Day 19 - Harrodsburg, Kentucky to New Haven, Kentucky

Monday May 9,2016 57.2 miles(92.1 km)

My day started in Harrodsburg with a light drizzle.  When I started the day I did not really know where I would end up as the route had changed after my original planning but I figured I would come up with somewhere once I got going.  Harrodsburg has several nice homes, some pictured below.  Some of the homes were built by descendants of some of the original settlers.  Harrodsburg was the first permanent American settlement in the Kentucky.

Rykon - Built 1844

Forrest Pillars - Portions Built c1820

The Maples - Built 1856

I stopped by Old Fort Harrod State Park prior to leaving town.  It has a reconstructed log fort and several commemorations for the early pioneers in the area.

Old Fort Harrod Sign

Kentucky has close ties to Abraham Lincoln as it is the state he was born.  They have a state park for Lincoln and also a National Park.  Below is pictured the home of Mordicai Lincoln, Abraham's uncle.

Mordicai Lincoln House - Abraham Lincoln's Uncle

Below is pictured the St. Rose Catholic Church near Springfield, Kentucky.  The building was built in 1857.  The church is run by Dominican Friars and is located at their priory which was founded in 1806, the first Dominican priory in America and second oldest priory in the U.S.  It is located on the site of the first Catholic college west of the Alleghenies (1807).

St. Rose Catholic Church

I also passed near the Maker's Mark distillery.  Unfortunately the actual distillery was a few miles in the opposite direction than I was travelling.  I did pass an area with several (20-30) huge buildings in which they store barrels as the whiskey ages.  I don't know if they have more of these building closer to the distillery but it is obvious they make a lot of whiskey.

Maker's Mark Tank

Maker's Mark Barrel Buildings

 I passed by these friendly horses and pulled over to see how things were with them.  They were quite content to come up to the fence so that I could pet and photograph them.

Friendly Horse

Friendly Horse

Friendly Pony

I stayed the night at the Sherwood Inn or the New Sherwood Hotel, built in 1913, replacing the old Sherwood Hotel built in 1875 and burned in 1913.  The hotel has been operated by the same family since 1875.  It is an old railroad hotel and feature many of the old fixtures.  The hotel was very clean and a good place to stay.  Sure it lacked some of the more modern amenities such as internet and elevators but more than made up for it with its charm and friendly people running it. 

New Sherwood Hotel - 1913

The day was a very good riding day.  There were hills but none very steep, it was the first day in many that I did not have to use my granny gear at all.