Field Trip!

Today we toured The Old Fort Harrod State Park, in Harrodsburg, KY.

Founded, and named for, James Harrod , Harrodsburg is the oldest permanent settlement in Kentucky.  In fact, it is the first English settlement West of the Allegheny Mountains.  In 1774, Harrod and fifty other men traveled down the Ohio river and up the Kentucky river and landed in the general vicinity of what would later be called Harrodstown. They began putting up cabins, but were interrupted by a scuffle with the Shawnee and other Native American tribes.  Daniel Boone also erected a cabin in Harrodstown in the same year.

 

Preserving Kentucky's pioneer history, the fort has been reconstructed near the site of the original. Heavy timbers form stockade walls and enclose the cabins and blockhouses. Interpreters in period-correct clothing perform pioneer tasks such as woodworking, weaving, broommaking, and blacksmithing and tend the farm animals and gardens.

The Lincoln Marriage Temple shelters the original log cabin where Abraham Lincoln's parents were married in 1806, and the Mansion Museum houses Civil War artifacts, a gun display, Native American artifacts and a collection of Lincoln memorabilia.  ( direct quote from Old Fort Harrod website.

 

We had a wonderful time touring the Fort and the weather was simply beautiful!

What the fort would’ve looked like.

Helana was allowed to work the bellows in the blacksmith shop.

Chatting with a man in the blacksmith shop, sharpening a knife.

When in danger of being attacked by “Indians”, the settlers would give rag dolls to the children in an effort to keep them quiet.  Some examples of these dolls can be seen hanging up in the background.

Garden

Inside a cabin home. (The kids look real enthused, don’t they?)

A salt trough, where they would preserve meat.  Howdya like that slab of bacon hanging on the wall?

A stop-off of George Roger Clark’s.

Beauty purchased a faux coon-skin cap in the gift shop.

I’m not sure Beauty would enjoy having school in this room, but lots of pioneer children had to!

 

In all it was a very enjoyable day.  If you are ever in Central Kentucky, stop by and check it out for yourself!  For more info on the history of Harrodsburg, click out this informational site.