Return to Rabbit Hash

Who is the Lucky Lady?

Before we return to Rabbit Hash, we need a bit of a prologue. This post is really about a thoughtful birthday present. Recently, it was Carol’s birthday. Not surprisingly, a wonderful trophy wife deserves a special birthday gift. Undoubtedly, jewelry is nice, but it’s too boring. Sure, fashionable clothing is very welcome, but she has too much already. She loves cruises, but not with COVID out there. So, being the creative, renaissance husband that I am, I decided to put together a birthday outing for her. This special day started with a morning drive to the Rising Star Casino. This remote casino sits along the Ohio river, on the southern border of Indiana. In other words, the casino is in the middle of nowhere.

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So, the question at hand is…who is the Lucky Lady? Well, it’s certainly not Carol. I did not know money could be lost that fast on the quarter slot machines. Thankfully, Carol needs fed regularly. Therefore, I was able to stop the bleeding by promising her lunch in the casino. While at lunch, I told her that the next leg of our trip was a romantic river cruise. Technically, the river cruise is actually just a ferry. And, the ferry’s name is the “Lucky Lady.” The picture above shows the Lucky Lady as it docks at the casino and waits for us to drive on board. Once everyone was aboard, the Lucky Lady began her voyage. The voyage takes about 10 minutes. The Lucky Lady merely crosses the Ohio River and drops everyone off in a magical destination, known as Rabbit Hash, Kentucky.

Is this a Rabbit Hash Rerun?

When its convenient for me, I am all about transparency. So, I admit that this is actually the second post on Rabbit Hash. Goosebuster, my most esteemed Guest Author, brought this remarkable town to my attention. Beyond being the town that time forgot, the real claim to fame for Rabbit Hash is their mayoral election process. As it so happens, the mayor of Rabbit Hash is always a dog. Here is the original post detailing the 2020 election of Wilbur for mayor… https://travelingwithpt.com/forget-biden-trump-its-about-wilbur/

Despite the previous Rabbit Hash post, I am going to do a post of my own. The emphasis will be less on the election process, and more about the town. I hope it’s sufficiently entertaining that you forgive the allegations of a Rabbit Hash rerun.

The “Town” of Rabbit Hash, KY

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Calling Rabbit Hash a “town” is quite generous. Using Google maps, I have posted the overhead view of the entirety of Rabbit Hash. Specifically, the “town” is 3.3 acres with about 10 or so out buildings. It sits directly on the banks for the Ohio River. The casino where Carol lost all her money can be seen from the scenic Rabbit Hash shoreline. The town has survived several severe floods over the last couple centuries. In fact, Rabbit Hash got its name from these floods. Apparently, the rising water drove the rabbits from their normal hiding places. Thus, they were easily hunted/trapped to provide needed sustenance to the struggling residents in the form of rabbit hash. But, the center of culture for Rabbit Hash is the General Store.

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The Rabbit Hash General Store was established in 1831. Undoubtedly, they built this place with the intention of surviving the floods. Reportedly, the structure is anchored to the bedrock with some major steel rods. In the worst flood of 1937, the General Store withstood being totally submerged in the mighty Ohio. That’s the good news. The bad news is that in 2016, a fire destroyed most of the General Store. However, the loyal followers of Rabbit Hash banned together to rebuild the General Store to it’s original glory. Carol really enjoyed shopping at the entirely random selection of goods at the General Store. For the record, I was unable to find actual rabbit hash at the General Store.

Beyond the General Store

What else is in Rabbit Hash? Well, there is only one place to get food. That would be Chef Hip E’s place. It’s a BBQ pick up window where Chef Hip E proudly boasts that “We’ll Smoke Anything.” Bear in mind, when you visit Rabbit Hash, there is no indoor restaurant/bar. You can BYOB or buy beer in the store. But, all the seating is outside. If it’s warm enough, the main approach is to sit along the river, drink beer, eat barbeque, and feel the Rabbit Hash vibe. In good weather, they bring in live music on many weekends.

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The picture below is the next most significant out building. It houses most of the other existing businesses. While I said there is no bar, surprisingly, there is a wine tasting room. The Gunpowder Creek tasting room features a variety of local wines from their own vineyard which 5 miles downriver. The wine lady seemed a bit grumpy. But, that did not stop Carol from sampling each wine and buying a few bottles.

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Beyond the wine room, there is also an artsy gift shop, as well as a stained glass shop. Additionally, the second floor has a bed and breakfast, the Old Hacienda. Apparently, the Old Hacienda has a room or two to rent over night. I did not look into this option, as I am totally sure Carol would never stay here. Lastly, there was one more business that seemed a bit out of place. I think I will let the pictures below speak for themselves…

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Admittedly, I thought the wine tasting room was a bit out of character for the town. However, that pales in comparison to unusual nature of Louie’s business. Be that as it may, that montage of photos covers almost every major building in this weekend party town on the river. If you are interested in a trip, be sure to check the hours of operation on line. This is not a 24/7 kind of place.

Let’s NOT Forget Wilbur

Mayor Wilbur does not keep daily office hours in Rabbit Hash. The best way to keep track of Wilbur’s appearances is through Facebook and Instagram. PugsleyTonks is a loyal Facebook friend of Wilbur. As such, I timed this trip to coincide with one of Wilbur’s trips to meet his constituents. Once again, I give you Wilbur, rightfully elected Mayor of Rabbit Hash, Kentucky…

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Wilbur seemed like a very astute and capable politician. He is on a 4 year term and up for re-election in November 2024. Furthermore, PugsleyTonks plans to be in Rabbit Hash on election day 2024 to support his bid for re-election.

Whether you get to meet Wilbur or not, Rabbit Hash, KY, is worth a visit. The best time to visit is when the weather is good. You sit along the river with your favorite adult beverage and dine on food from Chef Hip E. The town provides live music during many of their peak times. And, if you get tired of this relaxed, throw back mood, just get on the ferry. Then, you can cross the river to the casino and lose all your money. I do not know any other place like Rabbit Hash. It has a great frozen in time atmosphere. Undoubtedly, I will return to Rabbit Hash in the future. Have a Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holiday. PT

I hope you have enjoyed “Return to Rabbit Hash” on Traveling with PugsleyTonks.

If you want to plan your trip to Rabbit Hash, start here https://www.rabbithash.com/

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