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Long before he became America's great painter of birds, John James Audubon ran a general store and a mill in Henderson, roaming the Ohio River woods between 1810 and 1819 to sketch the wildlife he would later publish in Birds of America. A state park named for him now holds one of the finest collections of his work, set in woods he would have known.
Henderson also shaped blues pioneer W.C. Handy, who lived here for about a decade around 1900 and later said it was in Henderson that he first truly listened to the music of the working people around him. The town honors him each June with a riverfront blues and barbecue festival.
Laid out in the 1790s on a bluff above the Ohio, Henderson has shaded parks, a riverwalk and a historic downtown of Victorian storefronts and grand houses. Across the river, Ellis Park runs live horse racing in summer, and the wetlands of the Sloughs Wildlife Management Area draw waterfowl and birders in winter. Evansville lies just over the bridges.
A wooded state park on the northern edge of Henderson with hiking trails, a lake for paddling and fishing, a nature center with bird-viewing windows, cottages, a campground and a golf course. Spring migration brings warblers to the trails, so pack binoculars. The museum sits at the entrance.
A riverfront park on the site of Audubon's old steam mill, with an amphitheater, a playground and a paved riverwalk along the Ohio River. It hosts the W.C. Handy festival and summer concerts. Come at sunset to watch barges push upstream under the US 41 bridges.
A tree-filled park set aside in Henderson's early town plan, with walking paths, benches and historic markers, surrounded by fine old homes. It hosts seasonal events and holiday lights. It is a pleasant midday stop between downtown and the residential historic streets.
A 1930s French Norman-style building inside the state park displaying an extensive collection of Audubon's paintings, prints, letters and personal items, including prints from the famous double elephant folio of Birds of America. Galleries trace his years in Henderson. Allow an hour, and check seasonal hours.
A week-long free festival each June honoring the Father of the Blues, who lived in Henderson around 1900. Blues bands play on the riverfront stage while local cooks serve barbecue, and there are workshops and kids' activities. Bring a lawn chair, as evening crowds fill the park.
A performing arts venue on the Henderson Community College campus that books touring musicians, comedians, Broadway-style shows and local productions in a comfortable theater with good sightlines. Its season runs mostly fall to spring. Ticket prices are modest compared with bigger cities nearby.
Main and Second streets hold restored nineteenth-century brick buildings with local restaurants, bars, antique stores and boutiques, a block from the riverfront. The Henderson County Courthouse and stately homes along Elm and Green streets are close by. Free on-street parking makes it easy to wander.
A thoroughbred racetrack just north of Henderson that runs a live racing meet in midsummer, quirky because it sits on the Indiana side of the Ohio but belongs to Kentucky. Off-season it offers simulcast wagering and gaming. Grandstand seats are inexpensive and families picnic trackside.
A large state wildlife area of bottomland forest, sloughs and croplands west of Henderson, managed for wintering ducks and geese. Birders come for waterfowl, eagles and shorebirds, especially in late fall and winter. Some units close during hunting season, so check posted rules before visiting.
The county courthouse stands at the center of downtown Henderson, a stately building surrounded by lawns, memorials and historic markers. Nearby blocks hold law offices in restored Victorian buildings. It is still a working courthouse, so the grounds are the best part for visitors.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: hEnDeRsOn, kY, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: hEnDeRsOn, kY, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: hEnDeRsOn, kY, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: hEnDeRsOn, kY, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: hEnDeRsOn, kY, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: hEnDeRsOn, kY, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: hEnDeRsOn, kY, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: hEnDeRsOn, kY, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
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Photo: Bpluke01, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
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