Branstetter Park Homecoming celebrates 100 years of tradition

By PJ Martin

Editor, The Herald-News

 

For 100 years, families, friends, and visitors have gathered beneath the trees at Branstetter Park near Summer Shade to celebrate faith, fellowship, music, and community. The Branstetter Park Music Festival and Homecoming will mark its centennial celebration this year with a special gathering honoring a century of tradition.

The annual event has been a cornerstone of the Summer Shade community since the first Branstetter Park Homecoming was held in August 1926. Since that time, generations of families have returned each year to reconnect with friends, remember those who have passed, and continue a tradition that has remained strong for a century.

The original four homecomings were held at Beaumont, KY, and orchestrated by Rev. John L. Branstetter.

Historical records show that Branstetter Park was created from land acquired by Rev. John L. Branstetter, who was born in nearby Beaumont in 1837. The original deed, dated March 20, 1926, stated the property was to be used “for all future time strictly for religious, moral, and educational purposes.”

In the early years of Branstetter Park, the American Legion held Flag Day Celebrations and the Masons held St. John’s Day picnics, and music was provided by the Beaumont Band and quartet singing. In 1952, documents list a Saturday all-night singing at the homecoming.

According to historical news clippings compiled by Laurie Butler, Rev. Branstetter purchased one acre and then acquired more acreage of timbered land intending to create a park and build a tabernacle that could accommodate two to three thousand.

The first tabernacle was built in 1926, but was partially destroyed by fire sometime before 1932. The reconstructed building was dedicated in August 1932 and remains a familiar gathering place for the homecoming today. The only major update came in 1953 when a cement floor replaced the original gravel floor.

The first monument in Metcalfe County was erected in memory of Rev. Branstetter in 1936, made from native stone and placed at the park’s entrance. The monument was dedicated during the Homecoming in August 1936.

In 2003, a log pavilion was added to the park, providing a kitchen, eating area, restrooms, and a porch for visitors.

The 100th anniversary celebration will continue the traditions that have made the homecoming a beloved community event. The park is located near the intersection of highways 90 and 163, about one mile east of Summer Shade at 396 Branstetter Park-Old Trace Road.

Throughout the celebration, visitors can enjoy live music, homemade food, and the fellowship of friends and family. Shade tree pickers will gather beneath the park’s trees, while guests can relax, visit, and enjoy the atmosphere of the historic gathering place.

Sunday’s traditional service begins at 10 a.m. with a welcome, memorials, and the singing of the memorial song “The Last Mile of the Way.” The devotional and message will follow, leading into the annual potluck lunch around noon. Visitors are encouraged to bring a covered dish to share.

Following lunch, special singing will be featured. Prizes will also be awarded for the person traveling the farthest to attend, the oldest and youngest attendees, and the couple married the longest.

After a century of gatherings, organizers say the Branstetter Park Homecoming remains a place where old memories are shared, new memories are made, and everyone is welcome.

For more information, call 270-428-4061 or 270-670-9910.