Kentucky always conjures up images of the Derby, bluegrass music and the famous fried chicken from the Colonel, but small towns like Danville and Berea also hold some charming surprises - even for the outdoor enthusiast. Trek down the I-75 in Southeast Kentucky and see the Kentucky I saw recently.
Lending a Hand
Entering Berea, several large, ornate sculpted hand statues greet me. Lavishly designed, these five-foot-tall hands flank the Boone Tavern and lead visitors down the 595, part of the Daniel Boone Trail, to the Kentucky Artisan Center. Even more salute the town's Old Town Artisan Village and surrounding areas.
Belle Jackson, Executive Director of the Berea Tourist and Convention Commission, explained that Berea College operates on a mission of service to the Appalachian people. These beautiful hands symbolize the interdependent relationship the town and college share - serve with your hands. Constructed by a local kayak factory, resident artists decorated the hands. Their main intention was to highlight the opening of the Artisan Center, but the hands are now a cherished part of the landscape
Berea College
Eating up most of the downtown area, Berea College became, in 1855, the first interracial and co-ed college in the South. The college's founder, Reverend John Fee, began teaching on the nearby battlefield at Camp Nelson. Soon after the Civil War, he founded the college to promote understanding and acceptance among all the Appalachian people.
Berea College now offers free schooling to those who lack resources. In exchange for their education, students ‘labor' throughout the town, giving back in creative and exciting ways.
The Wettest Dry State
Friends warned me beforehand that much of Kentucky is dry. I'm not talking about the weather but rather where, when and how alcohol is sold and consumed.
For a dry region, I was surprised to find bundles of intoxicating items such as a brilliant orange beer cheese spread and bourbon balls (pecans soaked in bourbon then doused in milk chocolate). It soon became clear that Kentuckians looking for a swig have mastered the art of disguising their drink.
There are seven distilleries along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, where distillers such as Jim Beam have been perfecting their drink for more than 200 years. Maker's Mark allows visitors to dip a bottle into their special red sealing wax and personalize their liquor. Many of the distilleries are open Monday to Saturday but you can't dip on Sundays, and you must be 21 years old or older to participate.
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail begins in Louisville, where you'll find a complete listing of distilleries on the I-64 and I-65.
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