Christopher Harris: There's lots of beauty to experience in Kentucky -- in Somerset and elsewhere
Sep. 29—One of the names that has been associated with the land that became Kentucky, deep into its history, is "dark and bloody ground." These days, tourism professionals like to focus more on the upbeat side of things — the beauty of the state.
And with good reason. There is a lot to celebrate in Kentucky — natural, cultural, and everything in between.
It's impressive that Somerset's new Veterans Memorial Park placed as high as it did in the annual Beautify the Bluegrass Governor's Award, a partnership between the state governor's office, Kentucky Electric Cooperatives and its flagship publication, Kentucky Living Magazine.
The park, which was officially opened and dedicated in April of 2023, made the top five of the contest, which recognizes efforts to enhance the Commonwealth through protecting the environment or local landmarks and similar efforts, particularly those that bring the community together. Located at the corner of North Main Street and West Oak Street, the park not only contributed to the aesthetic quality of the area but also helped reduce flooding in an area of town that had often suffered from it during heavy rains.
Unfortunately, the Veterans Memorial Park didn't win. Chris Girdler, president and CEO of SPEDA (Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority) went up to Frankfort on Friday for the awards ceremony, and found himself in some formidable company. The prize — voted upon by the public online — went to Whitney Lewis of Nicholasville for her Cleaning Up Kentucky effort. Even in that case, Girdler and SPEDA found the positives for this area, as stated in a Friday release following the ceremony.
"We are so proud that Somerset Veterans Memorial Park, a partnership project of SPEDA and the City of Somerset, was one of five finalists from a record number of nominations in the 2023 Beautify the Bluegrass Award contest," read the statement. "While we didn't walk away a winner today, we are thrilled for Whitney Lewis of Nicholasville for receiving today's award and congratulate her for this recognition! Cleaning Up Kentucky is Whitney's passion project — she has made it her mission to make Kentucky cleaner while kayaking or hiking. As of this year, she has collected more than 2,000 bags of trash, several of them from our own beautiful Lake Cumberland."
It continued, "We are grateful to Gov. Andy Beshear, Kentucky Living Magazine and Kentucky Electric Cooperatives for selecting Somerset Veterans Memorial Park as a finalist, to First & Farmers National Bank for being the park's title sponsor in addition to the many others who helped make the park a reality, and to FFNB Board Chair and veteran John G. Prather Jr. for attending today's ceremony with us."
As someone who lives and walks downtown, the Veterans Memorial Park has absolutely been a strong addition to the downtown landscape. I frequently find myself out there under the night sky, drawn to the lush green grass and eye-catching sidewalk layout. When I'm not dodging the sprinklers, at least. But even that's kind of fun.
We're lucky to have the likes of SPEDA working to make Somerset and Pulaski County a more attractive and prosperous place to live. I've lived here since 1993 (and was here much of the time even before that because of family) and I've never seen this area so focused on development and quality of life as it has been over the last five years or so. It makes me proud to be a native of this community.
But a lot of times, we don't take advantage of all the great things to do throughout the state, outside of our own town. At least I didn't always, outside of the occasional trip to Lexington or Louisville. But I've tried to change that in recent years, and that's something I recommend to anyone who feels stuck in a rut. Because Kentucky has a lot of cool stuff inside its borders — and it's all worth seeing.
A few years ago, I thought about how silly it was the Mammoth Cave was less than a couple of hours away and I hadn't been since I was a little kid. So I went. And I've gone again since then. This incredible cave system with so much rich history and awe-inspiring beauty, in the depths of the earth — if you've never been (or at least not since a fifth-grade field trip), go. See. Experience. Explore.
Since then, I've tried to hit some of the other places of note around the Commonwealth and central Kentucky in particular. Like McConnell Springs, a surprisingly out-of-the-way sylvan spot inside urban Lexington — where the city was actually founded. Like the natural bridge at the Red River Gorge area in eastern Kentucky (where I learned that if I try to hike up there, I'll die from a heart attack, so take the chair lift, close my eyes and pray, and try to ignore my acrophobia as much as possible). Like Shaker Village and the paddleboat that made it way along the Kentucky River. Like Fort Knox (a must for any "Goldfinger" fan), and Fort Harrod (and its peek back into life in 1774), and Fort Boonesborough (where the name Chris Harris can be found on the list of settlers — and yes, apparently we're related).
This summer has been a particularly fruitful one for me. Last year, I checked another first off my list — visiting Pioneer Playhouse in Danville. It's approaching its 75th year of existence and here I am, a theatre lover and located only 45 minutes away ... and I'd never been. So I went in 2022, and went back this year — for all three shows they did this season. It's an incredible resource for the arts in this part of the state, and the actual theater venue — a rustic-looking bowl set out under the stars — is unlike any you're likely to visit.
In between those visits, I also got to see "The Stephen Foster Story" performed live in Bardstown, Ky., for the first time this summer. For 64 years now, Bardstown has played host to a musical production about the life and successes of Stephen Collins Foster, a.k.a. "the father of American music," who wrote "My Old Kentucky Home" and many other standards that are weaved into the fabric of our shared national musical heritage.
I went with my folks, who saw it many years earlier. The show has changed a lot over the years, due to needing to keep up with the standards of the times regarding the complicated history of the material with regard to issues like race and slavery, but in many ways, it remains the same through the decades, capturing the same joy for music and the beauty of this region the way it did when it started in 1959, and the outdoor venue, with its massive moving sets and open-air magic on a warm Kentucky evening, is, like Pioneer Playhouse, something every Kentuckian should do.
Topping the trip off with a meal at Talbott's Tavern in Bardstown, which has existed since the 18th century as the oldest restaurant in the state, boasting lore that includes the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Billy the Kid, and King Louis Phillippe of France, was the perfect way to experience a true Kentucky adventure.
Thinking about how the Veterans Memorial Park, so close to where I live and work and play every day, is considered up there with the beauties of the Bluegrass State makes me appreciate what we have here in my hometown, especially when it stands up there with so much else that we have in the commonwealth. It's so tempting to sit at home, and do nothing but wash clothes, wash dishes, dread Monday and watch TV. We live today in a society that seems more and more allergic to going outside, when we get DoorDash orders rather than go out to restaurants, or stream the latest movie instead of going to the theater or (RIP) Blockbuster Video. Sometimes you have to sit up and force yourself to put on your shoes, open your door, and stretch your arms as you breathe in the fresh Kentucky air.
But it's worth it. It's worth it to travel. It's worth it to see things. It's worth it to be curious about, learn about, and celebrate your town, your state, your region. And it's worth making yourself and the memories you'll be able to look back on one day a priority in your day-to-day life.
Kentucky truly is a beautiful place. Let's go see it, shall we?
