.tourseky.com/
"Southern and Eastern Kentucky Tourism Development Association (SEKTDA) is a non-profit organization created in 1987 to promote, expand, develop and market the existing and potential tourism industry throughout Southern and Eastern Kentucky in an effort to contribute to the economic and cultural growth of the region. To learn more about Congressman Hal Rogers' "Company's Coming" initiative, please visit his web site."
10000 Trails
http://www.10000trails.com/
"Western Kentucky has many attractions for just about everyone. Take a look and see what West Kentucky and the Commonwealth of Kentucky has to offer!"
Note: This 10000 Trails web site has developed web pages featuring many heritage trail driving tours already. They are currently developing a Genealogy Trail, which is not yet available, but is being actively researched. It might be worth checking on this link periodically to see what they come up with. -- JWC
Kentucky's Bluegrass Region, Home Page
http://www.bluegrasskentucky.com/
"Kentucky's Bluegrass Region offers visitors of all ages the perfect excuse for a weekend excursion or weeklong vacation. Whether you're interested in horses or history, architecture or outdoor recreation, handmade crafts or handsome antiques, a world of enjoyment awaits you in a magical, one-of-a-kind place."
Note: This page is another portal to tons of other activities. Not strictly related to the reunion, but it gives some good ideas. The brochure listed area golf course for those who just cannot live without hitting the green while they are on vacation. I do not see that on the web site, so I will just give you a couple near the reunion. See below... -- JWC
Golf Courses near the Reunion
Danville, KY: Old Bridge Golf Club - (859) 236-6051
Harrodsburg: Bright Leaf Golf Resort - (800) 469-6038
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2006 Great American Brass Band Festival
http://www.gabbf.com/gabbf2006.html
"The 2006 GABBF Festival will be held June 8-11, 2006 in Danville, Kentucky. Imagine a lazy summer day on a picture-perfect college campus in a Norman Rockwell small town, listening to the world's best brass band musicians playing patriotic tunes and favorite popular standards on three stages. Add to that four days of family fun rounding out a magical, musical experience consistently called the nation's foremost festival of brass band music. Year after year, the Great American Brass Band Festival attracts more than 40,000 visitors from around the globe. Don't miss out on the fun!"
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Enjoy the Sights and Sounds of Danville & Perryville, Kentucky
http://www.danvillekentucky.com/
"Welcome to Danville-Boyle County! We invite you to discover the unique sites and sounds that have earned our community the reputation as a premier historical destination. We offer a wonderful alternative to the hustle and bustle of the big cities and crowded interstates. And there is plenty to see and do for the whole family!"
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William Whitley House State Historic Site
http://parks.ky.gov/statehistoricsites/ww/index.htm
"The William Whitley House is the first brick home and circular racetrack in Kentucky, completed in 1794 by William Whitley and his wife Esther. The estate, known as Sportsman’s Hill, is a monument to pioneer ingenuity and resourcefulness.
The brick house was built in the Flemish bond pattern for greater strength and has a secret chamber for hiding in the event of an Indian attack. Dubbed the "Guardian of Wilderness Road," the house was a gathering spot for early Kentuckians, including George Rogers Clark and Daniel Boone."
For more information on William Whitley see also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Whitley
Note: As far as I know, we are not related to William Whitley, however, I have the brochure for this place, and let me tell you... the KY Dept. of Parks web page does not do it justice. Like Old Fort Harrod, this living history museum promises to be a great way to catch a glimpse of what frontier life might have been like. The list of attractions includes: Governor's Circle, Constitution Square Courthouse, Jail, Meetinghouse, Post Office, Fisher's Row, Watts-Bell House, Schoolhouse, Grayson's Tavern, Allan Goldsmith's House, Isaac Shelby Cemetery State HIstoric Site. There are also various special events held around the year to depict frontier life. Even if you are not much for reenactments and accurate portrayals of early American life, it is worth noting that between 1784-1792, ten constitutional conventions took place at the courthouse of Constitution Square. I wonder how many of our family might have participated or at least been nearby during those historic moments? --JWC
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Ephraim McDowell House Museum, Inc. - historic landmark in Danville, Kentucky
http://www.mcdowellhouse.com/
"Ephraim McDowell House in Danville, Kentucky historical, descendent, and tourist information. On Christmas morning, 1809, Dr. McDowell began his historic operation. The ovarian tumor he removed from Mrs. Crawford weighed twenty-two and one-half pounds. The surgery was performed without benefit of anesthetic or antisepsis, neither of which was known to the medical profession at the time. Mrs. Crawford's surgery was successful. She returned to her home in Green County twenty-five days after the operation and lived another thirty-two years. This was the first successful removal of an ovarian tumor in the world."
Note: Remember the story about Ephraim McDowell and our own George "Station" Carpenter? You can read that story on this web site here. Well, the home of Ephraim McDowell has been preserved as a historical site, and you can see it for yourself in Danville, Ky. -- JWC
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Pioneer Playhouse – Danville, KY
http://www.pioneerplayhouse.com/
"Kentucky's Oldest Outdoor Theatre.
