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Cabins at Pioneer Village in Yellow Creek Park

Jim Lambert Pioneer Village

The Jim Lambert Pioneer Village is located in the Nature Center of Yellow Creek Park adjacent to the Nature Trails. Just a short walk up the hill, across the iron bridge, and you will see the Rosenwald School on the left. Continue following the gravel road to a one room cabin referred to as the Small Cabin. Behind the Small Cabin is situated a two room cabin referred to as the Large Cabin. Both cabins have porches with over hangs just made for relaxing in the shade dreaming of simpler times. Looking out to the right from the back porch of the Large Cabin is the Ward Pedley Sr. Forge, a complete working forge with hand crank bellows. To the left built under shade trees is the barn.

Rosenwald School HouseRosenwald School

Between 1914 and 1932, Julius Rosenwald, an American businessman, philanthropist, and president of Sears, Roebuck & Company, contributed $4.4 million toward construction of more than 5,000 schools and associated facilities for African American students and teachers in fifteen southern states. Pleasant Ridge, Utica, and Whitesville were selected as Daviess County sites.

In the early fall of 1919, African American students enrolled in grades 1 – 8 at Pleasant Ridge, KY (located in southeast Daviess County). More than 1,000 rural county residents graduated and ultimately became community leaders in Daviess County. The school closed in 1936 – 37 as students enrolled in consolidated African American schools in Owensboro.

In 1992, the school was moved to Yellow Creek Park and restoration was completed in 1996 through the efforts of Daviess County Fiscal Court, Kentucky Bicentennial Commission, Kentucky African American Preservation Alliance of Owensboro-Daviess County, and former students and teachers, as well as special friends.

Small Cabin

Small Cabin

Originally located at the corner of Kentucky Highways 661 & 662 at the LaFlow Farm, the small cabin was donated by Gilbert Oliver.

 

Large Cabin

Large Cabin

The large cabin was donated to the Parks Department by Joyce Edwards in honor of her grandparents, J.L. & Myrtie Bolton-Potts. The cabin once sat on South Hampton Road in east Daviess County.

 

Forge

The Ward Pedley Sr. Forge

The Forge was a unique attraction added to the log barn in 2013 and is in total working order.

 

village barn

Log Barn

This log barn was once situated on Red Hill Maxwell Road on a farm originally owned by the Samuel-Davis family and was donated by Henry Morgan.

 

Jones Family Cabin – June 1, 2019

The Jones Cabin, constructed in 1821 by Jesse Jones, was originally located on Jones Road 1.22 miles east of Yellow Creek Park.  Donated by Judy Bandy, this one room log structure is known to have had Jesse’s father, Revolutionary War Soldier, James Jones to have stayed in the cabin after the family’s migration from Rowan County, North Carolina in the early 1820s.  James Jones died in September 1851, when he rode his mule across the Ohio River to visit several of his children in the Dale, IN area where he is buried now.  James served in the NC Militia and was in the battles of White Horse, Raft Swamp, Wilmington, Cowan’s Fort, Ruggles Mill, Guilford Courthouse, and Cowpens.  The “North Carolina Watchman” reported his death in 1851 and included that James was with General Washington at the surrender of Cornwallis. Members of the Jones Family, including Jesse Jones’ great-great granddaughter Ruth Harrison (who was born in the cabin and married there), joined County Judge / Executive Al Mattingly and County Commissioners to dedicate this newest structure in the Jim Lambert Pioneer Village at Yellow Creek Park on Saturday, June 1, 2019.

 

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