OLE DAN'L AND THE COLONEL

Well, I am on the road again and over the next few days I going to be exploring the Dark and Blood Ground of Kentucky. I got up early this morning and after a quick stop for gas, I hit Interstate 81 just a few minutes after 6:30. 

Traffic was light on the interstate and I was able to cross the Tennessee Line and after making a quick stop at the Tennessee Welcome Center, I headed west on U. S. Route 58 toward my first stop of the day, the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. 

Locate at the very western tip of Virginia, the Cumberland Gap National Park is actually located in three states, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. If fact near the Dr. Thomas Walker Parking area, visitors can actually stand in all three states at one time.

After Passing through the mile long Cumberland Gap Tunnel, I checked in at the Park's Visitors Center where I watched a very interesting 24-minute film about the first pioneers who passed through the gap and encountered the hostile Shawnees.  These early pioneers were lead by Dr. Thomas Walker and of course Daniel Boone.

From the visitors center I took the 4-mile drive to the top of the mountain and the was afforded a
grand view from the Pinnacle Overlook. The overlook is 2,440 feet high and offers a splendid of all three states. In fact when I was standing at the overlook which is actually located in the very western part of Lee County, Virginia I was closer to nine other state capitol than I am to Richmond.  The nine other capitols are, Frankfort(Ky), Nashville (Tn), Columbus (Oh), Atlanta (Ga.), Columbia (SC), Raleigh (NC), Charleston (WV) and Montgomery (Al).

From Cumberland Gap I made my way west through Middlesboro, Kentucky on U. S. Highway 25 to the Town of Corbin, Kentucky where I made a quick stop at the Original Sanders Cafe.  It was here in this tiny town on busy highway 25 that Harland Sanders operated a restaurant and motel from 1940-1956. It was here that Colonel Sanders developed his secret recipe for fried chicken. His recipe and method of pressure cooking the chicken eventually become what we know today as "Kentucky Fried Chicken."

Today, the Colonels original cafe is still serving up his famous chicken in one part of the building while another part is preserved as a museum, including the Colonels Office, and the original kitchen. The Sanders Cafe was listed on the National Register of Historic Place in 1990.

From Corbin I hit Interstate 75 and headed north toward my final stop of the day, Historic Fort Boonesboro State Park. Here on the banks of the Kentucky River Daniel Boon and his men constructed a frontier fort in the Spring of 1775. Within the walls of the fort were 26 one story log cabins and four blockhouse on each of the forts corners.  The interior of the fort also featured a tavern and store, a blacksmith shop, and a weaver.  The men who would tend to livestock and crops outside of the walls, would have to be on constant watch for hostile Shawnees who on a number of occasions attack the settlers and the fort.

Today, The Fort Boonesboro State Park has a reconstructed fort near the original site with employees in period dress demonstrating various aspects of frontier life. There is an $8.00 charge $5.00 for seniors 62 and over. I would suggest you start your self guided tour by watching the short video which shows the hardship of life on the western frontier.

The fort closes at 5 p.m. and as the ranger was standing by to close the gate, I made my way about 10 miles further north to the Comfort Inn on the Athens Boonesboro Road in Lexington, where I am spending the Night.

Tomorrow I plan on spending the day taking in the sites of Lexington.