PREMEIRE EVENTS

2:00 pm - presented by Christopher T. Hall, archaeologist and hosted by Paul Sawyier Public Library at 319 Wapping Street, Frankfort, KY 40601 in the River Room. Part of the Frankfort Heritage Lecture Series.

A special lecture for Frankfort Heritage Week 2024! Audiences are in for a treat, as they sit back and listen to a candid discussion about the discipline of archaeology and what it tells us about our own history. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience conducting archaeological research, Chris explains the goals of archaeology and then interactively walks the audience through the process by which archaeological sites are created, taking time to point out the discipline’s weaknesses and difficulties archaeologists have interpreting what they find. He then turns the spotlight on archaeology’s strengths and discusses what those strengths have allowed us to learn about human’s seven-million-year history that no other discipline can begin to explain. Cost: FREE. Register: www.pspl.org/fhls 

7:00 pm - presented by Sam Lewis, curated by Jamey Wigglesworth, and hosted by The Brick Alley at 325 St. Clair Street, Frankfort, KY 40601. 

 Join trivia host Sam Lewis at The Brick Alley with questions about the Capital City curated by former JEOPARDY! contestant Jamey Wigglesworth! Compete by yourself or bring your trivia team for your chance to brag about everything you know about your local history and to win some pretty sweet prizes! Please arrive a few minutes early to check in your team with Sam. 

6:00 pm - hosted by Ama On The Creek, 3894 Georgetown Rd., Frankfort, KY, 40601.

Join Envision Franklin County, Bluegrass Land Conservancy, Woods & Waters Land Trust, Kentucky Resources Council, Frankfort Audubon Society, Ama On The Creek and other friends of Franklin County's natural heritage for a cookout and potluck at Ama On The Creek's Chapel on the Forks. Hamburgers, hotdogs, and veggie burgers will be provided. Please bring a side and beverages of your choice, as well as your own preferred seating option.  

Built in 1888, Chapel on the Forks is a brick Gothic Revival style building located at 3894 Georgetown Rd., Frankfort, KY. The original chapel structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020 by current owners, Ama On The Creek. Ama on The Creek is a church of music, art and nature - bringing music, art and dancing, kayak access, gathering spaces and wellness to our community. The property is located at the Forks of Elkhorn, where north and south Elkhorn Creek join before flowing north to the Kentucky River and sits on a peninsula that is bound on the north, east, and south by Elkhorn Creek. Address: 3894 Georgetown Rd., Frankfort, KY 40601. For questions, email AmaOnTheCreek@gmail.com 

5:00 pm - presented by Liberty Hall Curator John Walker and Education Coordinator Sharon Slone and hosted by Liberty Hall Historic Site at The Orlando Brown House at 202 Wilkinson Blvd., Frankfort, KY 40601. 

When John Brown broke ground at Liberty Hall he was not even living in the new Kentucky capital of Frankfort. But in a few years' time he would move his family over the mountains and initiate a political dynasty across the expanding American west. Much is known and studied about the family’s national and international influence. But few are aware of their multigenerational influence on the political and economic history of Franklin County. Join Liberty Hall Curator John Walker and Education Coordinator Sharon Slone at the Orlando Brown House for a presentation and discussion about the Brown family’s impact during the early vital years of the Commonwealth’s capital county. 202 Wilkinson Street, Frankfort, KY 40601. For questions, email curator@libertyhall.org or call 502.227.2560

4:30 pm - 7:30 pm -  hosted by Kentucky Historical Society -  Celebrate Military History Month by experiencing the Lincoln Penny Films documentary, The SixTripleEight (2019). This documentary follows the lives of the 855 black women of the Women’s Army Corps (WACS) who were tasked with clearing the backlog of mail in the European Theater of the Second World War. Guests will enjoy an exclusive exploration of the Our Stories, Our Service exhibit at the Kentucky Historical Society, watch the film, and partake in a Q&A with the co-producer, Elizabeth Anne Helm-Frazier. Join us as we reflect on the service of these women and journey through their battle against racism, sexism and recognition for their service.  The event will take place at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, 100 Broadway Street, Frankfort, KY 40601; Cost: $25 non-members; $15 members, FREE for Veterans. Registration Required: https://history.ky.gov/events/screening-of-the-sixtripleeight-documentary  

