Jailers Inn Bed & Breakfast

Jailer's Inn Bed & Breakfast - Bardstown, KY

The Jailer's Inn is located at 111 West Stephen Foster Avenue in Bardstown, Kentucky (Nelson County).

The Jailer's Inn, now a bed and breakfast, was the former Nelson County Jail. It was in operation from 1797 until 1987, and today it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The front building is the oldest, constructed in 1819. The back building was constructed in 1874, and it is surrounded by a tall stone wall.

Now, being able to sleep in an old jail is cool enough. But it's even better when it's supposedly haunted! Many visitors see the prisoner's ghosts roaming the halls, and almost everyone has heard unexplainable footsteps while staying there. One of the most well known ghosts at the jail is that of Martin Hill. Martin Hill was convicted of the murder of his wife, and was sentenced to execution by hanging. The execution was scheduled to take place at the gallows behind the Nelson County Jail. However, he died in his cell before they could hang him. His death was very painful, and witnesses claimed they could hear him crying and moaning in agony from his cell. Some believe it was the spirit of his wife who slowly killed him in revenge.





I hadn't read the ghost stories before staying at The Jailer's Inn; I thought I saw someone write on the wall, and I heard a crying baby.  There were no guests that had children.  Robin thought she saw the night gown on the wall move.  


You know, I don't know if these were ghosts sighting or that we were way tired!  The most scariest thing that happened to us was that we had to walk through the graveyard from the parking lot behind the inn after going to "The Stephen Foster Story" at around midnight.  I was being brave and trying to scare my big sis, and then I started to get scared.  


Then we got to the front door and the key that the inn keeper had given us didn't work no matter how hard we tried.  So, we had to wake up the inn keeper to get in.  The next morning when we went out for breakfast; I was so frustrated with that front door lock from the night before that I left it open.  The sun was up, it was OK!






In my opinion the room at The Jailers Inn was nice enough; some of the furniture and such was worn out and things were taped together.  I still don't understand that the claw foot bathtub was painted blue.  It would have been so pretty restored, but I guess in a very small town you have to be thrifty.  The beds were way comfortable though.  I probably would not stay here again, but you have to stay here at least once to see if you experience the paranormal activity and to learn all history.  Jails are not made like this today.

They do have one room at the inn that contains the actually jail beds and the original bars.  That room goes fast. 

On the morning of our departure, I found a book on our wicker coffee table.  It was a place where each guest would write a review, and if they had any sightings.  There were some interesting sightings.  I wished I have had time to write in that book, but I found a piece of paper with a clue to a riddle.  It was like a scavenger hunt. We found the first clue under a brick by the fire place, and it went on from there.  I believe the answer to our riddle was "Singer"; the last clue directed us to an antique sewing machine that was a Singer. 

Robin and I was off to Louisville, KY after solving the riddle, but that riddle was so much fun and solving it with my sister was even better.

So much fun!

St Joseph Cathedral

This magnificent structure began with the laying of its cornerstone in July 1816. Five years of hard work by its Bishop, Benedict Joseph Flaget, to raise enough money to begin the building had preceded this historical day in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States. St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral is the first west of the Allegheny Mountains and is listed by the U.S. Library of Congress as a national landmark possessing exceptional interest and worthy of careful preservation. Having been sufficiently completed in 1819 for services to be held, it rose in the Kentucky wilderness as a monument to the faith, toil, and zeal, of the French priest, Benedict Joseph Flaget, who became the Bishop of the Diocese of Bardstown, and the families of the area both Catholic and Protestant. It truly became a work of human hands! This historic edifice contains fine paintings and other gifts from Europe donated by Pope Leo XII, Francis I, King of the Two Sicilies, and King Louis Phillippe of France, just to name of few.

In 1775, Catholic settlers, mostly of English and Irish descent, began emigrating chiefly from Maryland to Kentucky, an outpost of the crown colony of Virginia. The first missionaries came around 1787. In 1808 the four new Catholic dioceses, created at the request of Bishop Carroll of Baltimore, included Bardstown along with Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. The new diocese of Bardstown covered almost the entire Northwest Territory, south to New Orleans and as far north as Detroit. 

In 1811, three years after he was appointed, Bishop Flaget arrived at Bardstown, traveling down the Ohio River by flatboat and overland from Louisville by wagon, accompanied by a group of seminarians. Bishop Flaget was able to build a small brick church near Bardstown, named St. Thomas. Soon he was consumed with the idea of erecting a cathedral of majestic proportions. Since most of the settlers were very poor, people contributed their materials and their labor as carpenters and masons to build the cathedral.

Architect and builder of the cathedral was John Rogers of Baltimore. Bricks were baked on the grounds, and solid tree trunks cut from the wilderness were lathed in a circular pattern to form the stately columns supporting the building. 

The Cathedral was consecrated in 1819, though the interior was not fully completed until 1823. When the Episcopal See was moved forty miles away to the fast growing city of Louisville in 1841, St. Joseph's became a parish church, hence, the title "proto-cathedral." In 1995 Bardstown was named a titular see by the Vatican for its contributions to Catholic Church heritage in America. Once again, Bardstown, only one of three titular dioceses in the U.S., has a bishop, though in an honorary capacity. 

