Golden Pond Is A Kentucky Ghost Town That’s Perfect For An Autumn Day Trip
By Andrea Limke|Published October 09, 2019
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Andrea Limke
Author
A Cincinnati native who has lived in Kentucky for over 10 years, Andrea's heart belongs both in the Queen City and the Bluegrass State. After earning an education degree and working in that field for a number of years, Andrea began to pursue her passion for writing over 6 years ago. Since then she has written for a number of print and online publications, as well as published a children's book.
It’s a known part of life that towns may come and go for a variety of reasons. Our state has witnessed the rise and fall of many cities throughout the Bluegrass due to the railroad, the coal industry, other businesses, waterways and dams, and the expansion of the roadways, among other reasons. Golden Pond is now a ghost town in Kentucky that became such due to a couple of these reasons. The town is now completely gone due to a highway and the creation of Land Between the Lakes, but the tribute to it and this lovely area make for the perfect autumn day trip.
If you've ever visited the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Western Kentucky, you know it is a beautiful place filled with incredible landscapes and history.
If you've never thought much about it, you may not realize that this area once did not exist. The land actually held many small towns, some of which were thriving. But with the Kentucky Dam construction from 1938-1944 and then the completion of the Barkley Dam in 1966, a literal land between the lakes was formed.
In addition to towns disappearing as the lakes were created, others were also impacted with the expansion of roadways in the area.
Golden Pond is one town that was majorly impacted; so much so that it no longer exists at all. Once the new four-lane version of Highway 68/80 was constructed, all remnants of the town were gone, leaving just the pond and two cement blocks that were once used to mount horses or to get in and out of wagons.
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Now a ghost town in Kentucky, former residents of Golden Pond were passionate about keeping its history alive.
Several local residents worked collaboratively with Land Between the Lakes and other entities to create the Golden Pond Interpretive Overlook near the site of the former city. Photos, data, and memories were collected to honor this town and its people.
On the Overlook, you'll find six panels that outline the history of the town and its people. There are photos from those former residents and firsthand accounts of what life was like in Golden Pond.
You can also see those two concrete blocks, the only remains of Golden Pond.
Every home, store, garden, and even the post office that dated back to 1848 are all gone. Most of this took place during the 1960s as the town was forced to make way for the Recreation Area and expanding highway.
While we can't walk through the actual streets of this ghost town in Kentucky, we can have a glimpse of what it was like.
One of the most interesting things on the Overlook is an etched glass panel that allows visitors to look at and see the town as it once was. Here you'll also find the names of those who called Golden Pond home.
While walking to the Interpretive Overlook, also be sure to stop by the Golden Pond Visitor Center and Planetarium.
This is a hidden gem within the Recreation Area and continues to tell the story of the towns that once were. And as you explore Land Between the Lakes, you'll now know that this land that is now home to a wide array of wildlife, was once dotted with towns and residents.
There may not be much left of Golden Pond, but you can still visit this ghost town in Kentucky thanks to the creation of a tribute that came to be out of love, passion, and dedication to preserving this small and historic town. Have you been to this overlook and did you know about the history of Golden Pond? Let us know in the comments.
For more information on the Golden Pond Interpretive Overlook and Land Between the Lakes, visit its website here.
And if this type of history interests you, check out Kentucky’s very own ghost ship, featured in a previous article here.
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