Forever Yesterday

Straddling the border between southwestern Kentucky and northwestern Tennessee, the Land
Between the Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area is a 170,000-acre outdoor paradise with
more than the stereotypical campground features. You can, for example, learn about wildlife
in a 750-acre Elk and Bison Prairie, view spectacular constellations on a 40-foot-diameter
dome at the Golden Pond Planetarium, or — our favorite — see how pioneers lived off the
land in a living-history museum, The Homeplace 1850. Staffed by full-time interpreters
assuming the roles of a typical family, this fascinating outdoor museum and learning center
gathers together actual or replica buildings of a typical family homestead of the year 1850
from settlements once located in the LBL area. Activities are driven (as they were in real
life) by the seasons: planting in spring, repairs to buildings and equipment during the
summer, and crop harvest and livestock butchering in the fall. And, there is always
something cooking on the wood stove for the noon meal. Entry into the recreation area, a
peninsula between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake just south of Interstate 24, is free; a
small admission is charged to visit the attractions. Hours vary by the season. For more
information, call (800) LBL-7077, or go to lbl.org.