The iron production industry in Kentucky boomed in the 1830s, with 80 furnaces built between 1790 and 1900. These sandstone pyramids used smelting to extract iron from ore, powered by water and requiring significant resources and personnel. The industry declined due to resource depletion and competition, but remnants like the Belmont Furnace serve as historical landmarks.
Category Archives: Blog
Discovering the Jack Jouett House: A Visit to History
I stumbled upon the Jack Jouett House a few years ago when my daughter and I were out on one of our excursions. The house was not open on that day, so I snapped a few pictures, and we went on down the road. I had intentions of returning when the home was open forContinue reading “Discovering the Jack Jouett House: A Visit to History”
Visit Cave Hill: Nature, History, and Wildlife
Listed as a place to visit along the Lewis and Clark Historic Trail is the 296-acre Victorian-era Cemetery and Arboretum known as Cave Hill Cemetery. Situated just 2 1/2 miles east of downtown Louisville, the cemetery was chartered in 1848. As usual, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s step back, a little further in time, to what was originallyContinue reading “Visit Cave Hill: Nature, History, and Wildlife”
Understanding the Long Run Massacre in Kentucky History
Marked on Shelbyville Rd. in eastern Jefferson County is the site of The Long Run Massacre. The marker of the event is easy to miss as it sits in front of Locust Creek neighborhood. While this photo shows the only thing to see today, it is quite an interesting piece of Kentucky history. As I’veContinue reading “Understanding the Long Run Massacre in Kentucky History”
Forts and Stations of Jefferson County: A Historical Journey
In my last post, Preston, Floyd, and Breckinridge; Revolutionary War Names are a Link to the Past (Part 1), I discussed Floyd’s Station. As noted in that post, Stations were basically mini-forts positioned throughout Colonial Kentucky. Pioneers and explorers west of the Appalachian Mountains used these Stations to defend themselves against the constant attack ofContinue reading “Forts and Stations of Jefferson County: A Historical Journey”
Discovering Camp Nelson: A Hidden Civil War Gem
Camp Nelson’s Civil War history laid quiet and buried for many years, until 2018 when it became a National Monument. Today, the stories of 23,000 African-American slaves, soldiers, and refugees and the roll they played in the war are finally being told.