Take a quick drive south of Bowling Green just like Duncan used to! Visit the quaint town of Franklin, Kentucky, where history meets small town charm.
Whether you are interested in seeing the sights on your own or taking a tour, there is something to do!
Franklin’s downtown square is the pulse of the community. With year-round events and small boutiques for shopping, you can easily spend a day exploring. The Simpson County History Center and Old Jail provides an insight into local town history with several displays with national flare. For pop culture fans, stop in front of the First United Methodist Church to take a photo in front of the church where Johnny Cash and June Carter were married. For those looking for antiques, venture off the square to the several local shops in the area.
Franklin is also home to unique roadside attractions. The largest fork in Kentucky can be visited with just a quick drive from Highway 31-W. Duncan would tell you to take that fork in the road. The attraction is so popular it has its own GPS coordinates on Google, simply search for the Fork in the Road. Not far from there is the Blackjack Sculpture Park where you can see a Glider plane, a space capsule, and a giant knife structure.
Octagon Hall Museum is a Civil War history treasure. Situated on the main road on Highway 31-W close to the Simpson County/Warren County line, is the historic octagon-shaped home built by Andrew Caldwell in 1847. The home was used as a safe house and for a brief time, a hospital to Confederate soldiers. Today, the property includes a small family cemetery and the graves of unknown soldiers. Rich with history, the museum has been featured on television channels such as SyFy, A&E, The Travel Channel and Discovery. Known for paranormal activity, visitors will feel a ghostly, near haunting presence when they roll in from the highway. Self-guided tours are available Wednesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the small donation cost of $5 per person.
Dueling Grounds Distillery, the first craft distillery on the Bourbon Trail is in a prime location of town. Stop in or visit the website to book a tour in advance to learn more about the distilling process and enjoy tasting. For those who enjoy history facts between sips, the distillery’s main bourbon Linkumpinch is named for the famous farm where duels took place. Sam Houston himself once dueled on these grounds. The distillery can sign you up for a tour of that property where the Sandford Duncan Inn sits. The beautiful area also is home to an old family cemetery.
With an abundance of restaurants and hotels to choose from, Franklin has so much to offer for a day or weekend getaway. Duncan Hines himself certainly would recommend stopping here to sit a spell.
0 Comments