Page 275 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

KENTUCK Y  273

also encompasses a large site. However, Bardtown’s most
portion of the original Lincoln popular attraction is My Old
family farmland. Kentucky Home State Park.
Here, guides lead visitors
P Abraham Lincoln Birth place through the historic mansion
National Historic Site that, according to legend,
2995 Lincoln Farm Rd. Tel (270) 358- inspired composer Stephen
3137. Open 8am–4:45pm or 6:45pm Foster to write “My Old Kentucky
(seasonal). Closed Jan 1, Thanksg., Home,” the state’s beloved
Dec 25. 7 ∑ nps.gov/abli anthem. The park also hosts
outdoor musicals.

P My Old Kentucky Home
State Park
107 E Stephen Foster Ave. Tel (502)
348-3502. Open 9am–5pm daily. Gigantic baseball bat outside the Louisville
Closed Jan–mid-Mar: Mon & Tue, Slugger Museum
Jan 1, Thanksgiving, Dec 24, 25 & 31.
& 7 ∑ parks.gov.ky and offers “backside track tours”
through the Churchill Downs
The Hodgenville log cabin in which track. A couple of blocks from
Abraham Lincoln was born n Louisville the historic district on the
waterfront, the Louisville
b Bardstown * 253,000. ~ @ n 301 S Slugger Museum produces
Fourth St, (502) 379-6109.
* 12,800. n 1 Court Square, (502) ∑ gotolouisville.com the worldclass baseball bat in a
348-4877. ∑ visitbardstown.com factory marked by a landmark
Founded at the falls of the 120-ft- (36-m-) tall bat.
The “Bourbon Capital of the Ohio River in 1788, Louisville The Speed Art Museum has
World,” Bardstown is surrounded (pronounced “Looavul”) is home a large collection of Renaissance
by the state’s largest whiskey to one of the world’s most paintings and sculpture. At the
distilleries, which have earned famous horse races, the Riverfront Plaza on the banks
Kentucky its legendary Kentucky Derby. What Mardi Gras of the Ohio River at Main and
reputation as the whiskey- is to New Orleans, or the Masters Fourth Streets, the oldest oper-
making center of the US. (Unlike Tournament is to Augusta, ating river steamboat in the US
whiskey, which is made from the Derby is to Louisville – it is tours the area. The surrounding
cereal grain, bourbon is made the event around which all local historic district’s old warehouses
from corn, malt, and rye, and is calendars revolve. Since it first have been recast as cafés,
aged in charred white oak began in 1875, three-year-old galleries, restaurants, and
barrels.) The area’s most popular horses have run the track at several bourbon distilleries.
distillery, James Beam, known in Churchill Downs on the first Located 2 miles (3.2 km) north-
countless country songs as “Jim Saturday in May. Kentucky’s east of downtown, Cave Hill
Beam,” lies 14 miles (22.5 km) high society turns out in spring Cemetery is one of the largest
west of Bardstown, while a finery for this social event, and most beautiful in the US.
20-mile (32-km) drive south where decorated hats for ladies Many Louisvillians go visit the
leads to the famed Maker’s Mark and seersucker suits for gentle- grounds just to feed the ducks,
distillery, Kentucky’s oldest men are the norm. Mint julep, or take in the landscaped lawns.
distillery operating in the same a Southern concoction of
bourbon, sugar, and E Kentucky Derby Museum
fresh mint over ice is 704 Central Ave. Tel (502) 637-1111.
the unofficial beverage Open 9am–5pm Mon–Sat (from 8am
of choice. “My Old Mar 15–Nov 30), 11am–5pm Sun.
Kentucky Home” plays Closed first Fri & Sat in May,
while the horses are led Thanksgiving, Dec 24 & 25.
onto the track for an & 7 ∑ derbymuseum.org
event that lasts less than E Louisville Slugger Museum
two minutes. Winners 800 W Main St. Tel (877) 775-8443.
take home the coveted Open 9am–5pm Mon–Sat,
trophy, decorated with 11am–5pm Sun (extended hours
lucky silver horseshoes in in summer). & 7
a “U” shape “so that the ∑ sluggermuseum.com
luck doesn’t spill out.” E Speed Art Museum
The adjacent Kentucky 2035 S Third St. Tel (502) 634-2700.
Stephen Foster statue, My Old Kentucky Home State Derby Museum show- Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sat, noon–5pm
Park, Bardstown cases horse-racing history Sun. & ∑ speedmuseum.org

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