Kentucky State Parks are known for their historic lodges, which are characterized by unique architectural styles that reflect the region's natural beauty and cultural heritage. The earliest lodges were built in the 1920s and 1930s, as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal initiative to create jobs and promote tourism. These lodges were constructed using local materials such as stone and timber, and were designed to blend in with the surrounding landscape.;xNLx;;xNLx;Over the years, Kentucky State Parks have added more lodges, each with their own distinctive style. For example, the Natural Bridge State Resort Park features a lodge built in the mid-century modern style, while the Jenny Wiley State Resort Park features a lodge with a rustic log cabin design. Today, the lodges serve as a reminder of Kentucky's rich history and natural beauty, and continue to attract visitors from around the world.
The Kentucky Union Railway established a rail line through Slade in 1889 to connect with timber resources. The area was developed into a private park, and in 1912, it was used for excursions. In 1926, Natural Bridge became one of the first four original state parks with Hemlock Lodge added in 1927, and 940 acres of land was added in 1929. The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed several facilities in the park area from 1933 to 1935 and from 1948 to 1952, the park completed multiple capital projects to enhance the visitor experience. During the 1960s, Natural Bridge State Resort Park expanded to 1200 acres, and a new Hemlock Lodge was completed in 1963. The park lost the original Hemlock Lodge to a fire in 1969 and had the lodge rebuilt.
In the 1920s, the Harrodsburg Historical Society planned to build a replica of James Harrod’s fort as part of the town's sesquicentennial celebration. To accomplish this, they created the Kentucky Pioneer Memorial Association and sought support from inside and outside the local community. In 1925, the people of Harrodsburg donated thirty-five acres of land to the state for Pioneer Memorial State Park, which was established by the Kentucky Legislature in 1926.
The Blue and Gray State Park, situated in Elkton, Kentucky, was a beautiful park that was named after its location between the President Abraham Lincoln Memorial in LaRue County and the Jefferson Davis Shrine at Fairview. The park was established in 1926, and the rustic Traveler's Lodge was opened to guests on July 1, 1929. It quickly became a popular spot for locals to gather for picnics and events. Despite its early success, the park failed to attract enough visitors and was forced to close in 1933. The lodge was subsequently demolished, and the materials were sold to build new homes in Elkton. The park's drinking fountain was rehomed on the south lawn of the courthouse. Following the closure of Blue and Gray, the park served as a work camp for the Works Progress Administration and a vacation camp for underprivileged children. Eventually, the park was sold to a private family.
In 1925, the residents of Bell County, Kentucky, donated two thousand acres of land to the Commonwealth to establish a state park. The Kentucky State Park Commission presented Cumberland State Park to the General Assembly in 1926, and it was designated as a Kentucky State Park by the legislature. In 1938, the park's name was changed to Pine Mountain State Park to avoid confusion with Cumberland Falls State Park. The Civilian Conservation Corps arrived in 1933 and constructed several buildings, including a lodge and cabins. Between 1948 and 1956, the park increased its size to 2500 acres. Chenoa Lake was created in 1953 and in 1962 the lodge extension was completed. From 1960 to 1967, the state invested over a million dollars in renovating and constructing new structures.
Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park is where one of the last battles of the American Revolutionary War was fought. The Blue Licks Battlefield Monument Commission donated 32 acres of land to the Kentucky State Parks Commission on January 20, 1927. In August 1938, a granite monument was dedicated at the park to honor those who fought in the Battle of Blue Licks. The Commonwealth provided funding to develop the park, and the Pioneer Museum opened in 1931. Over the years, the park expanded and added more facilities such as a pool, playground, and picnic area in the 1960s. Further developments included the addition of two cottages, a 32-room lodge, a restaurant, and meeting rooms in the 1990s, making Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park the seventeenth resort park in the Kentucky State Parks system.
On June 30, 1931, the citizens of Carroll County donated land to the Commonwealth for the creation of Butler Memorial State Park. Governor Flem Sampson, state senator Perry Gaines, and several others spoke at the dedication ceremony held on August 12, 1931. The ceremony featured a meal of barbeque lamb and Kentucky burgoo, and musical performances by the 123rd Cavalry Band of the Kentucky National Guard and the Carrollton Community Chorus and Orchestra. Representative Charles Truesdell of Fort Thomas commended Carrollton residents for their efforts in donating land, including parts of the Butler family farms, to the state. The newly established park included a golf course and the Butler-Turpin State Historic House, which opened to the public in 1933.
Cumberland Falls is the second-largest waterfall east of the Mississippi River. In 1850, Lewis and Mary Renfro constructed a small cabin near the falls, which was later replaced by the Cumberland Falls Hotel in 1875. The hotel was then purchased by Henry C. Brunson in 1902 and renamed the Brunson Inn. The Cumberland River Power Company later acquired the hotel for $190,000 with plans to generate electricity by building a dam above the falls. In 1927, Senator T. Coleman DuPont bought the area for $400,000 to preserve the falls. His wife donated the land to Kentucky as a public park in 1931. The Civilian Conservation Corps then constructed DuPont Lodge, 15 cabins, campsites, picnic areas, roads, and trails in the 1930s.
Situated among the rolling hills of Monroe County in south-central Kentucky, stands the oldest freestanding log meetinghouse in the Commonwealth. Built in 1804 for the Mill Creek Baptist Church, the structure served as a place of worship until about 1856. After the congregation left, the log church remained deserted and began to deteriorate. However, the community came together to restore the site and, in the late 1920s, there was an effort to make Old Mulkey a state shrine. On November 8, 1931, Governor Sampson and park commissioner, Mrs. James Darnell, accepted the property as part of the parks system in a ceremony attended by more than five thousand people.
Dr. Thomas Walker, an explorer and physician, built a cabin in 1750 on a twelve-acre land, six miles southeast of Barbourville. The area surrounding the cabin was claimed by him. The Barbourville Post of the American Legion initiated a campaign to make the traditional site of the cabin a state shrine in honor of Dr. Walker. The Legion, along with the Barbourville community, donated a twelve-acre land to the Commonwealth. On June 20, 1931, the State Parks Commission dedicated the site as Dr. Thomas Walker State Shrine.
Levi Jackson Wilderness Road Park is a picturesque city park that offers various recreational activities and pays homage to the colonials who braved the wilderness to settle in Kentucky. The park is named after Levi Jackson, who served as the first judge of Laurel County and operated the Wilderness Road Tavern and Laurel River Post Office. In 1931, Jackson's descendants donated 307 acres of land to the Division of State Parks to construct a park in honor of the state's settlers. By 1935, the National Park Service had spent almost $55,000 under the Department of the Interior on developing the park. The park boasted footbridges, an observation tower, parking areas, an auditorium, and restored log cabins that served as a museum, making it a popular visitor destination. In 1939, the Civilian Conservation Corps constructed McHargue's Mill, and the park system made numerous improvements throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The Kentucky Department of Parks transferred Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park to London in 2019.
