Come See Springfield KY!
   
 
Interactive Maps for Springfield KY
 

The following attractions are open to the public.  Please call for hours and activities.

Abraham Lincoln Sculpture
Washington County Judicial Center
110 East Main Street, Springfield, KY
www.lincolnsculptureky.com

A 10-foot statue of the sixteenth President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, was dedicated here in April 2009.  The bronze statue is one of three created in Kentucky to honor Lincoln as part of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration. 

In Sacred Union, commemorates Lincoln’s search for evidence of his parents’ marriage and the discovery of their marriage records in Washington County thirteen years after his death. A one and a half times, life size, full-figure bronze sculpture of Lincoln is shown looking towards the old Washington County Courthouse, where the marriage bond laid waiting to be discovered. Just below, out of his line of sight, is a bronze plaque imprinted with a reproduction of Nancy Hanks and Thomas Lincoln’s Bond of Marriage. Two interlocking brick rings, representing the rings exchanged by bride and groom, connect the sculpture to the marker.

 

Campbell’s Westwind Farm/Walton Homestead
2888 Bardstown Road, Springfield, KY
859-336-9283
www.campbellwoolartcenter.com

General Matthew Walton, founder of Springfield, built the Walton Manor Cottage in 1784 and then Walton Manor in 1791.  John R. Barber purchased the house and land in the late 1800s.  The house was torn down in the early 1900s, but the original foundation, cellar and kitchen were used to build the current home in 1904-05.

The cottage remains in its original location and has been renovated to house the Campbell Farm Wool Art Center.  Mrs. Campbell is a spinner, natural dyer, weaver, sculptor, and puppeteer. Workshops are available, groups welcome.

 

Lincoln Homestead State Park
5079 Lincoln Park Road, Springfield, KY
859-336-7461

Named one of the 1000 places to see before you die, Lincoln Homestead became part of the state park system in 1936 to pay tribute to the parents of Abraham Lincoln who settled here in the late 1700s.

See the following historic buildings located within Lincoln Homestead State Park:

Berry Cabin
This original Berry Home has been moved from the Beechland section about a mile away and preserved here. Nancy Hanks lived in this home when she was courted by Thomas Lincoln. In the large living room, before the immense fireplace, Thomas proposed to Nancy. This home is furnished with pioneer relics of the Lincoln Age.

 

Blacksmith Cabin
A blacksmith and carpenter shop where Thomas Lincoln learned his trade has been built near the creek at the rear of the homestead cabin. This shop belonged to the Berry’s. According to tradition, Thomas learned his trade under the direction of Richard and Francis Berry, two master craftsmen.

Mordecai Lincoln House
US Highway 528
Springfield, KY

Revolutionary War Captain Abraham Lincoln owned over 5,000 acres in Kentucky Territory.  In 1786, he was killed by Indians in the presence of his three sons – Mordecai, Josiah and Thomas.  It was Mordecai Lincoln who shot and killed the Indians as they were about to kill his brother Thomas, who lived to become Abraham Lincoln’s father.

Built by the president’s favorite uncle Mordecai in 1797 at the age of 26 years, the house reflects his financial security and social status at the time.  The dwelling was built on 300 acres of land purchased from Terah Templin, the first Presbyterian minister ordained in Kentucky, for 100 pounds. 

The structure was renovated in 2007-2008 and is open for tours by appointment. Contact Lincoln Homestead at 859-336-7461.

 

Maple Hill Manor
2941 Perryville Rd., Highway 150, Springfield, KY
859-336-3075
800-886-7546
www.maplehillmanor.com

Built in 1851, this home has been utilized as a Confederate hospital, dinner house and children’s home.  Formerly known as the T.I. McElroy House, this home was also the birthplace of Phil Simms, former quarterback for the New York Giants and 1987 Super Bowl MVP.  It is currently an award winning bed and breakfast and alpaca and llama farm - Maple Hill Manor.

