Dine & Recline

The Great American Brass Band Festival features a lot to see and do but during the downtimes, there is a lot to investigate in Boyle County and the surrounding areas.

Within walking distance of the festival, Main Street offers a variety of shopping opportunities. A clothing store, a bridal shop, a jewelry shop and a bike and fitness shop are a few of the places shoppers can go. Walking Main Street is just plain fun to do, even without actually looking to purchase anything.

Several eateries are located near the Centre College campus, where the greatest part of the festival is located. Burke's Bakery near Constitution Square State Historic Site is a traditional stop for breakfast goodies. Blue Moon Cafe offers musical entertainment in the evenings and Ma's County Kitchen offer inexpensive home-cooked meals. Along Fourth Street, Freddie's, which is Italian food, and Dalton's Cafe, which is Cajun, appeal to more international palates. For fast meals, Dairy Queen and Little Caesar's are located near the festival; for more leisurely dining, Sweet Difference on Main Street with Candle Lights and Roses nearby on Church Street.

The Centre Shoppes and Second Story Cafe provide a combination of books and refreshments. Located on Centre's campus, festival-goers can browse the bookstore for the perfect volume and then trek upstairs to the cafe for a cappuccino or a cup of the specialty coffee of the day. Also available are a variety of bagels, soups, desserts and sandwiches for eating enjoyment.

If you like historical places or appreciate attractive architecture and houses, Main Street, Lexington Avenue and Maple Avenue provide a variety of each. Trolley rides of the historic downtown with a narrator aboard are being offered. The cost is $1.

Architecture along Lexington Avenue varies from the Greek Revival style to the Gothic Revival style. Along Second and Third streets, a walker can see houses in the Italianate style, the Federal style and Romanesque style.

Olde Centre, on the college's campus, is believed to be the oldest college building west of the Alleghenies, and is also located on Main Street.

Along Maple, you can see Twin Hollies, 406 Maple Avenue. Built around 1839 by Robert Russell Jr., this house was the home of Fontaine T. Fox whose grandson Fontaine Fox III became nationally known for his ``Toonerville Trolley Cartoons,'' in the last half of the 19th century.

Main Street features a number of historical homes, as well as Constitution Square, where the Supreme Court of the District of Kentucky and the Constitutional Conventions were housed that led to Kentucky's statehood. For further information about Constitution Square, call 236-7794.

Across from the square, it would be remiss not to mention the McDowell House at 125 S. Second St. Dr. Ephraim McDowell performed a famous ovariotomy without anesthesia in Danville on Jane Todd Crawford on Dec. 25, 1809. On Saturday, McDowell House will extend its visiting hours to 6 p.m.

The 150-year-old Trinity Episcopal Church on Main Street, which Dr. Ephraim McDowell attended, also will be giving tours. Thirsty visitors also can find a cool drink of water being given away here.

For a more complete listing of historical places, a brochure titled ``Historic Walking and Driving Tour'' can be picked up at the Danville-Boyle County Tourist Commission, 304 S. Fourth St. Or call 236-7794 or 1-800-755-0076. The brochure also lists a number of bed and breakfast inns in the area, as well as other accommodations, and provides a map of the local area.

If you want to take a drive in your car and do a little shopping, Danville contains several shopping centers with a variety of stores. Danville Manor Center, on Hustonville Road and U.S. 150, contains several fast food eateries, clothing stores, an electronics store, a grocery and shoe stores. Across U.S. 150, is a Super Wal-Mart store, and on this same strip along the bypass is Ridgefield Shopping Center with a grocery store, a K-Mart, a clothing store and a pharmacy.

Out Perryville Road, drivers can find the Perryville Battlefield, site of an annual battle re-enactment in October. The battlefield contains numerous monuments to peruse as well as a museum store. For further information about the battlefield, call 332-8631.

Also in Perryville is the Elmwood Inn, a place for fine tea suited to anyone's taste. The inn serves tea 2-4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday by reservation. Call (606) 332-2400. Travel along Merchant's Row, the center of trade during the mid-19th century, located along Perryville's Old Main Street.

About nine miles north of Boyle County is Mercer, a historical county that has many places to see and things to do during the downtime of the festival.

One piece of history is Old Fort Harrod, a camp established in 1774 by James Harrod and his party as they traveled west from Virginia. The site eventually became modern-day Harrodsburg, the oldest permanent settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains.

Old Fort Harrod contains an exact replica of the original fort. Tours are given daily.

The Old Fort Harrod Heritage Festival is also this weekend at the fort. Activities include square dancing, clogging, children's games, arts and crafts exhibitions, gospel singing, living history displays and enactments and food. Call (606) 734-3314 for more information.

``The Legend of Daniel Boone'' and ``Shadows in the Forest'' are two plays that are produced by Fort Harrod Drama Productions, Inc. In its 30th season this year, ``Legend'' looks at the frontier experience from both the Native American and settler points of view. ``Shadows'' is new to the drama this year and tells the story of the energy and passion of youth on the frontier as expressed through the unique friendship of the two Simons, Kenton and Girty. For ticket and reservation information, call (800) 85-BOONE.

The Beaumont Inn is internationally known for its fine food and has been featured in many books and periodicals. Signature dishes at the inn include two-year-old country ham, corn pudding, and Yellow-Legged Chicken.

Shakertown, located at Pleasant Hill in Mercer County, was the home of the religious Shakers in the 19th century. Of the original buildings, 33 have been preserved and the village is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Shakertown offers tours, river excursions, a restaurant and a variety of other activities. For more information about the village, call (606)734-5411.

Both Boyle and Mercer counties have nice restaurants outside the typical fast-food fare. Even in these restaurants, one person can eat for under $20 and in most, for under $10. If you've had all the gyros you can handle, try one of these restaurants:

In Boyle: Guadalajara Restaurant for Mexican fare, Aunt Bea's Restaurant; Sweet Difference; Dalton's; Freddie's; Candlelight and Roses; Western Sizzlin; Western Steer; Shoney's; Dennys; Pizza Hut; Days Inn; River House Cafe; Battlefield Restaurant; Ma's Country Kitchen; and Blue Moon Cafe.

In Mercer: Beaumont Inn; Shakertown; Freddie's; and Golden Corral.