On this date 204 years ago, President Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin similar to this one. For over a century people from around the world have come to rural Central Kentucky to honor the humble beginnings of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln.  His early life on Kentucky’s frontier shaped his character and prepared him to lead the nation through Civil War.  The country’s first memorial to Lincoln, built with donations from young and old, enshrines the symbolic birthplace cabin. 

Photo: National Park Service

At Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, the first great gateway to the west, follow the buffalo, the Native American, the longhunter, the pioneer… all traveled this route through the mountains into the wilderness of Kentucky. Modern day explorers and travelers stand in awe at this great gateway and the many miles of trails and scenic features found in the park.

Photo: National Park Service 

As Punxsutawney Phil ducks his head underground to hideout from six more weeks of winter, so can you by exploring some of America’s most amazing caves. The guides at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky preserve the world’s longest cave system, as well as part of the Green River valley and hilly country of south central Kentucky. With more than 390 miles explored, early guide, Stephen Bishop, called the cave a “grand, gloomy and peculiar place,” but its vast chambers and complex labyrinths have earned its name - Mammoth.

Photo: National Park Service