I've been taking a trip down memory lane as I look at old photos, articles, and notes from my…read morethirty years of doing my Tenderness Tour outreach event. As someone who attended a Black college for my undergrad and who has spent a good amount of time immersed in the Black community, I often make it a point when I visit cities and towns to explore sites that are important to the diversity of Indiana. The Leora Brown School is one such site. Located in Corydon, Indiana - the state of Indiana's first capitol - the Leora Brown School is a one-room schoolhouse that was built in 1891 for the sole purpose of educating African-American children. It is one of Indiana's oldest schools established for that purpose and Brown's family largely spearheaded the effort to restore the school. Originally known as the "Corydon Colored School," it was one of the first African-American schools and had its first graduating class in 1897. Leora Brown was one such graduate and she would go on to attend Blaker's Teachers College in Indianapolis. Once she graduated from college, she returned to Corydon and would teach in the school for the next 26 years until the end of segregation (theoretically, anyway). The building has been beautifully restored including a ramp that offers wheelchair access. It's a historical site and cultural center. Part of the original blackboard is still in the building. The state of Indiana has marked the school with a Historical Marker. In 1949, Indiana did move toward desegregation (slowly). In 1950, all public schools were required to be integrated. In practice, this eliminated many teaching jobs for African-American teachers as they had difficulty finding work in formerly all-white schools. This included Leora Brown. The school was restored around 1993. This is definitely a must-see for history buffs and those interested in Indiana's history of addressing racism. Since Corydon has an abundance of history to see, it's a delightful day trip that I would highly recommend.

Sit-in demonstration is a series of public art monuments in downtown louisvilel that marks…read morelegitimate sites of civil rights sit in demonstrations. This particular marker is located on south 4th street in louisville Kentucky in the theatre square portion of town. Each marker has a story about what occurred at sit in a longe with dates and other historical information. This particular one took place at was once called Mary Anderson theatre. Overall this are really cool tributes and honors to some of the local history in the city of Lousiville and hold significant historical information.

This is one of many sit in demonstration sites that we have in downtown Louisville. This is a lot…read moreof history and a powerful movement during the civil rights. It sits outside the brown theater

This log cabin was the home of the 9th President, William Henry Harrison. It is one of the nine…read morebuildings remaining in the historic city from what is known as the Capital Period (1816-1825). At this time, they are not hosting any weekday tours, so I could not go in and visit. They may be open Fridays , Saturdays and Sundays. I will just call or email ahead before you go.The cabin is also known as Branham Tavern and has served as a tavern, and a church house for members of the clergy over the years. There is ample free parking available on the street in front of the cabin. It is a nice attraction to see if you are in town, but unless they are open, you will probably not spend a lot of time there. The cabin is located off of a busy road, or at least busy for Corydon. Be carful. Anyway, I would recommend coupling this trip with other stops such as Indiana Cavern, The Harrison County Interpretive Museum and the Constitutional Elm Stump. Fun Facts: The cabin is listed on National Register of Historic Places and Harrison County gets its name from President Harrison.

The Mount Washington History Walk is an absolute gem. Located conveniently right on Main Street in…read moreMount Washington, Kentucky, this walk is a delightful way to explore the rich history of the area. The path is lined with informative markers that highlight popular land sites and notable landmarks, making it both educational and engaging. Whether you're a local looking to learn more about your hometown or a visitor wanting to soak in the town's heritage, the History Walk offers a wonderful blend of history, charm, and accessibility. Highly recommended for anyone who loves history and a pleasant stroll. You can check it out all up and down N. Bardstown Rd. in the heart of Mount Washington. There's one next to the funeral home and you can take it all the way down close to where Dollar General is. I'd say go check it out.

Historical Marker #1990 on 2nd and Main is titled "Slave Trading in Louisville". Due to its…read morelocation along the Ohio River, Louisville greatly profited from the sale of enslaved people, and Matthew Garrison was a notorious slave trader and ran a slave jail. One side of the marker reads, "By the 1850s, Kentucky was annually exporting between 2500 and 4000 of its slaves down river to the large plantations farther south. To prevent runaways, traders operating near the Ohio River kept slaves shackled together in pens when not being displayed to buyers. Slave traders were often social outcasts avoided by all but fellow traders." The other side reads, "Garrison Slave Pen Site - Matthew Garrison was a well known Kentucky slave speculator in the Deep South. A white abolitionist leader, Rev. Calvin Fairbank, wrote in 1851 that four slave markets, including Garrison's and Arterburn's, sold men, women, and children "like sheep." Slavery abolished by 13th Amendment, 1865." The marker was presented by Louisville and Jefferson County African American Heritage Committee, Inc. and dedicated February 22, 1998. [Yelp collections: Louisville/Indianapolis 2023; Louisville, KY 2023; Monuments, Memorials, and Historical Markers]

