LaRue County lies at the center of an area rich in tourist attractions. Within a 30-minute drive of the county, one can visit Historic Bardstown and My Old Kentucky Home, see the Kentucky Railway Museum and ride a steam train in New Haven, experience Mammoth Cave National Park and the cave area, tour the Patton Museum at Fort Knox, enjoy Green River Lake State Park and its marina near Campbellsville, and browse through the many antiques and crafts shops. Within the area are many notable restaurants, with menus ranging from gourmet items to traditional country cooking. For additional information, please see Visit Hodgenville, Kentucky – Abraham Lincoln…and a lot more!.
Local Attractions
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Park
2995 Lincoln Farm Road
Hodegenville, KY 42748
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The Visitor Center at Abraham Lincoln Birthplace contains exhibits, sales facility, and the movie “Lincoln – The Kentucky Years”. Nature trails and picnic facilities are available. Allow 1-hour minimum for tour of the grounds and buildings. The Visitor Center is open daily from 9:00am-5:00pm, from Labor Day thru Memorial Day. The summer hours from Memorial Day to Labor Day are 9:00am to 5:00pm.
Important Note: The Park is in the Eastern Time Zone.
Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home at Knob Creek
7120 Bardstown Road
Hodgenville, KY 42748
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The Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home achieved national park status as part of Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in 2001. The two units of the site commemorate the birth and early life of Abraham Lincoln and interpret the relationship of his background and pioneer environment to his service for his country, as the 16th President of the United States. This unit is located on 31-E near Athertonville. Picnic grounds and hiking trails are available.
Historic Downtown Commercial District
Main Street
Hodgenville, KY 42748
Many of the early 20th century buildings in downtown Hodgenville are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can enjoy shopping for local arts and crafts, Lincoln memorabilia, collectibles, gift items, antiques, jewelry, homemade fudge, consignments and even items from an old-fashioned drug store! How about a LaRue County tradition of enjoying a Laha’s burger fresh from the grill with a bottled Coke? Hodgenville has been designated a Certified One City through the Kentucky Renaissance on Main program, and as a Preserve America Community by First Lady Laura Bush.
Joel Ray’s Lincoln Jamboree
2579 Lincoln Farm Road
Hodgenville, KY 42748
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Established in 1954, the Lincoln Jamboree has served as Kentucky’s #1 Country Music Showplace for more than half a century! Join producer and emcee Joel Ray Sprowls, as he shares his brand of family humor and entertainment every Saturday night year round. Local artists and country music impersonators make this a show the whole family will love. The Jamboree also is home to Joel Ray’s Restaurant, featuring “honest to goodness, old fashioned Southern country cookin’.” Joel Ray’s Restaurant is open daily from 11 AM to 3 PM.
Free weekend camp sites (with electricity) are available for customers. The campground opens At 11 AM on Fridays.
LaRue County Environmental Education and Research Center
635 Leafdale Rd.
Hodgenville, KY 42748
(270) 268-5315
Knob Creek Conservancy
LaRue County Golf Club
1175 Greensburg Rd.
Hodgenville, KY 42748
(270) 358-9727
Larue County Golf Club – Hodgenville, KY (Address, Phone, and Hours) (countyoffice.org)
LaRue County is home to a beautiful 18-hole golf course. The golf course is open daily from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm. The Larue County Golf Club offers playing grounds, practice areas for driving and putting, and other facilities for golfers. The Golf Course provides amenities such as lockers, changing rooms, and shower facilities. It also provides golfing services, such as golf lessons and golf products for sale on site.
The Lincoln Museum
66 Lincoln Square
Hodgenville, KY 42748
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The cornerstone of Hodgenville’s historic district, the Lincoln Museum is Kentucky’s official museum dedicated to Lincoln’s life and times. A Civil War Trust Discovery Site and a Kentucky Scenic Byway Site features 12 historically accurate scenes from Lincoln’s life, Lincoln and Civil War memorabilia and the Lincoln Art Collection. Built with the efforts of local volunteers, the museum is housed in two historic buildings on Lincoln Square. Not long after its opening, Southern Living magazine stated, “If Abraham Lincoln had been around, he probably would have grabbed a hammer and pitched in. The man who believed in unity would have loved the community spirit that built The Lincoln Museum in Hodgenville, Kentucky.”
The Lincoln Statue
Lincoln Square
Hodgenville, KY 42748
Located in Town Square, Hodgenville, the Lincoln Statue is cast bronze with the pedestal being pink granite. Dedicated on May 31, 1909, the statue was sculpted by Artist Adolph A. Weinman of New York. The statue is photographed by thousands each year. An exact duplicate of the Lincoln Statue is located on the campus of the University of Wisconsin.
Originally, the responsibility for care of the statue fell to a group of local women called the Ladies Lincoln League. Today, the statue is maintained through the civic efforts of the Hodgenville Rotary Club. In 1985, the statue was ‘rebronzed’ due to such corrosion from natural elements. The statue’s color changed from corroded blue-green to warm-brown luster.
LaRue County Chamber of Commerce
The LaRue County Chamber promotes and supports the commercial, industrial, and civic interests of LaRue County. Visit their website for the latest news and happenings around the county.
