Primate Rescue Center Kentucky Members Event 2025

We had a great time at the recent Primate Rescue Center Members Event!

Primate Rescue Center Nicholasville Kentucky 2024

We were very lucky to be able to visit the Primate Rescue Center in Nicholasville Kentucky recently!  They open it up for members once a year!  They are doing great work and we were excited to stop by!

Camp Nelson Kentucky August 2021

 He is a short video I posted to youtube recently about Camp Nelson here in Kentucky!

Camp Nelson's Civil War Days in Nicholasville, KY

A couple of years ago, I swung by Camp Nelson for the first time.  I had been looking for an excuse to get back there, and I finally found one!  They recently hosted a "Civil War Days" so we went by for that.

They didn't have any reenactment battles or anything like that.  Also, as this was a Union camp, there were no Confederate reenactors for the event.


The day started around 9, and we arrived a little after they opened.  For $5 per carload, you could enjoy all of the festivities.

We first visited the general camp, where Union soldiers seemed eager to tell us about their daily activities, how soldiers lived at the time, etc.

One camper/soldier was a map maker and he spent a lot of time telling us about the map making process, and how size greatly affected how much information could be put into a map.  Also, a soldier might like to have a canvas map, as it would not be damaged by rain or rivers.  A soldier might also make a map out of a basic piece of cloth, just so that he could show friends back home where all he had been.

There were other demonstrations too, but we weren't able to catch them all.  I did notice a cricket game on the agenda, along with artillery firing, etc.  There were several things directed at kids during the day- obviously this was a very family friendly event.

And there is a lot going on here anytime for anyone interested in the Civil War.  You can take a nice long walk around the fort area.  There is a very well done film about Camp Nelson, and there is a nice museum.

We did take the time to explore the museum.  We were excited to find General Grant and President Lincoln having a conversation in the museum before their scheduled presentations that day.  They very politely posed for a photo before we went on our way through the museum.

After that, we took a tour of the Perry House, which was on the property when Camp Nelson was used for recruiting.  A Girl Scout troop from Frankfort was giving the tours, and they did a great job!  I think we may have been the first group that they gave a tour too, but they did an amazing job telling us about the building!

After our tour, we went to hear a presentation by Curt Fields Jr., as General Grant.  This was very exciting, as Mr. Fields was the exact General Grant I have conjured in my mind.  He talked for some time about Camp Nelson, Fort Donelson, and the Civil War in General.  Grant talked a lot about the supply chain, and the difficulties of getting needed items at times.  He also talked a lot about the high cost (in lives) of the war.


Before Grant's speech ended, he was joined by Larry Elliott as Abraham Lincoln.  They talked, as Lincoln and Grant, as if it were 1865, and the war was coming to an end.  Grant knew that Lee's army was struggling for food, but he saw no stragglers.  He knew that Lee's army was aware of the fact that the war was about to end.  AND, even in loss, the soldiers stuck with Lee, knowing that they would be present for the end.  Lincoln encouraged Grant to be generous with Lee during the inevitable surrender.

Lincoln then did a very fine speech about many topics.  AND, he came off as the lovable Lincoln we all know, BUT, he was still the President Lincoln dealing with the Civil War.  He was animated during his talk, and a bit upset at times discussing his situation.  It was a real treat getting to hear Grant and Lincoln individually, and together.


This event at Camp Nelson was a lot of fun, and I will never forget how REAL Elliott and Fields seemed as Lincoln and Grant.  We will also always appreciate the girl scouts giving their time to the park, eagerly showing us around the Perry House....  AND I really haven't even mentioned the historic significance of Fort Nelson itself!  You should go there yourself for more info!

Copper River Grill- Nicholasville Kentucky

I JUST found out about Copper River Grill in Nicholasville the other day!  The place has been here for a few years now, and I really wish I knew of it before....

Anyway, our waiter told us that there are 8 locations, all owned by the same person.  This is the only one in Kentucky.  Its not a franchise or anything like that.  Also, they are all built to have a feel of an Alaskan lodge!  It reminded me a little of one of my favorite coffee shop chains, Caribou Coffee!

The food was great, and prices were reasonable.  We had a BBQ chicken pizza, some nachos with cheese dip, and some wings.  They got everything right.  I would go back just for the pizza or just for the wings.

The vibe was very relaxed too.  I would recommend going here when you have a couple of hours.  This is a place to sit, relax, and enjoy a nice meal!

