Kentucky - Bluegrass State
We were especially excited about our trip to Kentucky because we had heard so much about the beauty of the Bluegrass state. We flew into Lexington and drove to Harrodsburg where we spent four nights at the historic Beaumont Inn, circa 1845. We chose to stay here because of its central location and proximity to places we were most interested in seeing. We drove to Lexington (31 miles on the scenic route) to visit Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate which includes gorgeous formal gardens. We especially enjoyed the peonies which were in full bloom. You may remember from your American history classes that Henry Clay was a congressman, senator, Speaker of the House, Secretary of State, and three-time presidential candidate. He is considered one of the greatest statesmen ever. He is most famous for his reputation as The Great Compromiser. (We could use someone like him in Washington today.) He and his wife lived at Ashland from 1806 to 1852.
That afternoon we drove to the Kentucky Horse Park where we saw the Man ‘o’ War Statue and were introduced to five retired champion horses. We learned how racing champions transition to studs and enjoy the good life at this beautiful park. Later we took a walking tour of Lexington and attended a Bach concert in beautiful Christ Church Cathedral, where Henry Clay had been a regular attendee. Before the concert, we enjoyed a draft beer at McCarthy’s Irish Pub. Have you noticed that there is at least one Irish pub everywhere?
The next day was Kentucky Derby Day and the Beaumont Inn was buzzing with expectation. That morning, we drove to Shaker Village in Pleasant Hill where we saw a reenactment, costumes and all, of Shaker life. They are known as Shakers because of their “charismatic trembling” or shaking during services. They were persecuted in England for their progressive social principles, including equality of the sexes and races, and their pacifism; thus, they came to the US in the 18th century and a group settled in Pleasant Hill in the early 1800’s where they prospered. Once again, we learned about a religious sect that had been persecuted in Europe and came to the United States seeking religious freedom.
On our way back to the Beaumont Inn, we had to stop at CVS to purchase a hat that I could decorate for the Derby cocktail party that afternoon. Many of the ladies had on very fancy hats and mine was pretty basic, but it allowed us to be included in the party where they served, of course, mint juleps. We watched the race together on television and it was all very festive. Knowing absolutely nothing about horses, I made a guess that a horse named Barbero would win, and he did! After dinner at the inn, we were served Robert E. Lee cake, which was quite good.
On Monday we drove to the capitol of Kentucky, Frankfort. In the cemetery we saw Daniel Boone’s monument which was very impressive. The governor’s mansion, the State Capitol buildings and the Kentucky Flower Clock were all magnificent. Everything was so lush and green, quite a departure from our California landscape.
We reluctantly left beautiful Harrodsburg and headed towards Louisville, but we made a fascinating stop along the way at the Maker’s Mark Bourbon Distillery. The grounds were, once again, gorgeous. We watched the bottling assembly line, including the part at the end where they put on the distinctive red wax. Of course, we got to have a taste before we left. Our final stop before Louisville was My Old Kentucky Home State Park in charming Bardstown. The centerpiece of the park is a plantation called Federal Hill. Reportedly, Stephen Foster was related to the owner of this plantation, which inspired him to write the famous song.
In Louisville, we checked into the Brown Hotel, a Louisville landmark, where for some reason they upgraded us to the Club floor. The lobby of this hotel is described as English Renaissance and it is lavish! Many celebrities and dignitaries have stayed at this hotel over the years, and we were so glad we had chosen it as well. We went to the club lounge for a cocktail where we met a fun couple from the Cayman Islands. We had a fantastic dinner of chicken and pasta at the Thoroughbred restaurant in the hotel.
The next day we visited the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs and had lunch in the Derby Café. We took a tour of the racetrack, in the rain. It was very quiet since the Kentucky Derby had taken place the previous week while we were in Harrodsburg. The Speed Art Museum was exceptional. It is the oldest, largest and foremost art museum in Kentucky and is located on the University of Kentucky campus. We drove to the Riverfront area where we visited the Louisville Slugger Factory and Museum. This was a special treat for me since I am a big baseball fan (San Francisco Giants, of course).
Back at the hotel, we asked the manager if we could see the suite that had been used by Mohammed Ali. We had heard that the hotel kept it completely intact. He graciously complied and it was fascinating. Large and luxurious, there were photos all over the walls and you could just imagine him spending time there with friends and family. A great way to end our Kentucky trip.
