Civil War Kentucky

30 Jul

This past weekend, we completed a whirlwind tour of Civil War sites in Kentucky. In the span of two days, we saw as many sites related to the Civil War as was logistically possible. Although Kentucky does not contain many war-related sites and parks well-known to the general public, the state does offer a lot of places to see and visit. Within its borders are the birthplaces of both Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Both locations contain museums and impressive monuments. There are also four battlefields (Munfordville, Richmond, Mill Springs, and Perryville) which are well-preserved and interpreted. Unlike some battlefields in highly populated areas, these battlefields were serene and picturesque and offered plenty of locations that had not changed much over the past 150 years. As you walked every battlefield, you got the feeling of what soldiering must have felt like. After walking nearly ten miles up and down the hills of Perryville, we both felt sore and understood the difficulties faced by soldiers from both armies at that pivotal battle.

We must also mention that during this trip, we came across one of the prettiest vistas we have ever encountered. Frankfort, Kentucky, contains the burial place of frontiersman Daniel Boone. His grave sits on a bluff overlooking the city and the views of the state capitol and the easy flowing Kentucky River is one that we will not soon forget. In fact, at virtually every stop along our quick tour, we took in beautiful views of the pastoral Kentucky countryside and were able to learn about important aspects of the Bluegrass State’s rich history. Civil War enthusiasts, or those interested in our nation’s 18^th or 19^th century in general, would be well served to see what the Bluegrass State has to offer.