Friday, September 17, 2010

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.

 

102_2424

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.

Marriage templeThe 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!

102_2430 102_2428 What the fort would’ve looked like.

102_2429

102_2427 Helana was allowed to work the bellows in the blacksmith shop.

102_2426 Chatting with a man in the blacksmith shop, sharpening a knife.

102_2425 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.

102_2417 Garden

102_2419 Inside a cabin home. (The kids look real enthused, don’t they?)

102_2422 A salt trough, where they would preserve meat.  Howdya like that slab of bacon hanging on the wall?

102_2421 A stop-off of George Roger Clark’s.

102_2423 Beauty purchased a faux coon-skin cap in the gift shop.

102_2418 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.

1 comment:

Emily said...

My husband and I visited last year! We had a such a great day! We also went to the Shaker Village on the same day! It is so beautiful in that part of Kentucky!