Floyds Fork Tour
(Print this out to guide you on the tour)
This self-guided auto tour of Floyds Fork area in Jefferson County is approximately 38
miles in length and will take between 1.5 and 2 hours to complete. The tour is
keyed to an accompanying map that highlights the historic as well as areas of
interest. This tour is designed to educate the tourist in the vast
amount of historic as well as environmental areas the Floyds Fork Watershed affords us
here in Jefferson County. It is recommended you read through the tour first and get
a feel for the areas it encompasses so your adventure will be pleasurable as well as
educational.
TOUR START
Begin the tour on Bardstown Rd in the fern Creek area by turning
left onto Season Rd. If you are coming from the Gene Snyder Freeway you will go
North past the Cedar Creek Shopping Center(Kroger, Taco Bell, Etc.)and make a right hand
turn onto Seaton Rd.(approximately 3 miles). Turn right at Broad Run Road. Follow Broad
Run Road around the Curve and to your left you can experience a scenic view of the
Floyds Fork stream valley.
#1. At the bottom of the hill you will cross Broad Run Road bridge.
This bridge was rebuilt in 1993. It was formally a one-lane, steel bridge.
#2. Just past the Broad Run bridge, to your left is Fairmount
Road. There is a one-lane bridge across Floyds Fork at this location. Beyond the
bridge is private property. A former crossing of the stream via a ford was
available approximately 1/2 mile south of this sight until 1979 when it was closed.
Continue on Broad Run Road to Back Run Road where you will bear to the left and follow
Back Run Road to Dawson Hill Road. Turn left at Dawson Hill and follow to Brush Run
Road. The Floyds Fork stream runs along the right hand side of these four roads. At
Brush Run Road, turn left. Follow the Brush Run Road, past Echo Trail, around the curve.
You will see Iron Gate Riding/Boarding Stables, (blue barns) on your right.
#3. Across the road to the left, surrounded by a stone wall
with an iron gate is the Seaton Family Cemetery. This cemetery is on the Kentucky
Survey of Historic Sites. It is a good example of a 19th century cemetery.
Members of the Seaton, Mills and Wheeler families are buried here, they were some of the
earliest citizens of Jefferson County. The oldest headstone in the cemetery lists a
birth date of 1797.
#4. Just beyond the cemetery and Riding Stables, around the
curve, is a one-lane bridge. Be careful to watch for oncoming cars as visibility is
limited.
Continue to follow the road which is now considered Seatonville Road.
#5. Just after you cross over the two-lane bridge, to your left
is the Stout House. The house, located at 12802 Seatonville Road is also on the
Kentucky Survey of Historic Sites. It has been updated with gray siding and green
shutters. The original house was built in the Greek style circa 1864. This
house was originally owned by members of the Mills family. It is a two-story, 5 bay,
frame house with a hipped roof and flues rather than chimneys.
Continue to follow Seatonville Road for approximately 1 mile. (almost to the top of
the hill.)
#6. To your left, through a break in the trees, you can see a
panoramic view of the Floyds Fork valley below. Continue up the hill to the
intersection of Seatonville Road and Billtown Road. Turn right, onto Billtown
Road. Go past the Gene Snyder Freeway to the right where you will make a right turn
onto Gelhaus Lane. Floyds Fork stream runs along the right-hand side of the
road. Follow Gelhaus Lane to the intersection of Chenoweth Run Road. Turn
right onto Chenoweth Run and follow Old Heady Road. Turn right again. You
will travel over the Gene Snyder Freeway. Just past the Gene Snyder about 1/4 mile
on your left will be:
#7. Fisherman's Park. This is a part of the Metropolitan
Park System. There are four fishing lakes located in this scenic park. It also
has a playground and picnic facilities and is fed from the Floyds Fork stream.
As you exit the park, turn left onto Old Heady Road. At the intersection of Old
Heady and Hopewell Roads, you will turn left again and follow Hopewell Road to
Taylorsville Road. Turn right onto Taylorsville Road and approximately 1/2 mile on
your right is the second Old Taylorsville Road entrance. Turn right to view:
#8. The Judge Hancock House. This is a late 19th century,
2 story, 3-bay frame house with recent white brick veneer. (The house is visible
from Taylorsville Road and because this road dead-ends you may want to stay on
Taylorsville Road to view it.
Continue following Taylorsville Road to South Pope Lick Road. Turn Right.
#9. Across Taylorsville Road, to your left, at this location
you can view the tall, steel, Southern Railroad train trestle crossing over South Pope
Lick Road.
#10. Under this bridge, leading to Floyds Fork Park, is the
confluence of Pope Lick and Floyds Fork streams This is the location where the two streams
join. To the left of the bridge is a good location to conduct a stream study with a group.
Proceed around the curve and turn right at the first road, go across the bridge (there
is a no outlet sign there but continue to follow the road).
#11. Down this road about 1/4 mile you will find Floyds Fork
Park. This is also part of the Metropolitan Park System. Many soccer games are
played at this site.
Turn around in the Floyds Fork Park parking lot and return to Old Taylorsville Road.
Turn right and follow the road to historic Fisherville. There are many
interesting sites to view along this stretch.
#12. An old cemetery, dating back to the early 1800's, is
surrounded by a stone wall. The Vanarsdel's and the Bridwell's are two of the
families which utilized this cemetery.