5:00-10:00 pm -  hosted by Franklin County Fiscal Court - On May 10, 1792, Franklin County was officially formed by the Kentucky Legislature from Shelby, Woodford, and Mercer counties. To celebrate, Franklin County Fiscal Court, with the help of several sponsors, is hosting a FREE live concert at Lakeview Park featuring country artist Walker Montgomery as the headliner, with additional performances by Mash Grass and Frankfort’s own Jeri & Nat! as well as food and beverage vendors at Lakeview Park! This will be a FREE ticketed event with limited tickets available. Electronic tickets available at: https://fc-birthday-2004.eventbrite.com Visit https://www.facebook.com/fcfcky for updates. 

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm -  hosted by Canoe Kentucky and Lucian Parker - Join Franklin County and Peaks Mill historian and musician Lucian Parker, author of A History of Peaks Mill Revisited (2006), as he leads Canoe Kentucky’s first Community Engagement event of 2024 and talks about the community of Peaks Mill from the Ice Age to the present. He'll also touch on topics such as Paul Sawyier paintings, buffalo roads, the depth of Elkhorn Creek, where previous buildings were located and more. As an added attraction he's asking that folks who attend and have a musical instrument, please bring it. Join in with Lucian on the fiddle for some musical fun around the campfire in Peaks Mill Memorial Gardens after the event. The tour will begin at Canoe Kentucky’s retail shop. Upon arrival, participants should gather at the Peaks Mill Memorial Gardens, the CKY parking zone. Cost is $15 per person. Pre-register for this event online by clicking "book now" here: https://www.canoeky.com/educ.../community-education-programs or contact Canoe Kentucky at 502.227.4492. 

10:00 am - 1:00 am -   Hosted by Kentucky Historical Society -    

Did you know Frankfort was the only state capital to be captured by the Confederacy during the Civil War? Join KHS staff for a Civil War walking tour of downtown Frankfort. Learn about the state capital's history during the conflict and its aftermath, the prominent leaders involved, and the military clashes that raged around the city. Location: Meet at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, Commonwealth Hall, 100 Broadway St., Frankfort, KY 40601; Cost: $10 non-member; $5 member; Tour will begin at the Old State Capitol. Register here: https://history.ky.gov/events/civil-war-frankfort-a-walking-tour-2  

1:00 pm -3:00 pm - Presented by William "Drew" M. Andrews, Ph.D., P.G. Hosted by Paul Sawyier Library -  Part of the Frankfort Heritage Lecture Series.

Join Dr. Drew Williams, Acting Director and State Geologist of the Kentucky Geological Survey and adjunct professor of geology at University of Kentucky, for this presentation. The rocks under our landscape play a critical role in defining the shape and the characteristics of the land we live on. Landforms, streams, resources, and natural hazards are all related to the geology of an area. This presentation will explore the ancient geologic environments and processes responsible for the rocks and landforms around Frankfort, and discuss how rocks are important to our history, transportation, recreation, and economy. Cost: FREE. Register: www.pspl.org/fhls 

10:00 am - 12:00 pm -  A collaboration of the Kentucky Heritage Council; Kentucky Historical Society; City of Frankfort Planning and Community Development; Architectural Review Board; Parks, Recreation, and Historic Sites; and Capital City Museum – Archaeology in Action provides an opportunity for children in fourth and fifth grades to learn more about the practice and science of archaeology, by working through artifact documentation and inquiry. During this activity, children will work within units in a grid system to learn the significance of looking at artifacts within the context of the site in its entirety. This event was generated through a partnership between the Kentucky Heritage Council and the Kentucky Historical Society and is brought to you by partnership among the City of Frankfort Planning and Development staff, Architectural Review Board, Capital City Museum, and the Kentucky Heritage Council. This event will be held at Cove Spring Park. In case of rain, the event will be held at the Picnic Shelter. A pre-registration link will be provided by Capital City Museum. For more information on this event, please contact City Historic Preservation Officer Vicki Birenberg at vbirenberg@frankfort.ky.gov or at 502.892.8970.