St. Joseph Proto-Cathedral complex, which includes Spalding Hall and Flaget Hall of what was originally St. Joseph College, is on the National Historic Register.

Today St. Joseph Cathedral is a thriving Catholic parish with more than 4,900 individuals and 1,900 families.  It is the largest parish outside of Jefferson County.

The St. Joseph Elementary, St. Joseph Montessori Children's Center and Bethlehem High School has over 150 full or part-time employees and serves more than 700 students.  That is a an accomplishment for such a small town as Bardstown.

Robin and my Mom had stopped by this cathedral to take pictures when we both were very little, and we wanted to do the same.  Unfortunately it was too late to tour the inside, but we were able to walk the grounds and take some awesome pictures. 





 

Troll Pub Under the Bridge

The Troll Pub is located on the site of the original Galt House hotel, built in 1834. A fire ravaged the building in 1865 and destroyed the hotel. After that fire, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad built its headquarters on the site in 1877 where it remained until 1907.  During this time, many Kentucky bourbon distilleries moved into other buildings on the block , using them for warehousing, distributing and as a headquarters, which is why the block became known as Whiskey Row.

The Ohio River flood of 1937 put Washington St and the underground space under water. In the 1970’s the entire building became an artist live-work-create colony. During that time, the Troll Pub space was filled in with 4 feet of dirt and concrete and murals covered many of the walls.

A local investor, along with a developer, saw the vision for the subterranean 6000 square-foot-space at 150 W. Washington in 2010 and transformed room after room of cozy nooks, original brick walls and beamed wooden ceilings into the Unique Underground Dining Experience you see today.

In 2011, after months of digging out mounds and mounds of dirt, the vision for the restaurant began to appear along with the historic bones of the building. While using reclaimed remnants of original building materials that were incorporated into the build-out, as well as adding a hickory bar with curly myrtle wood bar-top, a hidden bookcase room and a concrete floor, the Troll Pub Under the Bridge was opened and has been proudly serving Louisville since October, 2011.

If you are looking for cold local beers, delicious libations, or the best pub-grub in the ‘Ville with a historic and unique ambiance, find Louie the Troll! He is proudly standing at the corner of 2nd and Washington streets, pointing you in the right direction.  Robin and I were fortunately able to take a picture with Louie, same troll that Rick Pitino (Coach of U of L basketball team) stood by.  You can see that picture on their website.

       I had seen this pub online before Robin and I arrived in Louisville; I knew Robin would love it, so we checked it out for a snack when we arrived and after we checked into the new site of "The Galt House" East. 

 

The wings were so good; they boil them in beer before they are fried up and tossed in whatever seasoning you would like.  We had barbeque, Yummy!

 

"The Watauga House"

The "Watauga House" on Polk Place in Nashville has a story to tell.  I was fortunate to be able to visit one of the condos during the "Downtown Home Tour 2014"; below is what I found out about the building.

1847 - James K. Polk purchases "Polk Place", former home of Felix Grundy. He Occupies the home in 1849. He will die later that year from cholera and will be buried on the property.

1891 - Mrs. Polk dies in the house.

1893 - Polk tomb moved to the Capital grounds.

1900 - "Polk Place" purchased by J. Craig McClanahan



WET BAR

1903 - McClanahan donated the city a $12,000 lot where the Carnegie library now stands. He built two large modern apartment houses on the property - "Polk Flats and the Watauga".

1905 - McClanahan dies in Philadelphia leaving "Watauga" in trust for his daughter and wife.

 
 
 

1919 - Building was rented by YMCA - 164 single female residents lived in the building according to the 1920 census. (August 24, 1920 - Tennessee became the perfect 36) The 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote was ratified.




1946 - "Polk Flats" was sold and demolished, converted into a parking
 lot.

1946 - 1980 - Continued as an apartment building.

1984 - Renovated for luxury condos.

1986 - Converted to a "Boutique Hotel" - many state legislators stayed during the legislative session each year.

1991 - Converted back to apartments.

2006 - Sold as condos.

2014 - Now celebrating 110 years as one of Nashville's first oldest apartment building. 

The condo that Robin and I were able to see had a wet bar, kitchen, an office, a sitting area and a master bedroom.  The owners had two condos put together to get the room they needed.  Probably not an inexpensive thing.

I was mesmerized by the amazing artwork that they had on the wall!

Youth Villages invited my company to their annual celebration to honor their volunteers! Such a GREAT charity.  It was at the Dan McGuinness Pub on the patio, a fun evening of food, fun and friendship was had by all.

When you arrived you received a shamrock pin, a miniature pot of gold (chocolates), and two drink tickets.   Then they brought the food!  Chips, salsa, these sausage/cheese fried batter on a stick, fried pickles, and sandwiches.   Believe me when I say that I ate too many fried pickles, but I oh so love those!  (I even got to take home to my sister the shamrock plant on the table - she was excited!)

I've begun this scavenger hunt; the Nashville Art Commission gives out post cards of most of the art that they have commissioned in Nashville.  So I take the post card and try to find where it is in Nashville and take a picture.  

Last night when we were coming out of the pub, I saw the "Microphone" bike rack on the corner.  I had that post card at home, and my friend Nicole was nice enough to help me take a picture.  There are 6 of these bike racks in Nashville with different artwork; so, I have 5 more to go!

 Anything to make life more fun and exciting!!!!