Bill and Jan RVing the USA: Bill found a pole!

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Bill found a pole!

Renfro Valley, Kentucky
Renfro Valley RV Park
Pull Thru #207

It was difficult to say "see 'ya" to the new friends we meet but the road was beckoning. It really made us feel good when Erwin came racing out of his coach in his bare feet to say "safe travels" as we were getting ready to pull out.

Erwin and Kaye Heins are headed to the Wheeling area where we spent time with the kids and grandkids, to see the Palace of Gold, the WV Penitentiary and the Mounds. We'll see them next month at the National MOC Rally.

When we left I had no idea where we were going. We had it down to either going west or north. The decision had to be made when we went through Knoxville. We tossed the dice and headed north. As we were driving up the interstate (yes, I said interstate) we spotted the home of Colonel Sanders. Bill was going to pull off so we could check it out but I said let's just stay in the area and go back to see it without the trailer.

Passport America sometimes dictates where we want to go. This time there was no exception. We are in a long pull thru with 50 amp full hook ups including cable and a picnic table for $17.50 a night. When we pulled in, we set up and then went back to the combination motel check in, RV park check in, post office, visitor's center and show tickets booth.

We purchased show tickets for Thursday nights performance--The 50's and 60's dinner show.

This park has two sections, the first section on this side of the water has no trees so it's perfect for satellite the other side of the water has an area with a few trees and then some that back in to the creek with much bigger trees. Since we usually use the ac, the treeless side works best for us and there are fewer obstacles.

After eating lunch we went for a walk across the bridge to the other side of the park and stopped at the Bitter Sweet Cabin Village.

The Log Cabin on the Kentucky Frontier

"It is often assumed that the log cabin was the home of America's first settlers from Europe, but when the English and Dutch colonists settled in Plymouth, Jamestown, and New Amsterdam, they built houses in the styles of their homelands. The structures were mainly of frame construction, using planks, timbers and nails that were brought over on the ships that carried the colonists. The first known log cabins in America were built in the lower Delaware Valley by the Swedes and the Finns in 1638. Log cabins had been in use in the Scandinavian countries since 800 A. D."

This quote was on the brochure the girl in the gift shop gave us. Bill went to buy the tickets to see the village and there was no charge. I love free attractions!

The resident cat that lives in the village came to say "hello".

I should have taken a photo when the cat was walking. It's belly was almost dragging on the floor.

There are 12 cabins that have been moved from other places in Kentucky to this village to preserve history.

This was the Stump-John Fouch homes which is a modified dogtrot style cabin built in 1887.

I thought Terry Russell might enjoy this four post loom from the late 1700's.

Here's a photo of Bill in total amazement. There was a cabin full of what Bill calls "implements." No worries, he didn't touch any of them.

The next cabin built in 1790-1792 had a broom shop.

This was a ballot box. One key was for the democrats, one for the republicans and one for the sheriff. All three locks had to be opened at the same time.

Moonshine equipment was common in the area.

Look! Bill found a barber's pole, but no barber. Maybe next time he can get a trim. Do you think he needs a shave to go with the haircut?

Another interesting thing we learned was that a typical two-room cabin did not have an opening to the other room. You had to go outside to go into the other room.