BLUES TO BLUEGRASS SCENIC BYWAY - HENDERSON COUNTY
BILL MONROE - BLUEGRASS TRAIL SECTION
OHIO COUNTY
Starting at ROCKPORT just off the William Natcher Parkway (Western Kentucky Parkway) on Hwy 62 to Hwy 85 North to CENTERTOWN.
Right on Hwy 69 to HARTFORD (the county seat).
Ohio County Courthouse
Museum
Antique Shop
French Quarter Restaurant
South on Hwy 231 to BEAVER DAM
Historic Bank
Four Antique Shops
Consignment Connection located Hwy 231 in Beaver Dam.
Home of the Crabb Family Music Group
West on Hwy 62 to ROSINE, home of Bill Monroe
North on Hwy 1544 towards SULPHUR SPRINGS
Bill Monroe Gravesite and Monument
Continue North to Hwy 878/1544 then right at Hwy 69 to DUNDEE - Home of the "goat"
Home of Liz Davis - Folk Artist and Doll Maker
Hwy 69 then left on Hwy 54 to FORDSVILLE Railroad Museum
Then North on Hwy 69 into HANCOCK COUNTY
HANCOCK COUNTY
Travel North on Hwy 69 through the community of ROSEVILLE - Roseville Cemetery.
Continue North on Hwy 69 to MT. EDEN.
Mount Eden Church - First Baptist Church in Hancock County.
Future site of the Victoria One-Room Schoolhouse/Visitor Center.
Turning left on Hwy 60 brings the traveler to HAWESVILLE (county seat).
Side Trip: 2-1/2 miles round trip on KY 3199 takes one past cotton mill (c.1864), Riverview Restaurant and Motel (c. 1916), Indian Lake Club & Cabins plus breathtaking view of the Ohio River.
Turn right onto Main cross to Bridge Street to Hawesville School Road. Historic downtown with 2nd oldest courthouse (c. 1867). Hawesville Elementary School (c. 1920), John W. Cannon Memorial, Floodwall, Masonic Restored Depot which serves as the Hancock County Museum of Local History.
Side Trip: Just off Bridge Street are two historic homes (Fern Creek and Rock Ledge Mansions) next to railroad near river. There is also a rock wall and natural cave.
Going back to Hwy 60, turn right. CSX Railroad tracks to the right. On the left is Vaswood Park ( a very worthwhile side trip that includes picnic areas, lake, campgrounds, ball fields, covered bridge, suspension bridge and more).
A few miles further on the right, Robert C. Beachum's home (c. 1850) and historic marker
Turn onto Hwy 334 W. Emmick Farm and historic marker
Pate House, site of President Lincoln's trial.
Turn South onto Hwy 657 to the historic community of LEWISPORT which includes a city park on the river front and a farm museum.
Turn west onto Hwy 60 into Daviess County.
DAVIESS COUNTY
Traveling along Hwy 60 one will see scenic farmland and go by the community of MACEO and the Holdy Spirit Church.
Enter into the city of OWENSBORO (county seat), one passes by the Chamber of Commerce, County Jail, many churches and other historic buildings.
Owensboro-Daviess County Visitor Center
Museum of Science and History
Owensboro Museum of Fine Arts
Riverpark Center and
International Bluegrass Museum
Continuing West on Hwy 60, the visitor will travel past historic markers about George Mason, Uncle Tom's Cabin and the Joseph Henson Trial.
Turn left onto Hwy 60 Bypass then right onto Hwy 56: Harvest Temple, Grove Pleasant Church, through the town of SORGHO and Mount St. Joseph Academy near MAPLE MOUNT and Possum Trot Road before entering McLean County.
MCLEAN COUNTY
Continue on Hwy 56 through the community of ELBA (population 40-50), old school on the left.
End in the town of BEECH GROVE connecting with the Everly Brothers - Merle Travis Rock-n-Roll Trail at the intersection of Hwy 56 and Hwy 136.
W.C. HANDY - BLUES TRAIL SECTION
UNION COUNTY
Traveling west on Hwy 56 one goes past Lee K. Nelson Wildlife Center. On the left is the Higginson-Henry WMA.
MORGANFIELD. (County Seat)
Historic markers in MORGANFIELD.
Union County Courthouse in MORGANFIELD.
Take Hwy 60 East.
Side Trip: West on Hwy 60 takes one to STURGIS. Home of the Little Sturgis Motorcycle Rally each year.
Watch for signs for Hwy 60 Bypass.
Side Trip: James D. Veatch Camp Breckinridge Museum and Arts Center. Get back on Hwy 60 East.
Breckinridge Job Corps Training Center on the right.
Cross under Peabody Coal Beltline. One Mile down Hwy 60, turn left onto Hwy 141. Baird's Exotic Animal Farm on the right
St. Vincent Academy Girls School founded in 1820 and in operation until 1967 is located on the left.
St. Vincent Cemetery where Revoluntary War soldiers are buried. Turn right at the cemetery.
Log cabin home converted into a Bed and Breakfast Inn. Then right again onto 1180 back to Hwy 60. WAVERLY. Follow Hwy 60 to Henderson.
