Fort Boonesborough

Day 5: Fort Boonesborough, Kentucky

You remember the stories of Daniel Boone from American folklore, right? Sadly, in my mind this story had gotten mangled in a foggy swirl of tales with Davy Crockett, Paul Bunyan, and a young George Washington. Until there may as well just have been one coonskin-cap-wearing giant, fighting indians and cutting down cherry trees. Thank goodness for historic Fort Boonesborough to set me straight. At least on Daniel Boone.

Fort Boonesborough is a reconstruction of Daniel Boone's 1775 settlement along the Kentucky River. At that time it was part of Virginia, but on the other side of the mountains from the settled areas. Despite resistance from American Indians, Boone blazed his Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap in the Appalachian Mountains from North Carolina and Tennessee into Kentucky. His frontier at Fort Boonesborough was one of the first American settlements west of the Appalachians. And by the end of the 18th century, more than 200,000 European people would migrate to Kentucky/Virginia by following Boone's marked route.

The fort's walls offered protection from savages, but Boone ended up being captured and kept by Shawnee Indians for years. Although they adopted him into their tribe, he ultimately, returned to defend his settlement.

Inside the walls of Fort Boonesborough. Each of the first few cabins show different stages of settlement. The first cabins are very rough with floor mats for beds and travel crates for furniture. But they gradually evolve to include tables, lofts, and fireplaces.

The rest of the cabins depict the life of crafters and tradesmen, with interactive demonstrations. This one is obviously a furtrader's home. Hands-on learning makes for fun exploration of many local hides and furs.

A whitesmith's house. I didn't even know there was such a thing as a whitesmith! (They work with metals like tin and pewter.)

A blacksmith teaches his apprentice.

DT showing his most solemn face at the Fort Boonesborough plackard. He recognizes the grave truth of the end of the Native Americans' livelihood and eventual conquer.

We rounded out our day here, off the well-beaten path at the the Kentucky River Museum. Literally, just off a well-beaten path. The museum (in the background) sits on top of a hill, accessible only by following this little footpath. It's a small, but educational stop that would interest the avid river history buff.