Camp Nelson- Nicholasville Kentucky

Here is some info on ANOTHER of the many great Civil War sites close to Lexington- Camp Nelson.

The very brief story of this site- in 1863, this camp was established as a depot for the Union.  It served as a recruiting spot for escaped slaves, and soldiers from Tennessee.  It was named after Major Bull Nelson who had recently been murdered in Louisville (his name pops up frequently concerning the Battle of Richmond Kentucky too).

ANOTHER name that figures in to the history of Camp Nelson is John G. Fee (see also Berea College)!

The Camp lasted for only a few years.  Today, the land is still preserved as the Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage Park.  It occupies over 500 acres.

We stopped by recently and spent most of the day here, which still left us with many things to do on our next visit.

We walked in to the visitor center and were welcomed by friendly staff.  We were encouraged to watch the 20 minute or so film on the camp.  After that, we were allowed to explore the museum.

The film was very well done and the museum was great too.  They had some great dioramas set up depicting life at the camp.

There were plenty of relics on display too.  More on that later.

After the film and museum, we grabbed a map and started walking through the camp.  What was neat was you could walk in a general trail area and see a flag.  You could check your map to see what part of the camp used to be where the flag now stood.  Thorough interpretive signs told more information about each spot.

We walked for some time, and covered a lot of area, but we realized there was still a lot to see.  If you take away the Civil War history from the camp, it seems a lot like exploring your grandpas farming land.  This is a great area to walk for exercise and fun, even if you are not a Civil War fan.

One thing that was cool about the walk through the fields- we noticed that there were flags marking other spots on the farm next door.  Though this is now private property, the property owners have allowed the flags up.

As we ended our hike and made our way back towards the visitor center, we noticed some good people digging!  They were very friendly, and let us watch them and ask questions!  This was VERY exciting and I hope that we did not bug them too much.

The excavators let us know that they were digging around an old campfire!  They had found nails, probably from shipping boards used to send things to the camp which still had the nails in them.  An excavator explained about how, since the nails were burned, the chemical process helped keep them from rusting!  I HOPE I explained that right.

Before we arrived, they had found bottle pieces and a label from a wine bottle!

As we talked to the team, they found more nails AND a pants button!  We thought it was so amazing that, as we stood there, these small yet informative relics were brought back from the past!

We are looking forward to seeing more of the park and the cemetery.

J's Place in Nicholasville Kentucky

I want to tip my hat to J's Place in Nicholasville!

Do you remember FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AGO, when I mentioned the great old coffee shop in Nicholasville, Main and Maple?  I was pretty bummed when that place closed!  it was so nice!  AND, Nicholasville is such a great, cozy town for a coffee shop like this.

Well, the great guys at J's place have put a NEW coffee shop in the same location!

I was able to finally make it there on a recent Saturday, and I was very impressed.  The place looks similar, but there are some noticeable differences.  The old booths have been removed, and I recall a large condiment station that is out too.  It has a more open feel.

There is less art up too, but I could see that changing.  I thought I recognized at least once piece from the old location.

They have an old window from Main and Maple (with that shops logo on it) displayed too.  I thought that was pretty cool.  They had some affordable J's place items too.


They have old photos from the area up too.  Check out the black and white photo with the carriages and horses!  YEP!  That is the same spot decades earlier!

This is a great coffee shop, and I am so glad it is here!  The only thing preventing me from more trips is the hours.  They do close at an early 5pm on weeknights right now.  I hope they consider later hours in the future (me and a buddy were going to Main and Maple about once a week for coffee and wraps back when).  Still, I will have to make it down any Saturday that I can!

Nicholasville Confederate Monument- Nicholasville, Kentucky

Her is another Civil War monument.....  In front of the courthouse in Nicholasville is this guy!

Main and Maple Coffee in Nicholasville

I thought I should take a minute to mention some of my favorite coffee shops in Kentucky!

I love Main and Maple in Nicholasville. It is just outside of Lexington, and it is in a very pleasant area.

The coffee shop itself feels calm and cozy, and the staff is always friendly.

This place has really good, quality sandwiches too, I like planning not just a coffee break but a nice lunch dinner when I go out to the area.

http://www.mainandmaplecoffeehouse.com/

UPDATE:

Right after I posted this, a pal let me know that the place had closed down a couple of weeks earlier!!! NO!!! Oh well, it WAS a very nice place.