Bardstown itself, made famous by the song "My Old Kentucky Home" by Stephen Foster (1826-64) has the Oscar Getz Museum and the Old Bardstown Village & Civil War Museum, a reconstruction of a settlement at the front, in the days of the civil war.
Bardstown (pop. 10,000) is in Nelson County in central Kentucky.
Housed in the restored Spalding Hall Chapel, the Bardstown Historical Museum presents gifts from kings Charles X and Louis Philippe of France, American Indian relics, Civil War weapons, pioneer children's toys and Stephen Foster memorabilia.
Hours:
May 1 to October 31: 10am-5pm; Sun:12pm-4pm; Sat:10am-4pm
November 1 to April 30: 10am-4pm; Sun:12pm-4pm; Closed: Mon
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), Thanksgiving - USA (4th Thursday, November ), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Easter - Christian
Construction of Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral in Bardstown began in 1816 and it is said to be the first Catholic cathedral west of the Allegheny Mountains. The walls of the cathedral are adorned with paintings donated by Louis Phillippe, who later became King of France.
Address: Basilica of St Joseph Proto-Cathedral, Box 548, Bardstown, KY 40004-0548, United States
Phone: 1 (502) 348-3126, Fax: 1 (502) 349-0941
Hours:
April 1 to October 31: 9am-5pm; Sun:1pm-5pm; Sat:9am-3pm
The Civil War Museum in Bardstown contains artifacts and photographs from the Civil War fought in the western states. Exhibits include artillery, clothing, uniforms, paintings, maps, and weapons.
My Old Kentucky Home State Park honors the mansion on the Rowan estate, Federal Hill. The mansion was the symbol in Stephen Foster's song of the same name. The home was completed in 1818 and belonged to Foster's cousin, Judge John Rowan. The park has a family cemetery, gardens, an 18-hole golf course and a replica of John Rowan's law office.
Presented in the outdoor amphitheater in Bardstown, the musical captures the spirit of Stephen Foster's work through songs such as Oh Susanna and Camptown Races.
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