Helenwood

You can get to know Helenwood through a local history with several distinct turning points: the town began as Homestead, developed with the railroad, and can be brought to life through various places of remembrance. It also has a specific connection to the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. During your stay, you can explore both Helenwood’s own history and the Helenwood Visitor Center as a point of reference.

From Homestead to the Railroad

Helenwood was founded in 1859 under the name Homestead. With the opening of the railroad in 1880, it developed from a siding into a depot and a young town. The two dates mark different stages: 1859, its beginnings under a different name; and 1880, the transformation brought about by the railroad. For families, this sequence can prompt a simple question: What changes for a place when a siding becomes a depot and a young town?

The statue The Devil of Scott County is also part of Helenwood’s railroad history: it was displayed at the town’s train station. A historical account by the National Park Service says that people from all over the country stopped to see the statue. Admission cost 25 cents and the visit lasted 20 minutes. This gives the memory of the train station a specific visitor story alongside the history of the railroad and the town’s development.

On April 5, 1935, a dynamite explosion destroyed part of Helenwood. This turning point is also part of the town’s history, alongside its development into a young town.

Two Cemeteries, Different Traces of Time

Daniel Memorial Cemetery is located at the historic Helenwood Baptist Church, on a road formerly called Main Street. It is the larger of Helenwood’s two community cemeteries and has more than 450 graves. Its location and size provide two specific points of reference for understanding this place of remembrance.

Helenwood Cut Cemetery has a different historical significance: it was the town’s original burial ground. Recorded burials date back to 1855. In comparison, Daniel Memorial Cemetery can be understood in terms of its size and connection to the church, while Helenwood Cut stands out for its role as the original burial ground and its early burial history. Together, the two places represent different traces of Helenwood’s history.

Helenwood as a Starting Point for Your Planning

The Helenwood Visitor Center is located off Highway 27 in Helenwood. From there, it is approximately 15 miles to the entrance of the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. Use the approximate distance as a guide to the area, and check the appropriate route for your planned destinations.

When looking for a vacation rental, it helps to decide in advance what your stay will focus on. If Helenwood’s local history and cemeteries are your main interests, the places mentioned in Helenwood are your points of reference. If access to Big South Fork also shapes your plans, factor in the approximate distance from the Visitor Center to the park entrance.

For an overview of the wider trip: Scott County.