 

 

Mt. Zion Covered Bridge
KY 458, Springfield, KY

The Mount Zion Covered Bridge spans 246 ft. of the Beech Fork River and is the last of seven such structures that once stood in Washington County.  Presently it is one of the longest multi-span bridges remaining in the state.  The original cost to build the bridge was $5,000, paid by a special tax levied by the county. The bridge was completed on November 6, 1871, but is now bypassed and closed to traffic.

 

 

St. Catharine College
2645 Bardstown Rd., St. Catharine, KY
859-336-5082
www.sccky.edu

In 1823, the Dominican Sisters settled in Springfield several miles to the south of the present location and opened the St. Mary Magdelen Academy for local students.  In 1851, the name of the convent and academy was changed to St. Catharine of Sienna and, in the 1890s, a larger school and convent were built.  In 1904, a fire destroyed the school and convent. 

St. Catharine College founded in 1931, is a small liberal arts college at its best.  Offering certificate programs and associate and bachelor degrees in a wide variety of study, SCC’s current enrollment is around 700 students.

 

Saint Rose Church
868 Loretto Road, Springfield, KY

Part of the original brick church of 1809 has been preserved and is now the Eucharistic Chapel. The rest of the church was completed in 1854. Saint Rose Church is owned by the Dominican Priests.

Springfield Cemetery
South Walnut Street, Springfield, KY

Notables buried here include Elizabeth Madox Roberts, famed author and poet; General Matthew Walton, founder of Springfield; and John Pope, First Governor of the territory of Arkansas and a U.S. Representative. A memorial to a slave named Louis Sansbury, who buried the townspeople who died during the cholera epidemics in 1833 and 1854, stands at the entrance.

 

Springfield Graded School/Board of Education
120 Mackville Hill, Springfield, KY 40069
859-336-5470

Built in 1903, the Springfield Graded School served as both an elementary and high school until 1974.  During the first years of the school’s opening, there were 390 students and an average attendance of 270 through all eight grades.  The land on which this building sits was originally owned by town founder General Matthew Walton who later sold it to Hugh McElroy. 

Following the school closing, the building was remodeled and now serves as the Washington County Board of Education’s central office. 

 

 

Springfield Opera House
124 West Main Street, Springfield, KY
859-336-5412
www.springfieldky.org/operahouse.html

The original Opera House auditorium, on the second floor, was built circa 1900. After complete renovation in 2004, the facility features a 3,000 square foot auditorium that hosts a variety of events, including concert series, comedians, performances by Central Kentucky Community Theatre, Inc.  The Springfield Visitors Center and the Lincoln Heritage Center are both located on the first floor of the Opera House.

The Opera House auditorium is ideal for wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, class reunions, family reunions and other special events. A commercial kitchen is available for all catered events.

 

Springfield Presbyterian Church
140 East Main Street, Springfield, KY
859-336-3601

The Springfield Presbyterian Church was founded around 1788.  It is thought that Terah Templin, a pioneer missionary, preached the first sermon ever delivered in Kentucky.  The current church structure was built in 1888, replacing earlier buildings on the same site.

 

 

 

Valley Hill Store
65 Valley Hill Road, Springfield, KY
859-336-0266

The Valley Hill Store began as a depot for the L&N Railroad when it was extended from Bardstown in 1888.  The Government established a post office at this location and it was named for the nearby plantation “Valley Hill.”  In 1896, a store was opened at the depot. It currently houses a general merchandise store and gift shop featuring items made in Kentucky.  Definitely worth the drive!  Stop by here on your way to the Mt. Zion Covered Bridge.

donkey tree

 

 

 

 

 

 

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ABOUT SPRINGFIELD | ACCOMMODATIONS | DINING | FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Springfield Kentucky Tourism Commission
127 W. Main Street
Springfield, KY 40069
Phone: 859-336-5440
Info@SeeSpringfieldKy.com

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