Team Beargrass Thunder take a stroll through Brown Park in St. Matthews. We inspect the mysterious stone columns and learn about their meaning. We also found the historic Brown Family cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in Louisville!
In 1977, the city of St. Matthews received a donation of 28 acres of land from the James Grahm Brown family, which is now "Brown Park" as we know it today. Just a couple blocks from the Arthur K Draut Park, locals enjoy walking and jogging on numerous paved paths and dirt trails alongside Beargrass Creek. Children can enjoy a fairly elaborate playground while families cook out under the pavilion equipped with BBQ grills. Mysterious stone columns of varying heights can be found throughout the park and surrounding forest areas.
These stone columns are actually an artistic interpretation of the site's geological history.
"The line of columns cuts across the Beargrass Creek valley, emerging as the ground elevation drops, and revealing the creek’s gradual erosion of the landscape. Smooth limestone bands divide each column into segments representing the three major geologic periods of limestone formation in Kentucky and Indiana. The tilted stones evoke the angle of bedding found in limestone formations locally. The tan stone bands mark various flood levels and predicted frequencies. For example, the ten-year flood elevation is likely reached every 10 years."
Brown Park is also home to one of the oldest cemeteries in Louisville! A paved path can be used to access the cemetery which is located in the southeast area of the park. It's surrounded by historic brick walls and an iron gate. Within are many graves dating all the way back to the early 1800s! Unfortunately over the years many of the tombstones have been removed due to both vandalism and natural deterioration, but many still remain to this day.
Brown Park has a little something for everyone and is a great place for walkers, joggers, hikers, birdwatchers, history enthusiasts, and even internet vloggers to visit. Along with the many different varieties of plants and trees, many pollinating insects and creatures call this place home. Hundreds of ducks and geese can often be found around the bridge over the creek. While they may be fun to watch, we would like to remind our readers who may visit the park: please do not feed the animals. These are wild animals; human food can be harmful to their digestive tracts. They may also become dependant on humans to eat and may lose their ability to survive on their own! You can make an impact by being mindful of your actions when you find yourself in areas like this. Do your part to keep our community clean and healthy!
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