16 Nights in Kentucky
While John watched for transport opportunities, we decided to camp at Levi Jackson Wilderness Campground in London, Kentucky as their campsites were half off during the off-season. We winded up staying for 16 nights. We highly recommend this campground!
There are plenty of trails in the Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park and also numerous shelters and a clubhouse that may be reserved for special occasions. There is an amphitheater, mini golf, and a community swimming pool. But what makes this Park special is McHargue's Mill. It is a working watermill built on the banks of the Little Laurel River in 1939. Mills harnessed the natural power of moving water before the invention of the steam engine and electricity. The working stones in McHargue's mill were brought over the Wilderness Road in 1805. But there's more! The Mountain Life Museum gives you a glimpse of a 7-building pioneer settlement. You will also find craft items from local artists and a look at Kentucky's pioneer heritage.
We also checked out the surrounding area. We found a Kroger Grocery Store in the same plaza as the Forest Hills Rinse O' Blue Laundromat. This, by far, is my favorite laundromat since we have been on the road. It is filled with Speed Queen washers and dryers, and it is so clean! We would put our laundry in the washers and then go grocery shopping at Kroger. While John checked out our groceries, I would go fold the laundry, and we would meet back at the camper. Very convenient.
One day while we were out and about, we discovered the birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken. "It all started in Corbin." We stopped at the Sanders Cafe & Museum and had A Taste of KFC for $5 each plus a side of coleslaw. I swear that KFC has the best coleslaw! 😋 Anyway, the Museum was great! Definitely worth seeing!
So, you know.....I do have to give you some history on KFC now 😉 .....
Originally started in 1937 as a Shell gas station, it later expanded to Sanders Court & Cafe, where guests could have a hot meal and a place to rest. Harland Sanders developed his "secret recipe" and patented his method of cooking chicken in a pressure fryer. In 1952, the first KFC franchise was built in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1956, the construction of Interstate 75 in Kentucky caused the town of Corbin and Sanders Court & Cafe to be bypassed, so it closed. When this happened, Colonel Sanders devoted his time to franchising his fried chicken across the country. He passed away at the age of 90 on December 16, 1980. In 1990, the Kentucky location underwent a renovation and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. We REALLY enjoyed this experience! There was a lot to see, including memorabilia and exhibits replicating his 1940s kitchen and what the motel rooms looked like. There was a timeline, a display of all the KFC buckets, and a looping video of all the KFC television commercials. This was my favorite! We watched old commercials and ate our A Taste of KFC. It was, of course, finger-lickin' good! 😋
Sanders Cafe & Museum in Corbin, Kentucky
Our favorite thing to do at the Park was to hike. We loved to hike down to McHargue's Mill and listen to the water. So serene! We spent some time reorganizing, planning, gathering tax information for our accountant, and streaming a few good shows.
After 16 nights in London, Kentucky, John got a transporting job.
Where are we headed next? Stay tuned for our next post. 😉
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