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Department of Parks
Lake Barkley State Resort Park To Hold First Tribute To African American Heritage Weekend Aug. 10-11
CADIZ, Ky. – Lake Barkley State Resort Park will hold its first “Tribute to African American Heritage Weekend” on Aug. 10-11.
The weekend will honor the rich African American culture and heritage and will feature several activities for guests including an old style picnic, live music, presentations on African American history in Western Kentucky and a golf tournament.
There will also be tours of the park and lodge, which was renovated this year and has earned a three-diamond rating from the American Automobile Association.
The program will begin Friday at 6 p.m. Central Time with a welcome by the park staff. There will be gospel music at 6:15 p.m. followed by an oral history presentation of African Americans in Western Kentucky at 7 p.m.
Saturday will feature a golf tournament in the morning, a picnic at 1 p.m. and a tour of Cherokee Park at Kenlake State Resort Park. Cherokee is the site of a former state park for blacks during the days of segregation. At 6 p.m., there will be a Kentucky Chautauqua presentation of Miss Dinnie Thompson, who was born a slave and after the Civil War worked in Louisville. Thompson is portrayed by Erma J. Bush of Louisville. The evening will end with gospel music at 7 p.m.
The Lake Barkley lodge, designed by Edward Durrell Stone, features 3 1/2 acres of glass offering outstanding views of Lake Barkley. Constructed of Western Cedar, Douglas fir, the Barkley Lodge complex provides a lake view from the private balconies of most of the 120 rooms and four suites. The park is named after the late Vice President Alben Barkley, a native of Western Kentucky.
There are also cottages, the Windows on the Water Restaurant, a campground, 18-hole golf course, fitness center with indoor pool, marina, fishing, tennis courts, hiking trails, gift shop and recreational and nature programming. For more information, visit www.parks.ky.gov or call the park at 1-800-325-1708. Special weekend packages are available.
Lake Barkley State Resort Park is 29 miles west of Hopkinsville. Take U.S. 68W to KY 1489.
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The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 53 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. Each year, Kentucky parks draw 7 million visitors and contribute $317 million to the economy. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov
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