London, England has some famous parks including Hyde Park.
London, Kentucky has a 1,300 acre park on the southeast side of town.
It's called Levi Jackson State Park.
"Levi Jackson was the first judge of Laurel County and actually this was the Jackson Farm," Carol Kirby with Levi Jackson State Park said.
His heirs donated the land that became Levi Jackson State Park.
It is kind of famous. The Burt Lancaster movie "The Kentuckian" was shot on location at the Mountain Life Museum there in the 1950s. The seven buildings are a re-created pioneer settlement.
"It's like living in that era of the 1800s and 19th century Appalachian style," Kirby said.
She has worked at the park more than 20 years.
Wilderness Road through the park was a route for more than 200,000 settlers moving west in the late 1700s.
Today the park showcases history but not all of it positive.
"Levi Jackson State Park was one of the places of the worst Indian massacres in Kentucky," Kirby explained.
Dozens of people died. A cemetery at the park may or may not contain their actual remains but it serves as a memorial.
A mill built on the banks of the Little Laurel River is a beautiful reminder of years gone by.
"The McHargue's Mill is an actual water turbine stone ground grist mill in operation today," she said. "The stones have come from all over the world. We have the largest collection of millstones I do believe they say the United States but it could be the world," Kirby said.
One popular attraction has nothing to do with history or recreation. Visitors love the ducks.
"Kids will come out and feed the ducks every day, adults. It's just something if you went down there to harm one of the ducks at the mill pond you are really in big trouble because they know these ducks by name," she said with a laugh.
The campground features 146 sites with hookups. The group camping area has an activities building that can be reserved a year in advance.
Kirby said, "We may be one of the busier parks in the Kentucky Park System for reunions."
The park also embraces the Olympics.
Levi Jackson State Park plans to host the Levi Summer Olympics with all kinds of family friendly games. It is tentatively planned for the first weekend in August.