Camp N elson Special E dition
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The Camp Nelson Story by Father Ralph B elting The Christian Community has just celebrated the age-old mystery of Easter. Rejection, death, and frustration born of despair are the seeming victbrs in the story. But resurrection and ndw life rewrote the ending and mankind was given a hope and faith that no one would ever be able to take from it.
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I, like most of you, often wondered how I might apply the lesson learned an d continue, in our times, the message and hope of Easter. A little over three years ago, I found the opportunity I was looking for. Like most opportunities, it was close to home, it bore the of Camp Nelson, a small community thir teen miles north of Lancaster, where U.S. Highway 27 crosses the Kentucky
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Rivertown Camp Nelson
In This Issue
The Admiral’s Table.................................. 5 Rivertown Flea M arket...................... .. 6 Lewis Wemwag Bridge P a r k ........... i.......... 7
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River. From the earliest of pioneer days, Camp Nelson had been an important center. In the winter of 1770, Daniel Boone lived in a cave at Camp Nelson. From this base, he hunted and explored Kentucky. The information he gained would result in the formation of Boonesborough five years later. There was a natural break in the palisades along the river at Camp Nelson and a fording place for travelers was quickly established. Next, the Virginia Legislature established a ferry across the river at this point, years before Kentucky was declared a state. When the first bridge across the Kentucky River was built in 1838, it was located at Camp Nelson. In time, it would become the most famous wooden bridge in the world. The first commercial vineyard in America was established at Camp Nelson in 1798. In 1805, William Orlan do Butler was bom at Camp Nelson. In time, he would run for the vicepresidenty of the United States. When the Civil War threatened to break our Republic apart, the first Union recruiting camp in Kentucky was established at Camp Nelson. It became the great storage depot in Kentucky for the Union armies, also for the states of Tennessee, and parts of Alabama, and Mississippi. The present name of Camp Nelson was taken to m General WDliam Nelson, the first commander of the camp. John Fee, the founder of Berea Col lege, came to Camp Nelson during the Civil War and established a college and preparatory school here for the newly freed blacks. Agricultural products of all Continued on page 2.
Boone’s Landing C am p g ro u n d ......... .......... 8 A New M arina........................... 11 Paddle Wheelers ............. .. 13