Tag: NoDestination

No Destination: Yuko-En on the Elkhorn

The Arched Bridge at Yuko-En on the Elkhorn, Georgetown, Ky.

The Official Kentucky-Japan Friendship Garden, Yuko-En on the Elkhorn, is located on the north fork of the Elkhorn Creek in Georgetown, Ky. It is a beautiful garden with a large koi pond, a rock zen garden, a Tokugawa entrance gate and stone gardens. Pictured above is the Arched Bridge, painted Japanese red, which crosses a dry rock stream and symbolizes streams flowing down Japan’s volcanic peaks. It is one of the largest Japanese gardens in the United States.

Fourteen hundred truckloads of dirt was unloaded onto the site during construction in 2000, converting the former pasture (and site of an 1898 monastery) into the garden. It was declared the Kentucky’s “Official” Japanese garden in 2000 by an act of the Kentucky General Assembly; funding was provided by many local businesses, including (not surprisingly) Toyota.  A second phase, not completed, will include a bonsai house, a maple grove and a tea garden.

No Destination: Farmington

Farmington, Louisville, Ky.

Inspired by the architectural designs of Thomas Jefferson, architect Paul Skidmore designed Farmington for John and Lucy Speed (John Speed was a seventh generation descendant of the English cartographer of the same name). The home was completed in 1816 and contains two 24-foot wide octagonal shaped rooms (unique to 19th century Kentucky and a common attribute of Jeffersonian architecture).

Farmington was the site of a 550-acre hemp plantation; there is a memorial on the site to the slaves who toiled here.

In 1841, Abraham Lincoln visited Farmington for a three-week period where he visited with his friend, Joshua Speed (the son of John and Lucy). Apparenly, Abe and Mary were having a little tiff in their courtship and the mental break of Farmington was just what Honest Abe needed in order to muster up the courage to ask Mary Todd for her hand.

Once elected President, Lincoln offered the position of Treasury Secretary to Joshua Speed. Speed declined as he had no political ambition, but brother James Speed (a Louisville attorney) accepted Lincoln’s 1864 offer to become Attorney General.

The home was purchased in 1958 by the Historic Homes Foundation, a Louisville-based organization which owns, preserves and protects historic Louisville residences.

NoDestination: Oldest House in Cynthiana

Oldest House in Cynthiana, Ky.

This isn’t just the oldest house in Cynthiana; it has served as so much more. So, Nate was right; I did really like the old log courthouse at Cynthiana’s courthouse square. The historic marker 1539 reads:

Oldest house in Cynthiana, built 1790. Young Henry Clay practiced law here, 1806. In 1817, city’s first newspaper, the Guardian of Liberty was printed by Adam Keenan, assisted by H. H. Kavanaugh, later a noted Bishop, and Dudley Mann, who became a diplomat to France. Guthrie’s Arithmetic, first to be published west of Alleghenies, was also printed here.

The marker, however, misses so much of the tale. Built by Dr. James McPeters in 1790, the building also served as the county’s first courthouse. [*] There, the county’s first murder trial was heard. The accused, Adam House, was defended by Henry Clay. Here is some more background from Mrs. L. Boyd’s Chronicles of Cynthiana (1894):

And, not surprisingly, the place is haunted.

NoDestination: Duncan Tavern

Anne Duncan House (l) and Duncan Tavern (r), Paris, Ky.

If you have been to historic Williamsburg, Va., you know the import of the local tavern in colonial America. I think of all the taverns near Virginia’s colonial government seat, where our nation’s founders would gather to discuss the issues of the day.

When Kentucky was divided by Virginia into three counties, one of these counties was Bourbon County. Its seat has always been Paris (originally chartered as Hopewell, Va. [*]). Thirty-three counties have been carved from Bourbon’s original borders. Needless to say, people traveled long distances to visit the county seat of Paris. And these individuals needed a place to stay and to eat.

The Goddess of Liberty, the original name of the Duncan Tavern, was the gathering place for Kentucky’s earliest leaders, including Daniel Boone, Simon Kenton, Peter Houston and Michael Stoner. [*]

The three story tavern was constructed in 1788 by Maj. Joseph Duncan. According to the Kentucky Encyclopedia, the architecture is remarkable given that most structures of the day in Paris were log buildings. According to at least one account, the tavern towered over the 20′ x 30′ log courthouse below. [*] Duncan Tavern now houses the Kentucky Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution;the Anne Duncan House was erected in 1801 and now houses a genealogical library.

No Destination: Covington’s First United Methodist Church

I wish I had more time to spend in Covington. I arrived a little early for a court hearing and I parked a few blocks away from the courthouse in a residential area (free parking, two hour limit). I drove around a little too and saw several things I would love to post about, but I unfortunately could not spend the day in Covington!

First United Methodist Church; Covington, Ky.

Around the corner from my parking spot was the First United Methodist Church. While not the most stunning church in town (there are many absolutely stunning churches), its beautiful red brick was an amazing contrast to its white trim and blue sky. Originally constructed in 1867, the church burned in 1947 before being rebuilt.

The congregation dates to 1805. Like so many historic churches in the region, however, it split over slavery in 1846. It was not until 1939 that the divided congregations were reunited. One of FUMC’s most famous parishioners was Jesse Grant, the father of President Ulysses S. Grant. Jesse Grant passed away in 1873 and the President here attended his father’s funeral. *

No Destination: First Courthouse

Replica of Kentucky’s original Courthouse

In Danville’s Constitution Square State Park sits a replica (erected 1942) of the original log courthouse for Virginia’s District of Kentucky. In the original, which was built c. 1784/85, the Constitutional Convention was held. This meeting led to the formation of Kentucky as an independent Commonwealth and a state of the Union, effective June 1, 1792.

