Have no fear, dear reader, new content related to new travels will begin soon. For today though, I wanted to recap one last place from a previous trip that was just too cool to skip over.
In the last few years, certain circumstances in my life have given me a greater appreciation for America’s military. I’ve learned a bit more about the differences between the branches (I really just scratched the surface here) and I’ve come to realize what a complete way of life it is. I know that I write a lot about places I’ve seen and things I’ve done overseas. Today, I want to send out a little American love.
History buffs and nature lovers alike will appreciate an afternoon on the Oak Grove War Memorial Walking Trail. This park is located in Oak Grove, Kentucky and is a great way to exercise, breathe fresh air, and learn history all at the same time. For those unfamiliar with the area, Oak Grove is right on the Kentucky/Tennessee border. The massive Army base, Ft. Campbell, is nearby. In fact, Ft. Campbell is so large that both states can claim partial ownership.
The trail is the centerpiece of a large and lovely park and has monuments for every military conflict in American history. It’s really quite fascinating to see them all laid out like that. You may think you know them all, but you will likely be surprised to find that there are one or two that you’ve either forgotten about or have never even heard of.
Flags representing every branch of our military fly high over the entry sign for the park. You’ll feel pride as you watch them wave. I challenge you not to cry as you read the entry poem, “A Soldier,” engraved on black granite at the trailhead.
The walking trail is a little less than one mile long so, it is not uncommon for visitors to travel the loop more than once, whether they are walking or jogging. That’s what I did, and it was nice to be able to customize my exercise. Plus, reading the inscriptions on each monument is time well spent. The first time through my focus was on learning and my second time through the focus was on exercise. The park is open every day from 6:00am until 9:00pm and is completely free. The area is well-designed with picnic tables, restrooms, and a paved path that allows for ADA accessibility.
As an event planner and facility manager for nearly two decades, it would be dereliction of duty for me to neglect mentioning that Valor Hall is located in this park as well. This special event center has seven different classrooms/banquet rooms of various sizes. In my industry, we talk all the time about including unique experiences to meetings that will add special value for attendees. Seriously, how cool would it be to host a daytime meeting for your group and give them time at lunch to walk the memorial trail? They will be clamoring to come back to your conference next year! A lot of families host annual reunions. How great would it be to add a little reverence for our nation’s history to next year’s gathering by using one of their banquet rooms and having a history scavenger hunt along the trail? There is information about both the trail and Valor Hall on their local tourism website.
I knew nothing at all about Kentucky before spending time in Oak Grove. I found that visiting this park and spending some time contemplating America’s history and the sacrifices of those in the military who have made it all possible, was a nice way to add a deeper meaning to my travels.
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