Arts & Crafts Shopping In Kentucky

Beginning with the earliest days of English settlement, handicrafts have been a beloved art form in the Bluegrass State. While many Kentucky arts and crafts are rooted in tradition, others are on the cutting edge of contemporary art. You can find it all on your visit, and even bring home a piece or two as a gift or souvenir.

Berea, known as the Folk Arts & Crafts Capital of Kentucky, is home to a thriving community of artisans with shops and studios scattered throughout town. The city’s craft heritage is tied to historic Berea College, the first integrated and coeducational college in the South. Paducah, home to the National Quilt Museum and Lower Town Arts District, has been designated a UNESCO Creative City, one of only nine in the United States. Inspiration awaits visitors to this city’s many vibrant galleries and workshops.

The Kentucky Artisan Center, Appalachian Artisan Center and KMAC Museum all display and sell works of hundreds of Kentucky artisans. Kentucky Arts Council maintains directories of Kentucky Crafted Artists and Retailers that have met the Council’s criteria of artistic excellence and professionalism as judged by independent panels of arts professionals. Plus, handcrafted wares are the centerpiece of many festivals throughout the Commonwealth, large and small.

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Kentucky Lincoln Heritage Trail

Bluegrass, Blues & BBQ

Abraham Lincoln lived in Kentucky for the first seven years of his life, and that period left a lifelong impression on the future leader.

 

This trail traces the roots of Lincoln and his family throughout the Bluegrass State, from the homes of his parents and future wife to Civil War battlefields, sites and museums that preserve the stories and memorabilia from his accomplished life.

 

 

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park

 

Long before Abraham Lincoln became one of the preeminent leaders in American history, he spent his earliest years in Hodgenville, and his family had roots all around Kentucky. The Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park is home to the First Lincoln Memorial, which houses a replica of Lincoln’s birth cabin.

 

Abraham Lincoln's Birthplace

 

Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home at Knob Creek

 

Of his boyhood home, Lincoln said, “My earliest recollection is of the Knob Creek place.” Located just 10 miles from his birthplace, the Knob Creek farm was the home of the Lincoln family from 1811 to 1816. Here, a young Abraham would help gather wood, carry water, and go fishing in the stream; it was also where he first saw African Americans in bondage. 

 

 

Lincoln Museum

 

A series of life-size dioramas, period artifacts, and a superb collection of wax figures brings to life the major events in Abraham Lincoln's life. From the "Cabin Years" to "Ford's Theatre" and the years between, visitors of all ages enjoy this close-up experience with one of the world's greatest leaders. The Lincoln Museum is three miles north of Abraham Lincoln's Birthplace National Historical Park and seven miles west of Lincoln's Boyhood Home at Knob Creek. The Museum galleries include civil war memorabilia, a collection of original Lincoln art, a funeral train exhibit and more. 

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