Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Elizabethtown, KY

The administrative center of Hardin County is a multifaceted and expanding city, with a population exceeding 30,000 based on the latest census.

Elizabethtown possesses a rich historical legacy, having been the location of a Civil War confrontation in 1862, with tangible remnants such as a cannonball embedded in a downtown wall.

Notably, Abraham Lincoln’s parents, Thomas and Nancy, were wed nearby in 1806 and resided in a cabin in Elizabethtown, where Abraham’s elder sister Sarah was born.

The downtown historic district offers a unique charm, adorned with captivating museums and refurbished landmarks such as the Historic State Theater Complex and the Brown-Pusey House.

This venue once functioned as a boarding house that hosted notable 19th-century figures, including General George Armstrong Custer.

1. Freeman Lake Park

The largest municipal park in Elizabethtown is situated along the lush edges of a 170-acre lake, conveniently located just east of the Dixie Highway.

The park features over 90 acres of landscaped lawns and woodlands, providing ample opportunity for walking and cycling along seven miles of trails.

Rich in historical significance, the site also includes several preserved structures, such as a one-room schoolhouse and a cabin linked to Abraham Lincoln’s father.

This lake is an excellent destination for fishing, hosting ample populations of largemouth bass, bluegill, rainbow trout, channel catfish, Shellcracker, and crappie. Additionally, during the summer, visitors can enjoy renting rowboats, pedal boats, and kayaks by the hour.

2. Historic Downtown Elizabethtown

The city’s historical core is a small district located at the junction of Dixie Avenue and Mulberry Street.

This area is densely packed with charming historic buildings, museums, cultural venues, and an array of unique curiosities marked by informative signs.

While landmarks will be detailed later in this article, visitors can also explore a series of shops along Dixie Avenue and Public Square, offering comics, home goods, distinctive gifts, and apparel.

Dining options abound, featuring a bourbon bar, an ice cream shop, a coffeehouse, a craft brewery, a pub, and a variety of restaurants serving pizza, tacos, burgers, and gourmet dishes.

3. Hardin County History Museum

Visitors will find a wealth of engaging exhibits at this local history museum, located within the former post office building in the heart of downtown.

Opened in 2003, the Hardin County History Museum chronicles the region’s narrative from its inception in 1792 to the present.

A captivating exhibit dedicated to Abraham Lincoln details the period when his parents resided in Elizabethtown during the early 19th century.

Artifacts from the Kentucky frontier, including the family Bible of Benjamin Hardin (1784-1852) and a variety of Civil War memorabilia, are on display.

Informative panels illustrate how Kentucky County, Virginia transitioned into a sovereign state, accompanied by interactive scavenger hunts designed to engage younger visitors.

4. Historic State Theater Complex

Adjacent to the Hardin County History Museum, the elegant silhouette of this Art Deco theater from 1942 is hard to overlook.

The State Theater served as the entertainment hub for downtown Elizabethtown for four decades until its closure post-screening of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1982.

The venue stood vacant for many years until undergoing a meticulous restoration, culminating in its reopening as a landmark of downtown revitalization in 2009.

Today, it hosts concerts, comedy performances, live theater, public discussions, and classic film screenings. The entire facility is also available for private events and features a banquet room.

5. Brown-Pusey House

This distinguished Georgian mansion, built in 1825 by John Y. Hill (1799-1859), is located in the historic district of Elizabethtown.

As a boarding house, operated by “Aunt Beck” Hill, the Brown-Pusey House welcomed various significant figures during the 19th century, including the renowned Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind (1820-1887), who performed here in 1851, and General George Armstrong Custer (1839-1876).

Donated to the city in 1823 by William A. Pusey, the great-nephew of “Aunt Beck,” the house includes a small museum, a genealogical library, and event spaces. The gardens, dedicated to William’s wife, Sally Cunningham Pusey, are a delightful public attraction.

6. The Cannonball

Located directly across from the Hardin County Court Building, at the intersection of Dixie and Public Square, is a striking artifact of local history, tracing back to a Civil War engagement in 1862.

Elizabethtown remained under Union control until this battle, during which the Confederate Army captured the city in an effort to disrupt northern supply routes along the Louisville & Nashville Railroad.

An artillery battery was established atop Cemetery Hill, leading to a cannonball becoming lodged in the Depp Building at this site.

This building succumbed to a fire in the 1880s, yet the cannonball was preserved and later embedded into the wall of the structure that replaced it, accurately reflecting its original location, marked by an arrow.

7. Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame

The Commonwealth enjoys a national reputation for youth basketball, encapsulated within the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame.

This institution was established in 2011 and was permanently located in a repurposed former Presbyterian church in 2017.

Open Wednesday through Saturday, the museum acknowledges the inductees who have made significant contributions to basketball in Kentucky, featuring numerous hands-on exhibits.

