Pictures at last

These are only the pictures from the Land Between the Lakes, KY.

Above is the Customs House, built in 1898. This is where farmers brought their tobacco to be sold at market. It is supposed to be one of the most photographed building in the U.S.

This is Kentucky Dam on the Tennessee River creating Kentucky Lake.

This man caught this fish while we were there.

They are closed weekends so we couldn't really see the locks.

This is Barkley Dam on the Cumberland River.

You can see the lock on Barkley Dam better.

While in the area we ate at Patti's, advertised as an 1880's establishment, but is really just a restaurant. Although they have things like the above, metal sculptures, and a mill and gardens...

We were there on Father's Day, so us ladies made the guys a special breakfast. Looks good doesn't it!

Ft. Donelson was a key loss for the confederates. Once lost, the Union army had access by water all the way to Nashville. But it was a difficult battle with both wood clad ships as well as ironclad ships. These cannons were at a strategic point to protect the river, but the Union still won.

They call this the Surrender House. Here General Buckner (later a KY governor) and General Grant (later the 18th president) signed surrender papers in Feb 1862.

Before the area was damned there were over 50 iron mines in the area. Each iron mine needed charcoal to fire the limestone and iron ore. They would stack 50-60 cords of wood like above and then cover it with mud and leaves. Once lite it would take about two weeks to burn down to charcoal, ready for use in the iron ore furnaces. This one charcoal hearth would provide enough charcoal to fire an iron ore furnace for one day.

What is left of the iron ore furnace at Furnace Creek.

There is also an old homestead, set up to show what life was like here back in the 1850s. Although they did not grow tobacco for a cash crop, they did grow enough for there own use and a little to trade with. Here is some tobacco just getting started.

Tobacco drying in the shed.

Some pictures of the mud bogs. Actually they have two tracks. One track is only light mud and the vehicles are timed. Some races are for the best time, other races are for the best time under a specified time.

The other track is 2-4 feet at least of mud. The track is 70 feet long and no one yet has ever completed the track. Here the winner is whoever goes the most distance. This night the winner made it down the track about 61 feet.