Misty Morning on Kentucky Lake

This spectacular postcard was distributed by Riverdale Resort.

Municipal Bridge Connecting Louisville, KY. and Jeffersonville, Ind.

I LOVE the barge and boat on this card!

Executive Inn Louisville Kentucky

This cool postcard shows potential visitors just how close the Executive Inn is to the Expo Center.

If anyone has an Owensboro Executive Inn postcard, PLEASE send it to me!

Natural Bridge

One of my all time favorite areas of the state, Natural Bridge.

Upper Broadway- Paducah, KY

This card says on the back:

 

The 'Broadway Mall' is the new look in Paducah.  It presents a comfortable and relaxing atmoshpere for downtown shoppers.

Secrets of the Herrin Gangs by Ralph Johnson and Jon Musgrave

I am really becoming interested in Herrin Illinois!  Man, does this area have some odd history!

I picked this very easy to read book up a couple of weekends back while traveling through Herrin.  Its about 90 pages, and it would be a great intro for anyone interested in learning a little about the gangs in Herrin during the 1920s.

The first half of the book is a republishing of a 10 part newspaper account from 1927.  A former employee of Charlie Birger and a former member of the Shelton Gang, Ralph Johnson is the author.  Of course, Ralph Johnson wasn't his real name.

MODERN Illinois Historian Jon Musgrave adds notes to Johnson's story and he gives more detail on the gang activities in the area.  He offers a good argument for the identity of the gangster who used the name "Ralph Johnson" in 1927. 

AND, there is still a bit of a mystery surrounding Ralph Johnson in his later years!

My Old Kentucky Home- Bardstown, KY

Carter Caves

 The top postcard shows Saltpetre Cave in Olive Hill, Kentucky. 

The bottom one shows a "Birdseye view of Lake and Bathing area in Carter Caves State Park- a scenic wonderland of natural bridges, caves, mountain streams, rugged cliffs and sparking Smoky Valley Lake.  Located just off U.S. Highway 60 near Olive Hill, Kentucky."

Cave-In-Rock Illinois

It seems that I just started hearing about Cave In Rock not too long ago.

The cave was used for all sorts of illegal activity over the last few centuries.  Thieves, counterfeiters, pirates, etc. all made the place their home at one point or another.

And now, the cave itself is part of the Cave-In-Rock State Park in the town of Cave-In-Rock.

This is a great park and a great town.  Getting to the cave is easy, and it is very accessible.  Some areas might try to set up a more formal tour of a cool site like this, and charge a fee to see it, but they haven't done that in Illinois.  You can literally walk right up to the cave, and go in!

Other people were there checking the cave out on the Saturday we went, but it was a nice, calmer crowd.  People were enjoying the hike to the cave too, and stopping to admire the scenery on the way.  The cave itself was very cool, but I think most people were more impressed with the view of the Ohio from the cave.

With all of the nice trails in the park, and the other sites to see, we noticed that some visitors really didn't spend a lot of time inside of the cave.  In fact, for some time, we had the entire place to ourselves.

We drove from the western part of Kentucky to Cave-In-Rock.  There is a Ferry that takes cars over the Ohio into Illinois, but I really enjoy the drive. 

Random Thoughts On Friday

OK, I know I jump the gun on this each year but.......  Halloween is coming up!

Yes, I know, it is over a couple of months away, but I am ready for the season to start!

My life generally goes in three seasons.  There is baseball season, which starts sometime in February (whenever pitchers and catchers report to Arizona and Florida).  That season for me starts to slow down in August.  I know the major league play-offs go in to October, but the various minor league seasons really start winding down in August, and by the first week or two in September, the minor leagues are done until the following April.  Sure, I will still watch the play-offs and all on TV, but the real excitement ends around Labor Day.

BUT THEN- I know Halloween is coming up!  The Halloween and Fall Season goes from about early August through November (yes, I still celebrate going in to November).

And I love everything about the season- store displays, temporary Halloween shops, the colors outside, and wearing a flannel shirt like its a light jacket.  Oh, and I love scary movies.

Then you kind of go in to the Christmas season, which is nice and all, and that leads in to winter....

I do have a few more Illinois posts to get up on this blog, and then I will probably do a few Ohio posts again.  BUT, from now until the end of October, I will try to have a very odd and strange vibe going on here at Kentucky Travels.

HERE, the Halloween Season starts right about now! 

Sebree KY

It seems that a time or two each year, I find myself in Sebree!

The town is pretty, has some great old buildings, and just has a nice vibe!

Several weeks ago I was passing through and the town was having a small street fair!

I love when small towns like this have a fair!

Crystal Lake in Mammoth Cave Kentucky

"An outstanding attraction of Mammoth Cave, Crystal Lake provides a unique subterranean boat trip for cave visitors."

The Annex Coffee and Deli- Herrin, IL

We really loved the Annex in Herrin, Illinois.  VERY slick and unique!

This is a clean and comfortable place to stop for lunch or coffee in a very interesting area. 

In fact, the restaurant is decorated so nicely, it almost feels more like a chain establishment.  They have obviously put a lot in to setting up shop here.

PLUS, the Annex is in an old movie theater!  The building was built in 1912, and it is just spectacular!  They have kept a movie theater theme, and it really works!

The vibe is very casual, you order at a counter, and there is a self serve coffee area.  So, this is a great place to grab lunch, or to hang out and sip coffee!

We enjoyed our thick panini sandwiches and other items.  The prices were reasonable too.  In fact, I felt that we got a very good deal for high quality food!

Much more on Herrin later....  this is a fascinating area with lots of strange history, but if you do make it to Herrin, go to the Annex!!!


http://www.theannexdeli.com/

Aerial View of Accomodations in Mammoth Cave National Park

"The Hotel accommodations and the Visitor Center are located near the Natural Entrance to Mammoth Cave discovered in 1798 by a local hunter who pursued a wounded bear into the cave entrance."

I really love this postcard- I have spent a lot of time in the cave AND in the park and I just love this view of the main area.

The Lane Report

Did you see the latest issue of The Lane Report?  There is a nice shot on the cover of downtown Owensboro, and there is a great article in it too about how the area is making a comeback!

 

 

http://www.lanereport.com/