Back in the day, Kentucky was a slave state. And just across the Ohio River, Indiana was a free…read morestate. If escaped slaves could make it to there, they would have a much better chance* of freedom. When captured, they were usually returned here to Louisville before being returned. This marker recalls those times. On one side, "By the 1850s, Kentucky was annually exporting between 2500 and 4000 of its slaves down river to the large plantations farther south. To prevent runaways, traders operating near the Ohio River kept slaves shackled together in pens when not being displayed to buyers. Slave traders were often social outcasts avoided by all but fellow traders." And on the other, "Garrison Slave Pen Site - Matthew Garrison was a well known Kentucky slave speculator in the Deep South. A white abolitionist leader, Rev. Calvin Fairbank, wrote in 1851 that four slave markets, including Garrison's and Arterburn's, sold men, women, and children "like sheep." Slavery abolished by 13th Amendment, 1865. Presented by Louisville and Jefferson County African American Heritage Committee, Inc. Dedicated Feb. 22, 1998" Times have changed but we need to not forget about them. (* Under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, they could still be returned to their owners even if they were captured in "free" states.) [Review 13584 overall, 903 of 2020.]

Sit in demonstration marker sight that is located in the middle of 4th street live. The city of…read moreLousiville throughout downtown has places these markers to show and honor actual spots where civil rights sit ins occurred. Thai particular site was that of the Kauffman-Strauss building. This marker like the other shares they sights unique and historical facts of the sit In. Overall these are wonderful additions to ten city that adds more public art while Spreading knowledge and facts about our cities history.

Corydon is full is history. Who knew? I thought it was just a bunch of caves. It was the original…read morestate capital. Anyway, this attraction is an old tree stump covered in a pavilion. Rumor has it that Indiana delegates met under this same tree to draft Indiana's state constitution in 1816. At the time it was estimated that the tree was already 150 years old. It is interesting to not that the actual tree has been dead since 1925 due to Dutch Elm disease, and the stump and trunk is all that remains. It does look well preserved though. I guess the coal tar they used worked like magic. The tree limbs and branches that were cut from the trunk, opened up a money making opportunity. They were chopped into pieces and sold as souvenirs There is limited parking in front of some of the houses on the street that the stump is on. However, much of the curb is painted yellow for no parking. tree's limbs and branches. These were subsequently chopped into pieces and sold as souvenirs. This is definitely worth a visit if you are in Corydon. Some people question how long the stump will be around due to the declining number of people that knows the tree's significance and the uncertainty of how long the tree's preservation efforts would be effective. Well, as with most road side attractions I visit and review, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops or making it part of a larger itinerary.I would start with the Indiana Caverns and/or the Harrison County Discovery Center, which is right down the street.

Indiana's first constitution was signed under this tree! And although the tree died from Elm…read moredisease in 1925, the trunk was preserved. It's huge! The story goes... In 1816, the 43 Indiana delegates met to draft the first constitution. It was unbearably hot in the log cabin they met in, so they stepped outside to work on the constitution under this elm tree. At the time, the elm was reported to be over 130 feet tall and 50 feet wide, and about 150 years old. Indiana's first constitution included several progressive laws, like a ban on slavery! This is not only a cool roadside stop, but also a part of important Indiana history.

This is a nice sculpture located just outside of the entrance to the Falls of the Ohio Interpretive…read moreCenter right off the water. The bronze statue depicts Meriwether Lewis and William Clark shaking hands near the Falls of Ohio where Lewis has landed in 1803. The statue also marks the area where Lewis and Clark embarked on their historic expedition of discovery. The sculpture was created by the late C.A (Carol) Grende in 2003 and stands 10 feet tall and sits on a 4-foot-tall, 16.5-ton slab of 387-million-year-old Jefferson limestone. it was originally displayed at the Southern Indiana Visitors Center for a year before being moved to its current location. Parking is available nearby, but you will have a bit of a walk or you can park by the curb in front of the statue and jump out, see what you have to see and then continue on your trip. This is a marker for a piece of local history. It is a nice sculpture with a very interesting back story. It is worth a brief stop as part of a larger trip at the Falls of Ohio and the many attractions there.

This is where the Lewis & Clark expedition all began…read more.. I had this statue on the list of things to see and do while in the area but I couldn't find the location of statue by Yelp search... so I made a page so that others could located it easier. I was only able to find it because I asked a local and they said "I think it's down the road by the Falls... go straight down that road". All I knew it was on the river somewhere but wasn't sure which side IN or KY. You can find the statue in the Falls of the Ohio State Park next to a building named Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center over looking the falls in the background. "October 14, 1803, Merriweather Lewis came from Washington D.C. and met William Clark at the Falls of the Ohio River. When they shook hands, the Lewis and Clark Expedition began. October 26, 1803, The "Corps of Discovery" departed from Clarksville at the Falls of the Ohio on their journey to the Pacific ocean to explore the American West. November 05, 1806, returned to the Falls of the Ohio." This is a nice little piece of history right here!