About The Friends of HCIP

Our 
Vision

In the fall of 2018, a diverse group of Woodford County citizens gathered to resurrect the dream of building a beautiful community park honoring the legacy of Huntertown, an African American hamlet settled by enslaved men and women after the Civil War.  This grassroots steering committee formed the Friends of Huntertown Community Interpretive Park in 2022, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) to support and promote the development of Huntertown Community Interpretive Park (HCIP) as a living museum and public park.

The Friends of HCIP works to raise financial and other resources to support the development of Huntertown Community Interpretive Park in partnership with the Versailles-Woodford County Parks and Recreation Department.  As park ambassadors, we mobilize to preserve the history of Huntertown, honor the legacy of Woodford County’s African American story, and expand the availability of public green space in our community.  

Huntertown Community Interpretive Park will be a unique treasure in the Commonwealth – a place where people come together and build community. Former residents will gather for the annual Huntertown Reunion in a picnic pavilion on the grounds, friends will wander the trails and rest on park benches with a ghost structure of an original dwelling; neighbors seek the solace that only an hour spent under the shade of an oak tree can bring.  

In the words of a former Huntertown resident, “The roots at Huntertown are deep. We can’t just pluck them up and throw them away.”  This park blends natural peace and beauty with the opportunity to honor and celebrate our shared history on this land. History is our story,  and Huntertown’s story is one we must tell. 

We invite you to be part of the story!  Become a Friend of Huntertown Community Interpretive Park.  Your financial support and volunteer commitment will help us build out the dream.