Chocolate Festival - Washington

In one burst of advanced planning before we left NM I searched the internet for Kentucky Fairs and Festivals for the weekend of April 17, 18.  I thought there would be many to choose from.  I found two: a hillbilly festival in far SE KY and a Chocolate Festival in NE KY at a town called Washington.  The latter was the closer to Frankfort, only about 85 miles away, so that's where we headed on Saturday, 4/17.

Washington, KY is a nicely preserved colonial-era town, one of the first in Kentucky territory, situated about 50 miles SE of Cincinnati a short distance from the Ohio River.  I don't know that the town is particularly linked to chocolate, but that seems as good a reason as any to set up food and craft booths and attract a crowd to check out the town's antique and gift shops. 

Entertainment was provided by an Elvis impersonator, who led off with Kentucky Rain.  Here's the King:

Susie insisted on a picture of me in front of this sign.

The proprietor of this booth was quite a character, keeping up a running commentary on Elvis and the passing scene.  Here, he is telling Susie, "No pictures, please."

A couple of historic buildings:

The sign says the lady for whom this house was built accused her husband of asking her to live in a jail.  He stuccoed it over, but it was later restored to its original look.

Of further historic interest is a Harriet Beecher Stowe Slavery to Freedom Museum.  Stowe, who lived in Cincinnati, as a young woman came to visit a college classmate in Washington.  While there she saw a slave auction, a scene she memorably incorporated into Uncle Tom's Cabin some 20 years later.  Here's a poster from the time.

The family home she visited is now the Museum.

Returning to Frankfort we looped along the Ohio for a few miles.  Here's an attractive bridge.

And the requisite county courthouse.

Cheers,

Susie and Rob