Octagon Hall

Sunny - Hi 110 Lo 88 for Baghdad, Iraq
Sunny - Hi 107 Lo 77 for Qandahar, Afghanistan
Partly Cloudy - Hi 81 Lo 65 for Northern KY, USA

Song of the week: Can't Find My Way Home, (Blind Faith) - Steve Winwood and Eric Clapton - 2007



I have always liked this song... it's a rolling down the road kind of song... it's lonely... searching...

Ramble:

Michael and I spent Saturday driving about 3 1/2 hours 1 way down to Franklin, Kentucky to visit Octagon Hall.

Andrew Jackson Caldwell laid out the foundation for his new family home. With a desire for distinction, his home would not be a simple structure like so many others, but an eight-sided edifice unique to the region. Octagon Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was used during the Civil War by Confederate and also Federal troops, it served as a Civil War hospital. Built prior to the Civil War, it is now site of the Octagon Hall Museeum & Kentucky Confederate Studies Archive. There is a rather extensive library, and a display of Civil War artifacts, Native American artifacts, and genealogical and historical research material. There is a slave cemetery, and historic gardens in season.

The house is incredible-- started in 1847 and completed in 1859-- the uniqueness of the place... the size of the foundation stones are enormous-- we were wondering how in the heck they got the stone to the house...The work that had to be completed to build this home.

The home is in various levels of disrepair. The interior shows serious signs of water damage, some bozo put in drop ceilings on the upper level. The current owners, are doing their best... but some things cost money... However, I think a little Spic-n'Span would make a world of difference as well as ripping out all the tacky window treatments... and getting rid of those gawd awful mannequins...

Caldwell was a Confederate sympathizer... during the Civil War Caldwell opened his home to injured soldiers..., it is recorded that on the eve of the Battle of Shiloh- 12,000 to 18,000 men camped on the grounds of Octagon Hall.

I must tell you... I did not like the place. I felt unsettled... There are some beautiful trees on the property... a dogwood-- at least 150 years old... magnolia, cypress... Michael and I walked out to the slave cemetary... sad... horrible... the cemetary is in an oval of old cypress trees-- forgotten... I was creeped out by the photo of Caldwell and his wife... Michael made a comment after we were home that he and his wife looked like they could have been fraternal twins... I couldn't find any history on them specifically... but I can tell you... I didn't like this man.. this woman... that cemetary.. unmarked graves... the life the slaves led... even if he was kind to them... they were not free... they didn't have liberty...

Thank God for Abraham Lincoln. I must wonder what he would think about our current state of affairs...

* click on each photo for a larger view *












After we left Octagon Hall we drove into Franklin for a late lunch. Franklin is the county seat for Simpson County. One of the locals was not intimidated by us outsiders... He was unusually large for a squirrel...





We saw this flea market driving down... and I had to get a pic of it heading back home... We are definitely going back... I mean someone claims this is the most awesome flea market in the world... well... you just have to check it out for yourself... ya know?



I'll post more of the pictures on my Facebook page-- just as soon as I figure it out...

Have a great week everyone!