HENDERSON COUNTY
As one travels into Henderson County, one goes through the community of: CORYDON (pop. 874) and continues north to HENDERSON (County Seat).
Turn left onto 1st Street which takes one into Historic Downtown HENDERSON. Turn left onto Elm Street.
00 Block - East Side - Oldest African American Church
West Side - Central Park/City Building
100 Block - East/West Side - Historic homes
200 Block - East Side - Lazarus Powell Home
West Side - Norment Home
- Turn right onto Clay Street.
- Right onto Main Street.
200 Block - West Side - W.C. Handy home
East Side - Mary Toules Sasen House
100 Block - West Side - Carnegie Library
East Side - Church
000 Block - West Side - Judicial Building
East Side - Courthouse, Central Park (oldest park west of the Alleghanies); might want to drive by historic Omens Seminary (400 block).
Left onto 1st Street.
Audubon bronze sculpture at Post Office
Right onto Water Street. Audubon Mill Park, Amphitheater, Sunset Park, Railroad Ridge and Playground.
Left onto Main Street, turn right on 12th and back to Hwy 60E to OWENSBORO which connects to the BILL MONROE BLUEGRASS TRAIL.
Other Sites in the County:
- John James Audubon State Park and Museum
- Henderson Fine Arts Center
At the County Line between Ohio & Muhlenberg counties, go West on Hwy 62. Cross over the Green River
- Historic Churches in the NELSON CREEK community
- Peabody - Gibralter Mine Office
- Mt. Zion Presbyterian Church
- Harry Young Memorial Cemetery
- Martwick Baptist Church
Turn South on Hwy 431 (also known as "John Prine Avenue" through CLEATON.
- Railroad crossing and Richardson Chapel Church
- Airdrie Furnace Site - Historical Marker
- West on Hwy 176 to DRAKESBORO.
- "Hometown of the Legendary Mose Rager"
- Home, Monument and Fountain in his honor
Left on Hwy 246 (also known as "Merle Travis Highway") to EBENEZER.
- Merle Travis Monument on left side of road
- Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church (turn around the church parking lot, return to 176
Hwy 176 west to GREENVILLE, county seat of Muhlenberg.
- Courthouse/Historical Markers
- Site where General Nathan Bedford Forrest's Troops reconnoitered
- Date County formed
In honor of those who served in WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam
- List of names of those who served
x
Starting point of the Battle of Sacramento Civil War Trail
- Church of Christ, United Methodist Church and Depot
- Rails to Trails highlighted with caboose
At Light, turn right at junction of Highway 1380 then north on 189 to POWDERLY.
Sharp Left - First gravel road to the right - Paradise Park.
Home of Merle Travis (now houses the NationalThumbpicker's Hall of Fame Museum)
- Porta potty facility out back
- Hall of Fame Stage
- Typical coal miner's residence - open to the public
Hwy 189 N merges with Hwy 62 N back to CENTRAL CITY.
Hotel - Convention Center Inn
Restaurant - Brother's B-B-Que
Restaurant - Catfish Dock
Turn left onto Hwy 431 (Everly Brothers Boulevard)\
- New Test Church
Muhlenberg Community College
City Building - Everly Brothers' Monument is located in the front lawn
Hwy 81 and 431 merge - turn left at light, cross over RR tracks then north to SOUTH CARROLLTON
Continue North on Hwy 81 to BREMEN.
- Home of Father's Country Ham
- Neals Chapel Church
MCLEAN COUNTY
North on Hwy 81 to SACRAMENTO. Battle of Sacramento (Civil War) and historic home. Station Baptist Church.
Molly Morehead's Gravesite
Continue north on Hwy 81 to RUMSEY
- Lock & Dam #2
- Site of Fort Vienna
- Crittenden's Headquarters during Civil War
Take Hwy 81 then left onto Hwy 136 CALHOUN - Camp Calhoun
Genealogy Center and Museum
Courthouse
East on Hwy 136 to BEECH GROVE
- Home of Sue Mundy
- Historic gravesites of Confederate Soldiers
- Largest New Holland Farm Equipment in North America
- 1976 Centennial Bikeway (Short cut to Daviess County via Hwy 56 - along BILL MONROE BLUEGRASS TRAIL)
Hwy 136 towards SEBREE. - Historic Marker
- 1st American killed
- Indian Mounds
WEBSTER COUNTY
As one crosses over bridge into Webster County Coal loading docking
Continue on Hwy 56 west to SEBREE. Historic Sebree Deposit Bank
Then south on Hwy 132 just a few miles north of DIXON
- Wildwood Golf Course and Conference Center
DIXON (County Seat)
- Historic Courthouse
- Site of Civil War skirmishes (historic marker)
Take 41A north towards TILDEN
- Famous Outlaw Big Harp (part of a gang from Illinois) was caught and beheaded at this site (historic marker), His head was displayed on a pole for awhile.
Turn left on Hwy 56 just past the town of TILDEN
- Everything on the right is part of Camp Breckinridge
- Lady Bird Johnson once held the mineral rights to this land. The Johnson family still retains these rights.
WMTH CORPORATION PO BOX 51153 BOWLING GREEN, KY 42102 PHONE (270) 792-5300 FAX 721-0004
