Day 7 was our day in Louisville! It was our last day in Kentucky and it was strange because we were just searching for things to do. Usually in a big city we are having to eliminate things and really prioritize our time – so this was weird.
Louisville Slugger Museum
This stop was a BIG highlight for Mark! Mark is a baseball guy. He was giddy when we walked in. It was so fun to watch him experience this place. Now, I will also say, I am not a baseball gal – I don’t dislike it but just feel indifferent to it. But I genuinely enjoyed the museum as well and would recommend it for baseball fans and non-baseball fans alike!
The museum is really fun. I only recognized maybe a handful of the players they spotlighted but it was fascinating learning their stories – and they were very quotable!
A favorite moment is they have a wall of bats that belonged to famous players and you can pick one to hold it and take a picture. Mark held Cal Ripkin, Junior, I held Ken Griffey, Junior, and then the kids all held Babe Ruth (Mark was pretty happy he got to help Lydie and double dipped 😉).
Factory
After the museum, we took a tour of the factory. This was really interesting to see how things are done. It is a lot more complicated than I ever would have thought but was fascinating. The kids were really engaged and at the end we all got a mini bat!
Churchill Downs
Since we were in Louisville, we had to drive by Churchill Downs and see where the Kentucky Derby takes place. We were actually surprised by it’s location – it was a little run down – but we came and we saw!
Locust Grove
After our drive by Churchill Down, we made our way to our next stop. This is a hidden Louisville gem in my book. It is the home of William and Lucy Clark Croghan that was built in 1792. I didn’t even know who they were before our trip but there story was fascinating. William Croghan was a part of many pivotal moments of the American Revolution – including crossing the Delaware with George Washington. The added fun was that it was also the final home of explorer, George Rogers Clark (brother of Lucy Clark Croghan). Jacob and I learned about him in history a couple years ago and it was so fun to dive back into his story.
There is a really well done museum on the grounds and it was like a “Who’s Who” of people that came to stay in this home. Some of our favorites were:
- John James Audubon: the naturalist and artist! You can’t learn about birds without knowing about him. His father served with William Croghan in the Revolution and he was a frequent guest here and even lived here while studying and drawing local birds.
- James Monroe: our 5th president! He joined William Croghan in the crossing of the Delaware under George Washington. He came here on a presidential tour in 1819.
- Andrew Jackson: our 7th president! Andrew Jackson joined James Monroe on the presidential tour and stayed at Locust Grove together. He later returned with his wife, Rachel Jackson.
- Stephen Bishop: Mammoth Cave Guide! This was a fun happenstance. We had learned about Stephen Bishop when we were at Mammoth Cave. It turns out that William and Lucy Croghan’s son, John Croghan, purchased Mammoth Cave in 1839 and with that came Stephen Bishop. He was a slave and became the most famous cave tour guide. He also conducted the first thorough explorations of the cave and drew the first map of the cave while at Locust Grove in 1842. He ended up meeting his wife at Locust Grove.
- Aaron Burr: our 3rd US Vice President! His life is pretty scandalous but in 1805 he joined William Croghan, George Rogers Clark, and others as a Director of the Indiana Canal Company.
- Lewis and Clark: WHAT?! William Clark was George Rogers Clark’s youngest brother! I had never made that connection before and it was so cool. Of course they are probably the most famous explorers of the United States and William Clark was a constant visitor to Locust Grove. Lewis and Clark stayed at Locust Grove in 1806 on their way from the Pacific to report to Thomas Jefferson in Washington. So cool.
- Zachary Taylor: our 12th president! He was the son of neighbors of Locust Grove and was a close family friend and frequent visitor.
After the museum we walked around the grounds. They were beautiful and it was fun to step back in time. You can also take a tour of the main house but it wouldn’t work for Lydia and so we decided not to. It was still a great visit and I am glad we went.
Big Four Pedestrian Bridge
We then drove back into the city and Mark and “the bigs” went and walked along the Big Four Pedestrian Bridge. It was pretty warm that day and Lydie was worn out from Locust Grove – so her and I stayed in the cool car while they walked.
The Big Four Pedestrian Bridge spans across the Ohio River. It was constructed from 1889-1895 and it was BUSY!
Cave Hill Cemetery
This is when we were in strange territory. It was still pretty early in the day – far too early to go to dinner – and we really didn’t have anything else to do. While we were Locust Grove, they had told us that the family that had been buried there, had been moved to the Cave Hill Cemetery. While I was waiting for Mark and the bigs – Lydie and I looked into it and we weren’t that far away.
So once everyone got back we made our way over to the Cave Hill Cemetery. This cemetery was enormous. It was enormous in size but the headstone were more like monuments. There were so many large ones.
While we were there, we visited Muhammad Ali, Colonel Harland Sanders, and George Rogers Clark. Muhammad Ali was stunning and I wish the picture had captured what was written better. It was very inspiring.
Mussel & Burger Bar
We made our way back to the heart of downtown and ate at the Mussel & Burger Bar. The burgers were A+ and we loved it. And despite being a bar, I actually thought it was very family friendly.
After our early dinner, we made our way across the river for the last time. We said goodbye to the sweet state of Kentucky. We loved you.
