Things to do / Travel Guide
Pace the rooms where prominent U.S. historical figures like Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay, Thomas Edison, Jefferson Davis, and Andrew Jackson once lived, and stand at the sites of some of the Civil War's most important (and bloodiest) battles. Central Kentucky and Tennessee's educational and engaging historical attractions will make local history your vacation hobby.
Homes of Historic Figures in Central Kentucky
- Louisville's Locust Grove, built in 1790, was the home of Revolutionary War hero General George Rogers Clark (the founder of Louisville), but that's not all - Presidents Monroe, Jackson, and Taylor all spent time here, as did the well-known explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark.
You can learn more about the Locust Grove's history with a tour of the home and its historic artifacts.
Stand where a genius once stood: Thomas Edison's 1850s shotgun home, featuring some of his inventions (like phonographs and incandescent bulbs) is open to the public on Washington Street in Louisville.
Ashland, the stately mansion of Whig Party founder and emancipationist Henry Clay, is situated on beautifully-manicured 20 acres near Lexington. Tour the sprawling estate or take a stroll through the lovely grounds.
Take a long, hard look at Honest Abe's history when you visit the log cabin where Lincoln is believed to have been born, at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in Hodgenville. You can also visit Knob Creek, where Lincoln was miraculously saved from drowning as a small boy, as well as the Neo-Classical memorial building designed in his honor by John Russell Pope.
Homes of Historic Figures in Central Tennessee
- President Andrew Jackson's restored historic home, Hermitage, in Hermitage, Tennessee is a large mansion featuring original furnishings and wallpaper, and is open to the public for historic tours.
Civil War Historical Sites in Central Kentucky and Tennessee
While Nashville's Belle Meade and Belmont antebellum mansions provide a glimpse of the wealthy lifestyles maintained during the Civil War period, Central Kentucky and Tennessee battlefields betray the tragedies and struggles of the time. Tebbs Bend Battlefield and Perryville Battle State Historic Park in Kentucky, and the Nashville Battlefield, Chickamauga Battlefield near Chattanooga, the Stones River National Battlefield in Murfreesboro, and the Franklin Battlefield in Franklin (all in Tennessee) are just a few of the sites you may want to visit.
Here is a brief synopsis of how some of the area's Civil War battles “went down”:
July 4, 1863: At the Battle of Tebbs Bend (near the Green River), Confederate General John Hunt Morgan's surprise attack proved fruitless, as he lost the battle along with 35 men.
October 8, 1862: Perryville Battle State Historic Park is Kentucky's largest Civil War battlefield on which an estimated 7,400+ soldiers lost their lives, with slightly more casualties on the side of the Union Army. The Perryville Battle constituted a significant strategic win for the Union Army, giving them control of the state of Kentucky.
December 15-16, 1864: Approximately 6,600 men died on the Nashville Battlefield with more than double the amount of casualties borne by the Confederate army. Confederate General John Bell Hood led his Army of Tennessee toward Nashville, was soundly defeated by Union Major General George H. Thomas.
December 31, 1862 - January 2, 1863: The Stones River National Battlefield was the site of one of a significant Union army Civil War victory. There were an estimated 23,500 casualties (with a majority of soldiers dying on the Union side). Union Major General William S. Rosencrans drove the Confederates out of the Murfreesboro area, pushing them toward Shelbysville, Tennessee.
The Franklin Battlefield was the site of two Civil War skirmishes, the first of which took place on April 10, 1863. A total of 237 men fell in this Union victory. The second Franklin battle, far bloodier than the first, took place on November 30, 1864. Casualties were heavy (8,500+ men lost their lives, more than two-thirds of which belonged to the Confederacy) in this clear victory for the Union army.
September 18-20, 1863: The Chicamauga Battle was one of the Civil War's goriest. Over 34,600 men were killed as the Confederates won, retaining control over Chattanooga, despite having more casualties (about 2,300 more soldiers died on the Confederate side).
Other sites of military importance that may intrigue you include:
- A memorial to the heroes of the Battle of Franklin, The Carter House, in Nashville, was a Federal Command Post during the Civil War. This is the most battle-damaged building in existence from Civil War times; over 1,000 bullet holes remain on-site.
- The famous “Battle above the Clouds,” one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, took place at Lookout Mountain Battlefield in Point Park, near Chattanooga. The site was a turning point in the war between the states, when Northern armies ascended Lookout Mountain and claimed it as a strategic stronghold. The 3,000-acre park includes trails, monuments, historical markers, and panoramic vistas.
Jefferson Davis State Historic Site, Central Kentucky
Any Civil War history hobbyist will likely plan a pilgrimage to the Jefferson Davis State Historic Site, east of Hopkinsville. The first and only President of the Confederate States of America, the historic site marks Jefferson Davis' birthplace. In a strange and inexplicable twist of fate, the site is just 100 miles away from the place that Abraham Lincoln (the President of the U.S. at the time) was born.
Standing at an impressive 351 feet tall, the Davis obelisk stands like a straight-back soldier on a base of Kentucky Granite. Visitors can take an elevator to an observation deck just below the tip of the tower. In addition to the monument, the historic site consists of close to 20 acres of land and a visitor center, with an interesting gift shop selling Kentucky handicrafts and Civil War memorabilia.
Other Historical Attractions in Central Kentucky
At Cave Hill Cemetery you will find Louisville's largest collection of outdoor monuments and sculptures. At this 296-acre Victorian national cemetery and arboretum, wander along meandering paths, hills, valleys, and ponds to visit the gravesites of Colonel Harland Sanders (of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame), Patty Smith Hill (one of the “Happy Birthday to You” composers), Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. (founder of the Kentucky Derby), and James Speed (Abraham Lincoln's attorney general), among others. Cave Hill Cemetery is open to the public during daylight hours.
Baseball history fans are all but required to make a stop at the place that upped the nation's batting average throughout the past 120 years. At the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory on West Main Street in Louisville, you can learn about the history of J. Fred Hillerich and the company he founded; the world's most famous baseball bat company. “Louisville Slugger” became the official bat of Major League Baseball in 1884 and has been ever since. Historical “Sluggers” include the likes of Babe Ruth, Tony Gwynn, Ken Griffey Jr., and Derek Jeter. The Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory is open year-round, and factory tours are available seven days a week from morning until afternoon, though hours are limited on weekends.
Other Historical Attractions in Central Tennessee
Set high atop limestone bluffs in Nashville's Riverfront Park on the Cumberland River, the recreated rustic log fort of Fort Nashborough is a memorial to the original. Built by the early settlers in 1780, Fort Nashborough existed for 12 years while housing and protecting the first Nashville (then Nashborough) families from the constant threat of attacks from the local Native Americans. Today, Fort Nashborough consists of five log cabins carefully recreated to match their originals. Costumed interpreters give visitors a sense of the settlers' lives before the city of Nashville was officially founded. Fort Nashborough is free and open to the public year-round.
Ever ponder the history of posters? At the 1880s Hatch Show Print located on Broadway in downtown Nashville you can see and experience the legacy of one of the United States' most highly-regarded, historic letterpress print shops. On site are 14 historical presses, 10,000 basswood and maple woodblocks, thousands of photo plates, and a rich historical archive. But Hatch Show Print is hardly a dying dinosaur of a place - you'll see them at work on plenty of poster projects for musical artists the likes of Bob Dylan, the Beastie Boys, and Shania Twain, and name-brands like Nike and Jack Daniels.
Historical Sites in Nashville, Louisville and Lexington in Central Kentucky and Tennessee
Historical-Sites
Stones River National Cemetery
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