Asbury Seminary, Fort Boonesboro and Daniel Boone Gravesite - Wilmore, Richmond and Frankfurt, KY - Day 9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 9 was a whirlwind. We began with a tour of Asbury Seminary with our friends Tim and Julie Tennant after a wonderful stay at their Rose Hill presidential house. The statue is of John Wesley, the much loved founder of Methodism, writer of hymns with his brother Charles, and frontier revivalist preacher. 

 

Amazingly, as it rained all day, we continued to enjoy sunny breaks just as we got to a site we wanted to visit. Back in the car, it promptly started raining again. And providentially, when visiting Fort Boonesborough on faith--as it was closed for the day, two young workers opened it up to retrieve something and let us in for a quick look. Down the road we got a chance to see the real walled site of the settlement which as you can see was quite small. Boone's Trace, which began in Kingsport, TN ends here at the Kentucky river.

 

Next, we went to Boone's Station, where Daniel moved his family in 1780 when Boonesborough got too crowded for his liking. It was there that some of his extended and immediate family were buried, including his brother Samuel--who lived to a ripe old age, but sadly also his brother Ned, nephew Thomas, and son Israel--all killed by Indians.

After a nice dinner visit with the Tennant's son, Jon, in Lexington we traveled to Frankfurt in the early evening to see the final resting place of Daniel and Rebecca. What a nice spot overlooking the city and the old Capital building. And wouldn't it figure that as we left we saw two deer and a fox in the graveyard of Daniel Boone!

As we made our way to Louisville for the night, we went by a friend's hometown of Shelbyville and ran into another Boone marker, that of his brother Squire. This was another important frontier station on the Wilderness Road as it led settlers to the Falls of the Ohio--where we bed down for the night.

Fort Harrod and the Kentucky River - Harrodsburg, KY - Day 8

 

 

 

 

 

Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky - Berea, KY - Day 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 7 was in the 90's again and we decided to stay around Berea do some laundry and visit a slew of Artisan shops, which allowed us regular access to air conditioning. We were also able to make a special purchase of a real Kentucky-made Appalachian dulcimer.

We began with taking a photograph of the only known portrait of a young Daniel Boone (based on a real life painting) which hangs by the Tavern dining room. Daniel's portrait was done by a Fred G. Walker and presented to Berea College in 1914. It was based on the only known actual sitting portrait done of Daniel which was done by Chester Harding, the famous presidential artist in 1820 when Daniel was 86 years old. You can see that one above as well for comparison. I tend to believe that the artist may actually have captured the real Daniel Boone as a younger man. What do you think?

Actually, there is a 2nd portrait done by Mr. Walker of another famous Kentuckian, Abraham Lincoln, which hangs over the fireplace mantle. This was also done to capture a younger man from another painting I suspect. I guessed at a known photograph of Lincoln that might have been used. Who was this guy? and what a great artist!

We did learn from a quilt shop manger that Daniel was known to have passed this way traveling along Silver Creek, which is where we went for that picture above. Then it was on to the dulcimer shop, the Amish store, the Log Cabin shop, the Artisan Center, and finally the Promenade gallery.

We leave you with last night's serenade of "Cherokee Shuffle" performed on our moonlit porch by some Illinois ladies staying at the Tavern, and attending a dulcimer workshop this weekend put on by the renowned maker of Kris' dulcimer, Warren May, and. Next stop, Boonesborough!