Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park
McHargue's Mill
Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park Location in Kentucky
Location	Laurel, Kentucky, United States
Area	896 acres (363 ha)
Elevation	1,152 ft (351 m)
Established	1931
Named for	Levi Jackson and the Wilderness Road
Governing body	Kentucky State Parks
Website	Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park

Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park is a special place located near London, Kentucky, in Laurel County. It used to be a state park but is now managed by the city of London. This park covers about 896 acres (which is like 678 football fields!). It's famous because a part of the historic Wilderness Road runs through it. This road was a very important path that early settlers used to travel into Kentucky. The park is named after Levi Jackson, one of the first pioneers in the area. It's a great spot for both fun activities and learning about history.

Park History

The Wilderness Road's Journey

The historic Wilderness Road was the main path for settlers for over 50 years. It helped them get from Virginia to Kentucky. In 1775, a famous explorer named Daniel Boone helped create a trail for a group called the Transylvania Company. This trail went from Fort Chiswell in Virginia, through the Cumberland Gap, and into Kentucky. Later, the road was made longer, following paths that Native American people had used. It stretched all the way to the Falls of the Ohio near Louisville.

The Wilderness Road was very rough and steep at first. People could only travel on foot or horseback. But as more and more travelers used it, the road got better. Eventually, horse-drawn wagons could also use the trail. Even with the tough conditions, thousands of people traveled this road. Many of their families still live in Kentucky today.

Levi Jackson and the Park's Beginning

Levi Jackson was one of the first settlers in Laurel County. He arrived in 1802 with his friend, John Freeman. Freeman had received a large piece of land along the Wilderness Road. This land was payment for his help in the American Revolutionary War. Levi Jackson built a big two-story house and opened it as a tavern in 1803. He and John Freeman ran the Wilderness Road Tavern and the local post office. The area around their home became known as "Jackson's Farm."

The Jackson family owned this land until 1931. Then, Levi Jackson's descendants gave the land to the state of Kentucky. They wanted to honor the brave pioneers who settled Kentucky. The park's buildings and facilities were built during the Great Depression in 1935. The National Park Service spent money to build cabins, bridges, parking areas, an auditorium, and an observation tower. Also, the Civilian Conservation Corps (a group that helped people find work during the Depression) fixed up an old log cabin and built McHargue's Mill in 1939.

Park Features

McHargue's Mill

McHargue's Mill is a working watermill that looks just like an old one. It has real parts inside that make it work. The Civilian Conservation Corps built it in 1939 next to the Little Laurel River. Outside the mill, you can see many old millstones. The working stones inside the mill were brought here on the Wilderness Road way back in 1805! Visitors can even buy fresh ground corn meal when the mill is open during certain seasons.

Mountain Life Museum

The Mountain Life Museum is like a restored pioneer village. It has several old cabins and other buildings from the pioneer era. Some of the cabins are set up with tools and household items. This helps you see what a pioneer settlement looked like during the time of the Wilderness Road. You can also see items from the early settlers and the Native American people who lived there before. The village includes a barn, a stable, a loom house, a church, and a blacksmith shop. The blacksmith shop even has barred windows because it was used as a jail in a 1955 movie called The Kentuckian, starring Burt Lancaster. As of 2014, the museum is closed to visitors.

Defeated Camp Burial Ground

The McNitt Company was a large group of early settlers. They were using the Wilderness Road to cross the Appalachian Mountains and move into the Ohio Valley. On the evening of October 3, 1786, this group of fourteen families was surprised. They had not set up a guard, and they were attacked after they had fallen asleep. Twenty-four people died that night, and only three survived. The people who died were buried near where the event happened. This spot is now known as the Defeated Camp Burial Ground, and it is located within Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park. It's a quiet place to remember the challenges faced by early pioneers.

Activities and Fun

Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park is open all year for many fun activities!

• Camping: The park has a wooded campground with 136 sites. Campers can use utility hook-ups and there's a grocery store nearby. There are also three main buildings with laundry, showers, and modern restrooms. You can find a miniature golf course near the campground entrance. There's also a large area for groups to camp, which includes an activity center.
• Trails: The park has about 8.5 miles of hiking trails. These trails follow parts of the historic Wilderness Road and Boone's Trace.
• Sports and Picnics: The park has a community swimming pool, basketball courts, horseshoes pits, and volleyball areas. You'll find picnic tables all over the park, and there are four picnic shelters for larger groups.