Visitors can utilize touch screens to explore each hall member’s achievements, discover unexpected state champions, and delve into a wealth of fun facts and statistics.

One particularly engaging exhibit allows visitors to measure their vertical jump against that of Darrell Griffith, a former Louisville Male High School graduate who had a successful career as a shooting guard with the Utah Jazz in the 1980s.

8. American Legion Park

When it comes to amenities, this public park stands out, located just northeast of the historic district.

During the warmer months, it hosts the American Legion Water Park, featuring a leisure pool, a lazy river, two lengthy water slides, a play structure, and a designated splash pad.

Additionally, the park encompasses a nine-hole par 3 golf course ideal for families, novice golfers, and those seeking to refine their ironplay skills.

Other features include the vibrant Funtopia community playground, four tennis courts, and a substantial pavilion available for private events.

9. Swope’s Cars of Yesteryear Museum

Along Dixie Avenue in northern Elizabethtown, various car dealerships operate under the Swope Family of Dealerships, a legacy established by two brothers in the 1950s.

As a token of gratitude, Swope has established a complimentary automobile museum showcasing an impressive collection of classic cars from the early 1900s to the 1960s.

Some notable vehicles in the collection include a 1910 Hupmobile Runabout, a 1919 Model T Ford Coupe, a stylish 1923 Packard Sport Touring, a 1931 Chevrolet Convertible Cabriolet, a 1939 Rolls Royce, a 1953 Jaguar XK 120, a charming 1961 Metropolitan, and a powerful 1970 Cobra Torino SCJ.

10. Flywheel Brewing

A short distance from Elizabethtown’s historic center lies a craft brewery that is part of a new wave of local enterprises revitalizing the downtown area.

Despite being relatively new, having opened just a few years ago, Flywheel Brewing has already become a staple, offering a calendar filled with events and hosting food trucks on weekends when the taproom remains open until midnight.

As of this writing, some selections on tap included Malterior Motive (Malted Amber), Hey Porter, E=MC Hammered (Hefeweizen), Stranger than Fiction (IPA), and Irregardless (Kentucky Common), alongside a lineup of guest beers.

11. The Elizabethtown Nature Park

After exploring Freeman Lake, visitors can follow the creek leading to this picturesque, 104-acre landscape that was once used as pasture.

The Elizabethtown Nature Park is designed for passive recreation, ideal for leisurely walks and cycling, with a path that connects to the Freeman Lake Park trail system.

One of its most significant features is the Elizabethtown Veterans Tribute, which pays homage to all military personnel, both living and deceased. This monument spans 90 feet in diameter and includes a star polygon walkway guiding visitors past five lifelike bronze statues representing each branch of the military.

12. Buffalo Lake Trail System

Surrounding Buffalo Lake, immediately east of downtown Elizabethtown, is a tranquil woodland setting offering trails for walking, jogging, and mountain biking.

For those seeking a greater challenge, an 8.5-mile loop is available, providing ample opportunity for exploration.

Alternatively, visitors may choose to tackle shorter, color-coded segments, including the Pine & Holly Loop, Haycraft Trail, Cave Spring Trail, and Buffalo Lake Trail, which winds along the lakeshore.

Well-maintained paths guide leisure seekers through cool woodlands, meadows, and over small streams.

13. Lincoln Heritage House

Abraham Lincoln’s parents briefly resided in early Elizabethtown at the dawn of the 19th century, where his older sister, Sarah (1807-1828), was also born.

Located within Freeman Lake Park, the Lincoln Heritage House commemorates those formative years. This double cabin, originally constructed for pioneer Hardin Thomas, served as home for his family.

It is noteworthy that Abraham’s father, Thomas Lincoln (1778-1851), contributed the carpentry and cabinetry for the larger section of the cabin in 1805. A historical marker from the Commonwealth of Kentucky is situated at the front of the house, narrating its significance.

14. Sky’s the Limit Indoor Trampoline & Adventure Park

Sky’s the Limit provides an exhilarating outlet for energetic children, featuring a facility in which nearly every surface is a trampoline.

At the heart of the park lies an expansive free jump area, supplemented by a wide array of supplemental attractions. Some highlights include a climbing wall, foam pit, a multilevel indoor playground for younger children, a battle beam, dodgeball court, zip-line, and reaction wall.

Visitors can select from various time slots ranging from 30 minutes to two hours, sufficient time to tire out even the most active youngsters.

15. Elizabethtown Sports Park

Covering nearly 160 acres, Elizabethtown boasts one of the largest public youth sports facilities in the United States.

This venue, situated toward the western part of the city near the airport, is designed for hosting local, regional, and national sporting events.

To summarize the facilities, there are 12 multi-sport fields for soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse, 12 turfed ball diamonds, an ADA-compliant baseball complex, a conference room, and sports science services.

Visitors can enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi, access to four playgrounds for children, a three-mile walking/jogging pathway, and multiple full-service concession stands.