One last stop - Renfro Valley, KY

Visitor's Center - Battle of Richmond KY

Pleasant Hill Shaker Village, KY

We left Lexington, KY and went south on I-75 to the Renfo Valley KOA in Mt. Vernon, KY.   IT was only about 60 miles south of Lexington, but what a wonderful change in the weather!   The campground was decorated for Halloween, and the campers were streaming in.   There were lots of activities for the kids -- hay rides, costume parade, and on Saturday night a party in the barn with apple cider and pumpkin pie.   The adults took decorating their sites to new levels of ingenuity.

 On Saturday we drove to Richmond, KY to see the battlefield.   The second largest Civil War battle in KY, the Battle of Richmond was one of the most decisive and complete Confederate victories of the entire war, with the Union army retreating in disarray and chaos.   Of the 6500 Union troops who went into the battle, 4300 were taken prisoner, and more than 1000 were either killed or wounded.  Of the 6600 Confederates, only 128 men were lost - 118 killed  and 10 were MIA.  This battlefield was listed by the Civil War Preservation Trust as one of the 10 most endangered battlefields.  In 2001 citizens united to save their historic battlefield.   The first land saved was 62 acres, and since that time the group has saved a total of 600 acres.   The Visitor's center rivals some National battlefield sites, and is totally financed and preserved by the Battle of Richmond Association and the COUNTY!    Definitely a site to be visited!

Sunday was a beautiful day, so we ventured about 60 miles northwest to Pleasant Hill, which is about 6 miles north of Harrodsburg, KY.   The Shaker community called Pleasant Hill was established in 1805.  They flourished for the first half of the 19th century,  and were known for their flat brooms, garden seeds, herbs and preserves which they sold in KY and neighboring states.   In 1910 the village closed, and the last Shaker died in 1923.   The buildings and furnishings were auctioned off, and many were destroyed or fell into disrepair.      In 1961 a group of private citizens created an organization to preserve the remaining Shaker structures and farmland,   and the restored village reopened in 1968.   Restoration continues, and the currently restored buildings are open for tours and exhibits.   There are costumed interpreters to explain the use of the buildings, and in the meeting hall a talented singer offers concerts of some of the Shaker hymns and explains their method of prayer.   I believe this is the third or fourth Shaker village we have enjoyed in our travels.  

We left Renfo Valley KOA on Tuesday and enjoyed the beautiful fall foliage in the mountains of KY, TN and NC on our way home.   Our overnight stop was in the parking lot of the Cracker Barrel in Hickory, NC, and we arrived back home at 1:00 Wednesday afternoon.

We have 5 western states left to visit, and will hopefully visit them next summer....   California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Nevada.