Kentucky Is Home to a Number of Unusual, Ornate Statuary…Here’s Your Virtual Tour

I will not be so presumptuous as to call myself the "king of roadside attractions." I think there's a lot more that would go into earning that title than I've accomplished. But I'm a big supporter; I'll pull off the road to examine anything I find interesting.

Statues always catch my eye, but they're supposed to. So they are doing their job. And if you drive around Kentucky enough, you'll feast your eyes on several surprises (until, after seeing so many, they're not surprises anymore).

Wooldridge Monuments - Mayfield

I am a taphophile, which means I have a great interest in cemeteries and the often ornate and eye-catching monuments you find there. On a trip to Mayfield a couple of summers ago, we visited Maplewood Cemetery and locked eyes on the Wooldridge Monuments. The statues were named after Colonel Henry Wooldridge, who purchased a lot at the cemetery after the Civil War. The statues represent members of the Wooldridge family and were erected in the 1890s. Colonel Wooldridge passed away in 1899.

The Statue of David - Downtown Louisville

I'd love to be in the vehicle with someone driving through downtown Louisville for the first time and seeing this replica of Michelangelo's David. At 30 feet, it rises to twice the height of the original and stands in front of the headquarters of the 21C Museum Hotel chain.

Vulcan, Venus, & Genesis - Ashland

Of more recent vintage are the statues of Vulcan and Venus from Roman mythology, and one in the center representing Genesis. The largest bronze statues on a single site in the United States, the Statues of Ashland, were unveiled in January of 2020. They were designed and sculpted by Spanish artist Ginés Serrán-Pagán and gifted to the city of Ashland in late 2019.

The Thinker - Owensboro

Another replica of a classic work, Owensboro's The Thinker, is located on the property of TD's Tuff Decisions on Frederica Street.

Cave Hill Cemetery - Louisville

I could do this story without including Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, perhaps the most beautiful cemetery I've ever visited. In addition to elaborate memorials for Muhammad Ali and Colonel Harland Sanders, there are magnificent and intricately designed monuments throughout the massive 296-acre cemetery.

There was a time I would've said, "Don't forget your camera," if you were heading out for a road trip around the Commonwealth. But we all have that on our phones now, so I guess, "Make sure your battery is charged."