Cultural Pioneers since 1950. Recycling and bartering were how founder Col. Eben C. Henson built Kentucky's first outdoor theatre. The architecture includes everything from WW2 army barracks to movie sets from the 'Golden Era' of cinema. Against all odds, Pioneer Playhouse became a theatrical legend, pioneering the outdoor theatre movement and bringing national acclaim to the region. The first Kentucky Arts Council was founded by Pioneer Playhouse; in 1951, New York and Kentucky were the only two states with official performing arts councils, leading the nation in an enlightened attitude about the arts."
"One of the most amazing theatre histories of our time."
–Dramatics Magazine, New York
Note: This theatre will actually be playing a show during the reunion. "My Sister Eileen" will play from June 10 - June 24. Perhaps one night when the reunion agenda is marked with "dinner on your own' some of us will meet up again at the show. Dinner and a show costs $25.00, Show only costs $13.00. -- JWC
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Genealogical Research Sources in Danville and Boyle County, Kentucky
http://www.danville-ky.com/BoyleCounty/genealogy.htm
Note: Although not really a tourist attraction, I came across this listing of courthouses, libraries, and other resources for genealogical research in the area of Kentucky near where we will be. If you feel the itch to scout out some potential research in the Kentucky area, this listing might be a place to gather some contact information. I will likely move this information to the Genealogy section after the reunion. -- JWC
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Central Kentucky Wildlife Refuge
No web site found. For more information, call Robert and Susan Anderson (859) 332-8672,
or Joni Morgan (606) 236-0092
Note: If your favorite activities include: Hiking, Photography, Painting, or Nature Study, then you will be happy to visit the Central Kentucky Wildlife Refuge. Near Parksville, KY, and only 13 miles from Danville, this refuge is located on Carpenter's Creek Road. I thought that fitting and is in part why I chose to include this. Another reason is that this attraction is one of the free pleasures in life, and the variety of plant and animal life listed in the brochure promises to make this a peaceful stop on your visit to Kentucky. Hikers, they have six trails rated from Easy to Strenuous. If you are a birder, then you might especially enjoy the bird blind near the caretakers house. -- JWC
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Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill - We make you kindly welcome
http://www.shakervillageky.org/
"Welcome to Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill.
The restored Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill is a living history museum where the tangible reminders of an extraordinary life are preserved. Shaker Village not only presents America's finest, largest, and most completely restored Shaker community and living museum, but also offers one of the most historic and tranquil lodging and extraordinary dining experiences in the country. For a week or a weekend, Shaker Village provides you the chance to discover the magic of simplicity - in architecture, furniture, and daily activities - as intended by its founders more than a century ago."
Note: Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, just outside Harrodsburg, KY, was the location of our 2001 Carpenter-Zimmerman Family Reunion. I can therefore speak about it from personal experience and I recommend it highly to anyone. Both as a place to stay, and also as a historical site to visit. To catch a glimpse of the Shaker style utopian vision was a memorable experience for me, and the food was also very good. I can recommend Shaker Village without reservation as an alternative for one of those "dinner on your own" nights. Shaker Village also operates the Dixie Belle Riverboat Ride, which was another glimpse into the past. -- JWC
Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill - The Dixie Belle
http://www.shakervillageky.org/vill/villexp2dixbel.asp
A Riverboat Ride to Remember... Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill offers public riverboat excursions along the scenic Kentucky River Palisades aboard its authentic sternwheeler Dixie Belle. The 149-passenger riverboat operates from nearby Shaker Landing. River excursions, every day from late-April through October, take passengers along a stretch of river with high limestone cliffs and untouched natural beauty. During these one-hour trips, the Dixie Belle passes under High Bridge, an engineering marvel built in 1877."
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Historic Harrodsburg Kentucky
http://www.harrodsburgky.com/
"Founded in 1774, Harrodsburg was the first permanent English settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains. Located in the heart of the Bluegrass Region, Kentucky's oldest town offers an appealing mix of history, architecture and culture."
Note: This web site lists many events, attractions, restaurants, and even a Suggested Itinerary for those who want to take it easy and leave the planning to someone else. -- JWC
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Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea
http://www.kentuckyartisancenter.ky.gov/
"The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea is located 40 miles south of Lexington, KY on I-75, and only 2.5 miles from downtown Berea, the "Folk Arts and Craft Capital of Kentucky. You can shop for Kentucky products; experience Kentucky hospitality; explore Kentucky crafts & history; enjoy Kentucky cuisine; learn about other must-see places; and enjoy full rest stop services. There is no admission charge for visiting this Center featuring all Kentucky-made products!"
Note: If you like hand-made crafts, you may want to check this place out on your way to or from the reunion. There are scores of artists shops, galleries, dining, and antique shops. -- JWC
Berea, Kentucky Official Web Site! Berea, Ky
http://www.berea.com/earlyberea.htm
"In the 1890’s, there was a growing national interest in the culture and traditions of Appalachia by writers, academics, missionaries, and teachers. Fascinated by the rich culture and dismayed by the isolation and poverty, college donors were excited by the traditional coverlets brought by students in exchange for tuition. College President William Frost took many of these coverlets with him on his fund raising trips North. Frost, perceiving a national market for traditional crafts, established the first Berea College Fireside Industries. Frost encouraged people to move to Berea, and the college built a loom house and hired a supervisor to train and maintain the quality of student work."
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