Visit to Berea, Kentucky
Berea, Kentucky is home to the renowned Berea College. Founded in 1855 as a utopian experiment, Berea College was the South’s first interracial and coeducational college. Charging no tuition, Berea admits promising Appalachian students with limited economic resources. All students work in campus jobs, such as serving in the college’s hotel.
Boone Tavern was built in 1909 at the suggestion of Nellie Frost, the wife of the College president. Until then, guests of the college had been welcomed into the president’s home for lodging and meals. Berea College conducted an $11 million eco-friendly “green” renovation in 2008-2009. This made the Boone Tavern the first LEED certified hotel in Kentucky. Efforts were made to also preserve Boone Tavern Hotel’s historic character, enhance guests’ comfort, and to prepare it for another century of service.
Guest rooms feature handcrafted cherry and walnut furniture made by Berea College Student Crafts over the past 100 years. Boone Tavern is a member of the Historic Hotels of America and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The term “Tavern” in the name derives from the historic definition that refers to a public inn for travelers rather than the modern definition related to the sale of alcohol.
Daniel Boone’s Trail from North Carolina to Kentucky passes through Berea. Boone came through in 1775 and was followed by 250,000 settlers. Later the Boone Trail Highway facilitated access to this area. A plaque along the highway is made from metal from the Battleship Maine.
Near Boone Tavern Hotel is a cluster of studios, shops, and restaurants. Berea Coffee & Tea and Berea Healing Arts are two of these businesses.
The Berea Arts Council also has a gallery space.
Berea is also the dulcimer capital of Kentucky. This was evident in a store selling dulcimers.
Effective wayfinding promotes Berea as “Kentucky’s Folk Arts & Craft Capital.” Then it makes it very easy to find the studios and shops as part of the “Artisan Village” in Berea.
Berea Tourism has a Welcome Center in an attractively restored historic building. There they hold Jammin’ on the Porch every Thursday night at 7 p.m. Venues for live music are important, especially because Berea does not have venues that serve alcohol.
Other shops and venues lean heavily into the arts and crafts theme. This gallery and studio in a repurposed barn building has one of the famous quilt project panels. Each one is unique and they can be found at locations throughout Kentucky and beyond.
A buy local campaign is evident, including this poster for Why Buy Local?
Character! Why did you choose to live here? What keeps you? Independent businesses help give our community its one-of-a-kind personality. The poster was produced with support from AMIBA.
The Berea Center for the Arts has a gallery, giftshop, and auditorium.
A little further outside of town, the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development has their offices in a renovated historic building.
