Fun in LaGrange, Kentucky

It was a day like one you see on a Hallmark movie! My husband Keith and I had just finished a wonderful, hosted stay at the Pillow and Paddock Bed and Breakfast, a wonderful country oasis.

Michelle Thelander our host told us that the town of LaGrange was quite charming, so we decided to stop before heading home. We soon saw that main street, which has a train that runs right through the center of downtown, was blocked off. Several trains a day go through town offering a cool photo op. Trains have been traveling through town since 1850.

They were celebrating Halloween with a children’s walk. Kids were dressed in costumes, the streets were filled with monsters, angels and more carrying bags to collect treats from the local vendors. The leaves were changing, skittering across the road creating the magic, and music of fall.

Oldham County History Center

Dodging costumed children, we found a parking place across from the Oldham History Center. Before heading in, we noted the cool Road Warrior Sculpture.

This depicts Oldham County native and WWII veteran Dr. E. Bruce Heilman. Famous for at the age of 86, he circled the lower 48 states in his Marine issue Harley. The trip was to bring recognition to WWII veterans. On his 88th birthday he took another trip to celebrate Gold Star families. The sculpture is by Wyatt Cragg.

There was native American history, and more. Keith was thrilled to see information about the first tractor pull at the Oldham County Fair, and farm history.

There was also an underground railroad display in Bedford, Kentucky that we missed and need to go back to see!

Day of the Dead Display

The chapel in the Oldham History grouping had a display honoring Day of the Dead. With several colorful displays honoring lost loved ones, curious, I asked about the meaning of this holiday celebrated in Mexico and sometimes the US. They explained it is a day to honor those that have gone before and a chance to lure their spirits to return by putting out their favorite things. While I don’t hold with spirits crossing back over, I think remembering those we loved is a cherished tradition.

I had never understood the dressed-up skeleton, but I learned that she is called La Catrina. There was a display that said, “La Catrina was first drawn by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada around 1910. Originally called La Calavera Garbancera, she was a skeleton dressed like a rich woman. The meaning, she was a critique of people that wanted to appear European and forgot their Indigenous roots. Posada used her to show no matter how rich or powerful you are, everyone ends up as a skeleton.”

The woman I spoke to confirmed that it was basically dust to dust, ashes to ashes, and you can’t take it with you, which makes perfect sense, and made me admire the story.

Train history and museum.

The train history is so cool with 150 years of train artifacts. We loved the walk through the dining car. They share, “We have a 1929 American Car & Foundry dining car (available for rent), a caboose, Ernie the shunter, and the Flying Duchess, one of the few British locomotives located in the U.S. Thanks to La Grange Tourism funding, the 1929 dining car was fully restored and reopened on November 8, 2023.”

They have a model train museum and more. Ken of the museum shared a little history the building was the last of the train depots relocated there in 1992. Before Covid it became a museum and was a train club. After Covid they came and with volunteers created a museum that is now about education like Ernie’s Little Engines, where every Tuesday children and parents and grandparents gather. They offer a STEM program and on Mondays after school they have mentoring about fundamental modeling. This has helped get children interested in tools etc. and keep train history alive.

Shopping

We had a great time shopping and dining downtown. Good food and shops filled with items. We found a couple Christmas items and more. Best of all though was just seeing a vibrant downtown filled with the voices of happy people.

This provided a great weekend away and would make a romantic Christmas or Valentine’s Day gift!