In Our View: Celebrate state parks

One of Kentucky’s greatest assets is natural beauty, from waterfalls to mountains to rolling pastures. It’s a great time to celebrate that beauty, as this year marks 100 years of state parks in the commonwealth.

It all began in 1926, when the State Park Commission received $25,000, and two years later, $58,000, for developing the state’s first four parks. They were Pine Mountain in Pineville, Natural Bridge in Slade, the Blue and Gray in Elkton and Pioneer Memorial (now called Old Fort Harrod) in Harrodsburg.

The parks system has grown from those original four to 44, covering 51,198 land acres, 552,838 water acres, 418 miles of walking trails and 203 miles of cycling trails.

Kentucky State Park Chairman Russ Meyer said much is planned to celebrate the milestone, including special events at parks across the state.

“It will be a time to celebrate the rich history of the Kentucky State Parks and remember the hard work of the team and staff who have provided wonderful experiences for Kentuckians and visitors from around the world,” Meyer said. “It will be a time to honor those who have contributed to parks’ success and to share these experiences with others.”

In addition to special activities related to the 100th anniversary, the agency is producing the book “Kentucky State Parks: 1924-2024,” a 300-page publication featuring park history and photos of state parks, which will be released this year and will be available at state park gift shops.

We are proud of our state and treasure all its natural beauty. State parks were created specifically to showcase and preserve its beauty and honoring that beauty on the 100th anniversary of the birth of the parks is an appropriate celebration that promises to offer good times this summer.

We applaud the foresight it took to create the state park system in Kentucky, and look forward to see what’s in store.