About

Blackacre State Nature Preserve & Historic Homestead  is Kentucky’s first Nature Preserve and has influenced thousands of school students, teachers and volunteers with environmental education programs.  The homestead was given by Judge Macauley L. Smith and wife Emilie Strong Smith for the purpose of maintaining the historic home, farm buildings and lands for the benefit of the people of Kentucky.

Blackacre Conservancy includes a nature preserve and historic homestead which provides insight to the precious traces of Kentucky’s past. 

In 1792 Moses and Phoebe Tyler established their homestead, becoming one of the earliest Kentucky settlers and licensed whiskey distillers. 

Today, visitors and school children can explore an early American homestead as they walk the grounds, enjoy the farm animals, and tour our historic structures. Our 280-acre Nature Preserve includes trails, forest, waterfall, streams, meadows and ponds. 

In 1986, the settlement has been named a National Historic Rural Settlement and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Tyler Settlement Rural Historic District.

Blackacre is a self-funded 501(c) 3 non-profit that relies on donations, memberships and grants to support operations.