Henderson in Henderson County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)
John James Audubon Store Site
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 17, 2017
1. John James Audubon Store Site Marker
corner stood
the General
Merchandise Store
of
John James Audubon
1810-1820
Erected by
Mann Bros.
May 14, 1925
Erected 1925 by Mann Bros.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Arts, Letters, Music • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1810.
Location. 37° 50.453′ N, 87° 35.483′ W. Marker is in Henderson, Kentucky, in Henderson County. Marker is at the intersection of North Main Street and 2nd Street, on the right when traveling north on North Main Street. Marker is a large metal plaque, mounted at a 60-degree angle on a tall granite pedestal, facing Main Street, near the intersection. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Henderson KY 42420, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Planters State Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); Husband Edward Kimmel (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Prichett House (about 600 feet away); Admiral Husband Edward Kimmel (about 600 feet away); Audubon Saw and Grist Mill (about 700 feet away); Henderson County Revolutionary War Memorial
this page online
More about this marker. Marker features a bas-relief sculpture of John James Audubon in addition to the inscription.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. John James Audubon in Henderson
Also see . . .
1. John James Audubon. Audubon spent more than a decade as a businessman, eventually traveling down the Ohio River to western Kentucky—then the frontier—and setting up a dry-goods store in Henderson. He continued to draw birds as a hobby, amassing an impressive portfolio. While in Kentucky, Lucy gave birth to two sons, Victor Gifford and John Woodhouse, as well as a daughter who died in infancy. Audubon was quite successful in business for a while, but hard times hit, and in 1819 he was briefly jailed for bankruptcy. (Submitted on July 5, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. John James Audubon State Park, Kentucky. The great naturalist and bird artist
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 17, 2017
2. John James Audubon Store Site Marker (tall view)
3. History of Henderson. Henderson’s wooded hills and lush vegetation attracted the naturalist, John James Audubon, who once operated a mill on the riverfront, one block from the center of the present business district where Main and Second Streets cross. Thousands of people annually visit Audubon State Park and Museum located at the northern limits of the city. (Submitted on July 5, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 17, 2017
3. John James Audubon Store Site Marker (wide view; bank drive-thru teller in the background)
Photographed By John James Audubon, circa 1822
4. John James Audubon
1785-1851
1785-1851
This 1822-23 self-portrait by John James Audubon hangs in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.
“Naturalist John James Audubon painted this self-portrait when he was thirty-seven. Until that time, his drawings of birds had been a hobby while he worked as an import merchant and later as a mill operator in Kentucky. As the idea for a publication called The Birds of America took form, he traveled to Louisiana and began to create large watercolors of birds in their natural settings. In Natchez in 1822 an itinerant portrait painter named John Steen gave Audubon some lessons in oil painting and this self-portrait was a result. The precision of the features is similar to the portrait drawings Audubon had made in Louisville a few years earlier. Audubon went to England in 1826; the first engravings for The Birds of America were created that year. The full set of ‘elephant folio’ volumes was completed in 1838.” – National Portrait Gallery
“Naturalist John James Audubon painted this self-portrait when he was thirty-seven. Until that time, his drawings of birds had been a hobby while he worked as an import merchant and later as a mill operator in Kentucky. As the idea for a publication called The Birds of America took form, he traveled to Louisiana and began to create large watercolors of birds in their natural settings. In Natchez in 1822 an itinerant portrait painter named John Steen gave Audubon some lessons in oil painting and this self-portrait was a result. The precision of the features is similar to the portrait drawings Audubon had made in Louisville a few years earlier. Audubon went to England in 1826; the first engravings for The Birds of America were created that year. The full set of ‘elephant folio’ volumes was completed in 1838.” – National Portrait Gallery
Credits. This page was last revised on August 16, 2018. It was originally submitted on July 5, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 366 times since then and 37 times this year. Last updated on August 16, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 5, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 4. submitted on July 10, 2018, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
