PLACES TO VISIT


BOTANICAL GARDENS


Yew Dell Botanical Gardens  In 1941, Theodore and Martha Lee Klein bought 34 acres of Oldham County, Kentucky farmland to build their home, start a farm/nursery and raise their children. That original piece of property is what formed the core of what is now Yew Dell Botanical Gardens.

Klein was born into a family with a long tradition in farming and raising plants and he and Martha Lee continued that tradition. They developed a varied crop and livestock farm that would, in its heyday, provide just about all the growing family needed other than flour, sugar and coffee. They also developed what would become one of the most successful ornamental plant nurseries in the region, specializing in yews and hollies.

Over the years, Klein built most of the buildings that made up the farmstead, from the family’s home to support buildings for the farm, greenhouses and even the iconic castle that served as the family’s pool house. Klein’s creativity and craftsmanship are evident throughout the property from hand carved corner stones to leaded windows, intricate woodwork and his signature millstones incorporated throughout.

Khron Conservatory Eden Parks Krohn Conservatory is a nationally recognized showcase of more than 3,500 plant species from all over the world. The palm, Tropical, Desert and Orchid houses exhibit permanent displays of exotic plants in natural settings, complete with a 20 foot rainforest waterfall. The Display House features floral shows listed below. The present Conservatory was completed in 1933. The Conservatory, is open every day of the year from 10 :00 AM - 5:00 PM, and extended hours during special shows and events. Krohn Conservatory was named in honor of Irwin M. Krohn, who served on the Board of Park Commissioners from 1912 to 1948. This structure, together with Warder Nursery in Finneytown, replaced the old Eden Park range of greenhouses built in 1902 on the same site. Growing and propagating for the parks is done at Warder Nursery. One of the most fascinating and entertaining events held at the Conservatory is the annual Butterfly Show. Countless butterflies are released to fly freely within the Conservatory's showroom, adding yet another blaze of color to an already charming display.


LOCAL PARKS 
OLDHAM COUNTY

Morgan Conservation Park  The goal of this park is to provide environmental education and passive recreational opportunities to the citizens of Oldham County. An extensive system of hiking trails take visitors through forests, creek banks, glades, and meadows. The steep slopes support mostly regenerating, successional forests dominated by either sugar maple or red cedar and various oaks including chinquapin and red. 

 Creasy Mahan Nature Preserve   The Mahans raised horses on this beautiful acreage, and most of it was pastureland, with only a few small patches of older trees found along waterways and in steeper ravines. When the Preserve was created, the Division of Forestry, U.S. Soil Conservation Service, and the State Fish and Wildlife Department developed a plan to plant over 43,000 trees and shrubs. This plan was to include plants for an arboretum, hardwood and pine tree plantations, wildlife food plots, a system of nature trails, and conservation-education areas. Most of the present trees are no more than 34 years old, but demonstrate the long-term viability of turning pastureland into a healthy ecosystem!

WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE

Bernheim Forest  Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest is a living legacy of philanthropist and visionary, Isaac W. Bernheim. Born in Schmieheim, Germany on November 4, 1848, Isaac W. Bernheim immigrated to the United States in March, 1867 at the age of eighteen with only $4 in his pocket.  After struggling for several years to make a living as a peddler in New York, eastern Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, he moved to Kentucky and went into the distilling business. Over the years he achieved great success with his Bernheim Brothers Distilling Company and his popular brand of bourbon, I. W. Harper.

Mr. Bernheim was grateful to the people of Kentucky for allowing him the opportunity to be successful, and he made many contributions throughout the community.  His love of sculpture was manifest in several gifts to the public, including the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Louisville Free Public Library and the statue of Thomas Jefferson in front of the Jefferson County Courthouse.  He also donated the statues of Henry Clay and Ephraim McDowell which stand in the Statuary Hall in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C., representing Kentucky.

In 1929, Mr. Bernheim bought and endowed the land that would become Bernheim Forest, now over 16,000 acres. He dedicated this land as a gift to the people of his new homeland.  Mr. Bernheim wanted to provide a place for the renewal and restoration of the bond between people and nature. His vision included the combination of an arboretum and natural forested areas infused with the arts, to create a unique site to experience nature. To make his vision a reality was not easy.  Due to the land's previous use by the sale and iron ore industries, the landscape at the time of his purchase was heavily abused and nearly devoid of trees.