#13. The Lausman House (14803 Old Taylorsville Rd.), presently
owned by Marvin Lausman, is on The Kentucky Survey of Historic Sites. It is a late 19th
century 2-story, 5-bay frame house, recently gray. Pairs of leaf-like consoles support the
cornea blocks over the opening.
#14. Fisherville School is a 1-story, white frame school
building built in the early 2oth century. It is on the Kentucky Inventory of Historic
Resources. It has been used as a church facility by the Fisherville Baptist Church.
#15. Carmichael House (15006 Old Taylorsville Rd.), is
presently owned by J.W. Carmichael, is a 19th century, 3-bay, 2-story frame house built on
the center hall plan. It has an internal chimney and projecting 2-story bay on the north
facade. It is on the Kentucky Survey of Historic Sites.
#16. The house at 15008 Old Taylorsville Rd. is owned by Mr.
and Mrs. James I. Saurer and was built circa 1910, according to the owner. It is on the
Kentucky Inventory of Historic Resources.
#17. The house at 15103 Old Taylorsville RD., presently owned
by J. Cleven Iler, is known as the Fisher house. Built by John or Robert Fisher
about 1834-35 and owned by the Fishers until 1850. The village that grew up
afterward, today bears their name. The Fishers operated a flour and saw mill on
Floyds Fork between 1834-35 and 1850. The mill has existed since at least
1823. The Fisher house was built in two stages. The brick section at the rear
was built first, probably as a hall-parlor plan structure facing east towards Floyds
Fork. The 2-story frame section was added after 1879 and reoriented the house to
face Taylorsville road. The house has been nominated to the National Register of
Historic Places.
#18. The house two doors from Pond Oak Gallery owned by Mary
Ellen Rhea was owned in 1879 by a T.H. Gilliland. It is a late 19th century 2-story,
3-bay frame house on the Kentucky Survey of Historic Sites.
To proceed on the tour, turn around in the Pound Oak Gallery and continue back down
Old Taylorsville Road until you see English Station Road. Turn right onto English
Station Road, cross Taylorsville Road, then take a right onto Echo Trail Road.
#19. The Echo Trail Bridge over Floyds Fork, now a 2-lane
concrete bridge, was on the Kentucky Survey of Historic Sites. The historic bridge
had been built by Champion Bridge Company of Wilmington, Ohio in 1909. It was a
one-lane, steel bridge until 1987. Over to the left, you can see a scenic view of
the stream and a farm house which is approximately 100 years old.
Proceed to Shelbyville Road. Turn left onto Shelbyville Road, go about 1/10 mile
and watch for a historic marker on your right. There is a small gravel pull-off in
front.
#20. The Robert Hord House, now known as Candlewood, has been
nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. This 2-story, brick house with
double interior end chimneys is believed to have been built circa 1835 by Robert Hord, the
grandson of Capt. Philip Buckner, founder of Middletown. Hord is said to have been a
prominent Methodist known for hosting revival meetings of his property.
#21. Shelbyville Road bridges over Floyds Fork. When
approaching the bridge, look to your left and you will see the concrete supports for the
old Interurban Railway. The old bridge is just downstream to your left.
Turn left at Piercy Mill Road and follow to Aiken Road. Turn right onto Aiken to
reach tour point 20.
#22. The house to your left is the Yager House. It is a 1
1/2 story stone house with a frame ell at the rear, four-bay front facade with two central
doors, a portico with a front gable, and two interior stone chimneys. The house may
have been built by Silas Benjamin Yager about 1830-32. Silas Yager was a descendant
of the early German settlers of Virginia to build and work in iron furnaces. The two
front doors are perhaps a reflection of Yager's German origins. Two front doors are
often found on houses in areas of Pennsylvania where Germans settled. The Yager
House has been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places.
Caution: As you proceed down Aiken road it is very narrow and curvy. A one
lane bridge is right out of a curve and difficult to see oncoming traffic. There is
somewhat of a pull-off on the right after you cross the bridge.
#23. The Aiken Road Bridge over Floyds Fork is on the Kentucky
Inventory of Historic Resources. In the Spring, Summer and Fall, beneath the bridge,
it is not unusual to see fish and spiny soft shell turtles or "leather backs",
as they are known locally. There are also frogs, freshwater mussels, and interesting
aquatic plants at this location. Besides the bridge stands a 67 1/2" diameter
sycamore that may be the largest tree anywhere along Floyds Fork in Jefferson
County. Nearby are other noteworthy trees including a 40" diameter American
elm, a 40+" diameter white ash and a 42" diameter sycamore.
Continue down Aiken Road. Turn right onto Johnson Road.
#24. Some panoramic scenic views of the Floyds Fork valley can
be seen from this road.
After you pass Piercy Mill Road, you will see Piercy Mill Tree Farm to your right.
This nursery utilizes the stream by drawing water from the stream for their trees.
Continue down Johnson Rd. till you get to Shelbyville Rd. Then take a left onto
Shelbyville Rd.s
#25. Keep going on Shelbyville Road until you get to Long Run Road.
Take a left on to Long Road and keep going for about a half mile. On the left you will see
the entrance to Long Run Cemetery.
The Long Run Cemetery is the site where Abraham Lincoln ( the 16th Presidents
Grandfather) is Buried.
Continue on Long Run Road.
#26. At the end of Long Run Road is Long Run Park. Long run
park is a great place to have a picnic or to go fishing in there rather large man-made
pond. Long Run Golf Course is also nearby.
Hope you have enjoyed the Floyds Fork tour. Click below to go back to the Floyds Fork
home page.
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