Monroe County Kentucky Chamber of Commerce


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Tourism
Rolley-Hole Marbles PDF Print E-mail
Monroe County Marble Super Dome

Armory Road

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A unique game of marbles is played in this area, mainly by adult men using handmade flint marbles and rules that have been passed down for generations. Local marble players have won national and international honors with their skills. In fact, players from Monroe County have won the National Championship every year since 1999. The competition draws people from all over the U.S. and even as far away as London, England.

Marble games begin at 4:30pm every day and 9:00am on Sunday mornings. Visitors are always welcome.


Rolley-Hole Marble Tournaments are part of both the Watermelon Festival and the County Fair.

monroeco_029.jpgOBJECT OF THE GAME
Each player uses one marble. A team consists of two players. When a player “shoots” he is attempting to hit an opponent’s marble. When a player “rolls”, he is attempting to roll his marble into a hole, or near a hole or an opponent’s marble for strategic reasons. When a player “lays” he stays in the same place by voluntarily giving up his turn. The object of the game is for both players on a team to travel up and down the three hole course three times by rolling their marbles in the holes or within a “span” (or hand’s length) of the hole. They must prevent their opponents from making the holes by shooting them away.


Check out the online article written by Janice Turk for GoNomad Travel
http://www.gonomad.com/features/0806/kentucky-marbles.html
 
Parks & Recreation PDF Print E-mail
There are three community parks nestled within the rolling countryside of Monroe County, each of them as unique as the community for which it is named. In addition there is also a State Historic Site, Marble Yard, Golf Course and a Drive-In theatre.


Fountain Run Community Park
(9acres-located at the corner of Hwy. 100 and Lebanon Church Road) fountainrunpark4.jpg

The Fountain Run Community Park offers a variety of activities throughout the year including the annual Community Egg Hunt and Back-to-School Bash. Its “show ring” is home to the area’s finest “Horse Show”. The amphitheatre with its elevated seating provides a great venue for various types of entertainment. Nearby playground equipment beckons the younger visitors over for some fun!

The park is home to the Fountain Run Community Club House. The Club House has a kitchen and restrooms to accommodate most showers, birthday parties, or homecomings. The park also has a covered shelter with numerous picnic tables. Either of these facilities can be reserved for a private event by calling 270-434-2915.




City of Gamaliel Community Park
(24 acres-located at 2840 Fountain Run Road)

gamalielpark2.jpgThe City of Gamaliel Community Park is home to the county’s newest recreation, Disc Golf. Visitors are encouraged to come and try out the new 9-hole course. The park also has a basketball court, softball and soccer fields. Near the fields are concession stands, one with a B-B-Q pit. There are four covered shelters with picnic tables located throughout the park. An outdoor stage provides the setting for various types of entertainment. Visitors can also stroll through the Family Cemetery which is located at the park.
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Old Mulkey Meetinghouse PDF Print E-mail
oct07_091.jpgOne of the oldest churches west of the Alleghenies, this state historic site is located two miles south of Tompkinsville on KY 1446. First available church records are dated 1798, but tradition claims the church was established much earlier. The park offers a peaceful setting for a journey into the past with the uniquely shaped rustic log building and pioneer graveyard where lie several Revolutionary War soldiers and Daniel Boone’s younger sister, Hannah. Visitors will also find tranquil picnic areas and a gift shop featuring traditional art and crafts.

Since settlers came to the area which is now Monroe County as early as the 1780’s, pioneer history enthusiasts find much here to interest them. Many families who later moved further west have roots in Monroe County, so the genealogy section of the local public library is popular with those researching their family trees.

For more information go to: www.parks.ky.gov
 
Mount Vernon Church PDF Print E-mail
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Located 1 ½ miles from Gamaliel on KY 100, this ancient log building once served as both a church and school building for the African-American community of Freetown. Erected before the Civil War in 1846 by freed slaves of William Howard, the building is constructed of hewn logs held together with wooden pegs and chinked with clay.  The building also was used as a school for African-American children for some 70 years, and the graveyard nearby served as a final resting place for most of the former slaves and their descendants who lived in that community.
 
Cumberland River Ferry PDF Print E-mail
oct08_007.jpg 
A portion of Monroe County can be reached from Tompkinsville only
 by crossing the Cumberland River on a ferry, which connects two
 segments of KY214 and leads to the scenic Turkey Neck Bend area.
 Located at McMillan’s Landing, which was at one time
considered one of the finest steamboat landings
along the upper Cumberland River, this free ferry
is the only state-operated ferry in Kentucky and runs 24/7.
march09_070.jpg

Crude man-powered ferry boats were used at McMillan’s Landing until 1947. In that year, Cleo Finley, J.C. Carter, Tom Finley, Roscoe Finley, Sam Hagan and Comer Hurd, installed a motor-powered ferry at McMillan’s Landing. This ferry continued in operation until 1966. The state took over the operation of the ferry at that time and continues to operate the ferry at present. Until the state took over the operation of the ferry, a toll was charged, but is now free to anyone who wishes to cross the river.







On April 30, 2009 the new barge for the Cumberland River Ferry was launched.  The new barge weighs in at      lbs. and cost the state $300,000 as opposed to the $20,000,000 it would cost to build a bridge. 


A bottle of champaign was used to christen
the barge whilapr09_144.jpge a multitude of onlookers cheered the launch. 


 
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20 Things To Do

  • Sample Monroe County’s famous B-B-Q at several locations.
  • Golf 18 holes at the beautiful Hidden Hills Country Club.
  • Trace your heritage at the Court House, Public Library or more than 200 cemeteries.
  • Ride the free ferry across the Cumberland River.
  • Have a picnic at one of our four parks (Tompkinsville, Gamaliel and Fountain Run City Parks and Old Mulkey State Shrine).

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