Wickliffe Mounds and Memorial Cross

As usual, we were awake early at the Paducah Super 8. Our room was clean and quiet, our only criteria for lodging these days. We did morning language lessons then went to the breakfast room when it opened at 6 am. We had cereal and bagels before checking out of our second floor room.

We drove to Wickliffe Mounds, an archeological site from the Mississippian culture dating from the 1100s to 1300s. Some of the mounds are thought to be ceremonial while others are burial mounds. It is believed that the site’s leaders selected the site since it provided a strategic view of the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and was on a high bluff unlikely to flood. The museum on an excavated mound includes many pots and other artifacts of the civilization that built the mounds. No human remains were on display but were returned to Native groups who reburied them in accordance with their beliefs.

A short distance from Wickliffe Mounds is the site of Fort Jefferson, a stockade constructed by George Rogers Clark in 1780 on orders from then Virginia Governor, Thomas Jefferson. Kentucky was part of Virginia at that time until statehood in 1792. The fort was plagued by illness and constant attacks from Chickasaw Indians and was abandoned only a year later. Because of the site’s view of the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, the knoll was used as a Union post during the Civil War.

Since 1939 large crosses have been constructed at the site. The current cross was completed in 1994 using donations from the sponsorship of bricks and donations from the public. The 90 foot tall freestanding cross is constructed of aluminum and cost over $300,000 to complete. A walking trail and interpretative signage provides information on the historic forts as well as Native cultures in the area. The granite bricks surrounding the Memorial Cross carry the names of the many donors contributing to the construction and maintenance of the cross.

As we left the confluence of Ohio & Mississippi Rivers we saw a town with an interesting name. When we saw a nearby town called “Monkey’s Eyebrow” there was no doubt that we had to go there. The “town” even has its own zip code but is nothing more than a small community of a few farms. Of course, we stopped and took photos of the sign. We learned that the most likely source for the town’s name is the two small hills that are crescent shaped and were covered with brush. A local farmer remarked that the hills looked like monkey’s eyebrows and the name stuck.

On the way home, we passed through Muhlenberg County and stopped at the county seat, Central City, where we went to the plaza honoring the Everly Brothers and John Prine including statues and monuments describing their connections to Muhlenberg County. The Everly Brothers were born in the small Muhlenberg County community of Brownie before moving to Knoxville, Tennessee when the brothers were in high school. John Prine spent many summers in the town of Paradise which no longer exists. Prine’s song, Paradise, made Muhlenberg County well known to many music fans all over the world.

As we neared the Land Between the Lakes area of Kentucky, we were ready for lunch. Friends had suggested Patti’s 1880s Settlement as a great stop for a meal. We were fortunate to be seated without a wait since the restaurant is said to fill up quickly. The décor of the restaurant is intended to be a throwback to the 1880s with waitresses wearing what appeared to be feed sack dresses and items on display from the area’s rural history. Mary had a huge turkey sandwich on homemade bread and I had one of the day’s special, “sticky piggie” was a pork cutlet on a homemade bun with caramel sauce and apple slices. We both enjoyed our meals then walked around the area finding a couple of geocaches before driving back home. We got to the house by 5 pm in time to unpack, do some laundry and get ready to go to our volunteer responsibilities on Thursday morning.