Department of Parks
New Historical Marker For Boone Station To Be Unveiled April 21

ATHENS, Ky. – A new historical marker honoring Boone Station State Park in Fayette County will be unveiled Saturday, April 21.

The marker, presented by the Kentucky Historical Society, tells about Daniel Boone and others building cabins at the site in December of 1779 and what the site was used for after Boone left in 1784. The park opened in 1992.

A ceremony for the marker will be held at 11 a.m. Parks Commissioner J.T. Miller and others will speak.

The marker will be unveiled during the weekend of April 21-22, when Boone Station State Park will be hosting the “Reenactment of the Ruddle’s Station Massacre.” The park will be open to the public 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The reenactment will be held at 2 p.m. each day.

Ruddle’s Station, located in current-day Harrison County, was attacked by Capt. Henry Byrd and his British and Indian troops in 1780 during the Revolutionary War. About 20 residents were killed at the site. Survivors were forced march to Detroit, where they remained prisoners for the remainder of the war.

There will be ongoing living history interpretation throughout the day featuring 18^th century period demonstrations, camps, merchants and traders, and re-enactors who portray settlers, Native Americans, British military, hunters, scouts, and others. There will also be descendants of the people who were at Ruddle’s Station in 1780 present during this weekend. The event is being held at Boone Station because of its proximity to the original site.

To get to Boone Station State Park, take exit 104 off Interstate 75 and go east on Athens-Boonesborough Road approximately 1 ½ miles to a four-way stop in Athens. Turn left onto Cleveland Road (KY 1973), and go 1/10 mile to Gentry Road on the right. Turn onto Gentry Road and go approximately 1/2 mile to the Boone Station site on the left.

The price for admission is $3 for adults, $1 for children 12 and under, under 6 is free. For more information, call Fort Boonesborough State Park at 859-527-3131.

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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