Oldham County offers cool things to see from murals and statues to cool art sprinkled throughout our farms. It’s great to make a list of everything you want to DO when you visit a destination, but sometimes there are things that you just have to SEE to believe! In fact, there may be nothing to do once you arrive at these stops, but we promise you will make a memory or two at or each one! One thing is for certain, they will be worth a stop and a gander!
Be sure to visit our Trip Ideas for other things to do including our famous Farm Tours, our Bourbon Distillery, and 3rd Turn Brewing – Oldham Gardens, our 4-acre brewery with a gorgeous greenhouse beer garden! Interested in the art world? Check out our Art in Oldham! Need more ideas? Check out our fabulous Oldham Trip Ideas!
Commerce Parkway, La Grange
The owner of Rocket Storage, commissioned artist, Mike Prather to compose the painting to depict a panoramic view of Oldham County’s scenic horse farms with an overhead train trestle. After spending ten weeks on conceptual sketches and oil painting, Prather then coordinated printing and installation of the finished product. The 4,300 square foot mural itself was printed and mounted by U.S.A. Image and can be seen on Commerce Parkway in La Grange.
Highway 53 by Stock Yards Bank & Cracker Barrel
The city of La Grange wanted a mural that could attract travelers exiting off of Interstate 71 to continue to drive a little further past the normal stops of fast-food and gas stations to historic Main Street.
Pewee Valley Central Park
Pewee Valley resident artists Carole Logan and Emily Mintman carry on the long, time honored tradition of creative expression and talent, painting the mural representing the old paper mill in Pewee Valley.
La Grange Courthouse Lawn
Oldham County is named for Colonel William Oldham, a Revolutionary patriot from Virginia, second cousin to George Washington and an early pioneer, arriving at the Falls of Ohio in 1779. He died November 4, 1791, south of Fort Wayne, Indiana, leading the Kentucky Militia with other military units in what is known as the “Battle of Wabash”. Although Colonel Oldham had been deceased for more than 30 years when the county was formed (in 1824), he was given a final honor by having a county named after him. A 7′ bronze statue on the courthouse square and nearby display includes detailed information about his life. The statue, created by Louisville sculptor Matt Weir, was dedicated on July 21, 2018.
Oldham County History Center at 2nd & Hwy 146
The life-size Road Warrior Sculpture was designed by local sculptor, Wyatt Gragg. It depicts WWII Veteran and National Spokesperson, Dr. Bruce Heilman (1926-2019), on his Marine issue Harley Davidson motorcycle as he has traveled across the United States, including Alaska, bringing attention to the sacrifices of WWII veterans and their contribution to the democracy that we enjoy today. As a farm boy who grew up in Oldham County, Bruce represents the thousands of soldiers who, like him, grew up in rural America, not realizing that the challenges of the Depression years would prepare them for the battlefields of World War II. Visitors can “hop on” with Bruce for a unique photo opp.
Stone Fountain created from the original Oldham County Jail in the river town of Westport and serves as the entrance art for the Oldham County History Center Campus
Our historic river town of Westport was Oldham County’s original county seat and home to our courthouse until the installation of the railroad in La Grange. Once a highly trafficked river through Oldham County for the likes of Lewis & Clark on their infamous expedition, the Ohio River offers today’s visitors a place for calm reflection, picnics by the water, and playgrounds for the kiddos. The view is unbeatable during a picnic lunch from Westport’s hidden gem, Knock on Wood Mercantile & Cafe.