The marker in front of this replica incorrectly states that the structure also housed the Supreme Court of Kentucky. In an attempt to see if people actually read my blog, please leave a comment to tell me why the marker is incorrect.

UPDATE (May 15, 2010): The marker is not entirely incorrect. The Supreme Court for the District of Kentucky was the appellate court for the District of Kentucky (part of Virginia) from 1785 until Kentucky became a state in 1792. And no one reads my blog as  evidenced by the lack of commenting…

No Destination: Hampton House

The Hampton House in Frankfort

Located at 101 West Main Street in Frankfort sits the Hampton House which is the city’s oldest surviving stone house in the city. It was built sometime before 1840 by John Hampton; the Walking Tour of Frankfort points to the erection of the home to be in 1815.  It is made of “patterned river limestone with jack arches over both the windows and doors.”

Hampton and his family operated a number of taverns in the area, receiving their first licenses around 1818. The home was enlarged around 1840 and was used as a boarding house in the 1850s.

In 1879, the Franklin County sheriff, Col. H.P. Williams, lived here and on at least one occasion entertained Judge John Elliot of the Kentucky Court of Appeals. Col. Buford of Henry County stopped by during this visit and invited J. Elliott to go hunting with him. The Judge declined the invitation. Buford then invited the Judge for a drink; the judge again declined.

So Col. Buford shot and killed Judge Elliott. Buford later said that he shot the Judge because of a decision rendered by J. Elliott against Buford’s sister in the amount of $20,000. Buford was tried in Owen County, but was acquitted following an insanity plea. Held in Anchorage, Ky., Buford escaped to Indiana and could not be extradited due to weak extradition laws at the time.

No Destination: Pleasureville

Pleasureville Christian Church. Irony in the name? Perhaps.

Straddling the line of Henry and Shelby counties is the community of Pleasureville. The community first began under the name Bantaville when the area was settled by Dutch Huguenot families, including that of Abraham Banta, leaving Mercer County.

The source of the current name, Pleasureville, is believed to come from the presence of the community’s popular bordello (a source of pleasure, and likely of disease, for many).

I saw Pleasureville on the map and had to stop. Not since Preachersville have I found the name of a Kentucky community so unique. And obviously for quite different reasons!

No Destination: The Old Pollard Inn

Kentucky Historic Marker #798 (Old Pollard Inn)

I will allow the following history to speak for itself [cite] as it is quite an interesting read:

After crossing the Kentucky River from Owen County, [Confederate General John H.] Morgan and Hines were left without a guide, his having turned back due to lack of knowledge of Henry County roads or people. Travelling through the dark, winter night, they eventually grew tired and cold about 2 a.m. December 1st. Morgan and Hines stopped at what is now known as the “Old Pollard Inn,” just north of Highway 22 on Highway 421 outside New Castle. Even though they weren’t sure of where his sympathies lay, the tired men knocked on the door at Mr. Pollard’s.

The master of the house was quickly aroused, whereupon Hines explained their desire to be put up for the night. Mr. Pollard readily let them in, and showed them to the main room of the house. As soon as the lamp on the table there was turned up, Morgan and Hines were sure they were safe. On the table lay a newspaper of Confederate sympathy with the bold headlines proclaiming (incorrectly) that General Morgan, Hines, and seven others had escaped from an Ohio prison.

Their conversation at this point is best put in Captain Hines’ own words: “Glancing at the paper, I looked up and remarked, “I see that General Morgan, Hines, and other offices have escaped from the penitent-iary.” He responded, “Yes; and you are Captain Hines, are you not?” I replied, “Yes; and what is your name?” “Pollard, he answered.” “Allow me, then, to introduce General Morgan.” I found that I had not made a mistake.” Shortly thereafter, Morgan and Hines were resting comfortably in total safety.

Morgan and Hines arose late the next day. After a hearty breakfast, plans to move further on were discussed. The house sat just feet from the main highway, and leaving at such an odd time of the morning was sure to draw unwanted attention of the black workers. Having discussed all the factors, it was decided to remain until after lunch. Mr. Pollard furnished Morgan and Hines with cattle whips, as it had been decided they would travel onward under the guise of cattle buyers. Shortly after lunch, the “cattle buyers” set out for the next planned stop on their journey.

The Old Pollard Inn no longer exists, but the pictured marker remains. As for the Ohio State Penitentiary from where the escape was launched, it was demolished to make way for the Nationwide Arena in Columbus.

No Destination: Main & Cross Main (Main Cross)

Intersection of Main & Cross Main in New Castle

Pictured above is the sign marking the intersection of N. Main St. and E. Cross Main St. in New Castle, Kentucky. Historical significance: none of which I am aware. So why the picture and the post?

Well, you’ve probably figured out I love strange historical facts and findings. A common street design in this area was to have a Main Street with a “Cross Street” (aka “Cross Main” or “Main Cross”). The road was traditionally the main road to run perpendicular to Main Street. Why the picture? Because I’ve never noticed a street sign bearing the name.  Lexington’s “Main Cross Street” is now Broadway. Nicholasville’s “Cross Street” is now Walnut Street.

New Castle’s isn’t the only remaining “Cross” street. A quick google reveals several in Ohio and another in Louisa, Kentucky (Lawrence County).