Kentucky owes its spectacular seasonal foliage to the lush hardwood forests that cover the state. Each year, these sumacs, dogwoods, maples, oaks, sweet gums, and sourwoods assume their own hues of red, yellow, and gold, creating a spectacle of bright colors.
If Bardstown feels laden with historic charm, that’s because it’s one of the oldest towns in the state! Established in 1780, this community has been a prominent player in local politics and bourbon whiskey production.
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My Old Kentucky Home State Park is one of this picturesque town’s brightest gems. Since the Commonwealth of Kentucky purchased the land and turned it into public space in 1936, it’s been a mainstay of annual Bardstown events and recreation.
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Visitors will marvel at the park’s mature trees, whose vibrant fall displays contrast with the green grass and the brick of the meticulously preserved historic buildings.
While beautiful, the history of My Old Kentucky Home State Park is steeped in tragedy. The park’s centerpiece is Federal Hill, a plantation home built in 1795 and owned by U.S. Senator John Rowan.
Visitors can visit the old Rowan cemetery located in the park’s grounds. However, they should also pay their respects to the final resting places of the men, women, and children who lived and died enslaved by the powerful family that once occupied the mansion.
We recommend booking tours with informative park guides who can deepen your appreciation for this gorgeous park’s solemn history.
If you choose to explore My Old Kentucky Home State Park alone, embrace its serenity and reflect on the lives of those who walked the grounds in the not-so-distant past. Perhaps they, too, would pause and appreciate the beauty of the park’s fall colors and see hope in the changing seasons.
