School Programs
Built in the 1790s, Locust Grove is a unique setting for learning about the settlement of Kentucky and this region. Students will tour the house and grounds, studying life on a farm during Kentucky’s time as the “West.”
Questions? Contact Ronnie Dreistadt at rdreistadt@locustgrove.org or call 502-897-9845 ext. 1009.
Our Field Trip Offerings
Fighting for Freedom (Grades 3-12)
$9 per student, maximum 75 students*
Duration: 2 hours and 15 minutes
*Maximum number for one day
What’s Included:
- Introductory Film and Guided Discussion (30 minutes)
- History-focused tour of Locust Grove home (all three floors, plus Hearth Kitchen and Louisa’s Cabin) (70 minutes)
- EducationPop of your choice (20 minutes) *See below descriptions of the EducationPop programs*
- Gallery Exploration (15 minutes)
Program Description:
In the Colonial era, “freedom” was central to life at Locust Grove. For the Croghan family, it reflected the ideals of a new nation, while for the enslaved community, it meant survival, resistance, and hope. Your field trip begins with an introduction and a ten-minute video exploring both perspectives. We’ll discuss the enslaved people’s skilled work, daily hardships, and acts of resistance. The package also includes a 20-minute EducationPop in social studies, math, or science, plus time for students to explore our museum gallery’s artifacts, art, and hands-on exhibits.
Life on the Farm (Grades 3-12)
$10 per student, maximum 75*
Duration: 2 hours and 15 minutes
*Maximum number for one day
What’s Included:
- Introductory Film and Guided Discussion (30 minutes)
- Tour the first floor of Locust Grove Historic House (15 minutes)
- Visit three stations demonstrating colonial era skills (45 minutes)
- NEW – Guided hike of Locust Grove property (weather permitting) OR “Mathin’ Around the Grove” (30 minutes)
- Gallery Exploration (15 minutes)
Program Description:
What was life like on a Colonial-era farmstead? Discover it in our new “Life on the Farm” field trip at Locust Grove. After a brief introduction and a ten-minute video on the labor behind the 700-acre farm, we’ll explore skilled craftsmanship, daily life for the enslaved, and acts of resistance. The tour includes the first floor of the home, key outbuildings like the Hearth Kitchen and Dairy, and three interpreter-led demonstrations of colonial skills. A 30-minute guided hike visits the original slave cabin foundation, identifying plants and trees used by free and enslaved people. Students also explore our museum gallery with artifacts, artwork, and hands-on exhibits.
Louisville Water. Louisville Pioneers. Louisville Life. (Grades 3-12)
This tour offering is in collaboration with Louisville Water
$12 per student, maximum 75*
Duration: 4 hours
*Maximum number for one day
What’s Included:
- Tour both Historic Locust Grove and Louisville Water.
- Includes tours, guided programming, and picnic lunch.
Program Description:
Make a day of it and visit two Louisville landmarks! The Locust Grove-Louisville Water collaboration includes tours of both facilities, as well as an education program at each site. We’ll learn how the Ohio River played an essential role in the founding of Louisville, and its importance today as our source of drinking water. History and science content intertwine to tell a lively piece of our history, with two hours spent at each site, plus a 30-minute lunch picnic added to your itinerary.
America 250 Special Tour (Grades 3-12)
$7.50 per student, maximum 75*
Duration: 2 hours and 20 minutes
*Maximum number for one day
What’s Included:
- Welcome and Introduction (20minutes)
- Tour of Locust Grove home (60 minutes)
- SPECIAL PROGRAM – “Croghan, Clark and the Crown: One Family’s Impact on the American Revolution” (45 minutes)
- Gallery Exploration (15 minutes)
Program Description:
On July 4, 2026, America will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. America 250 is a non-partisan, national initiative to reflect on the nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and inspire a stronger future for the country.
As the most significant Revolutionary historic site in the region and a National Historic Landmark, Locust Grove invites teachers and students for a special day of programming.
EducationPop Programs
Locust Grove is excited to offer newly structured and interactive mini-programs tailored to your curriculum for select field trip offerings. These 30-minute sessions cover topics in history, science, or math, allowing teachers to customize the experience for their students.
Science
Dr. Croghan’s War: One Doctor’s Fight Against Disease
Louisville, our beloved city, was once called “The Graveyard of the West”. Life expectancy only hovered around 40 years of age due to the prevalence of something doctors knew nothing about – germs. Dr. John Croghan, the oldest of the Croghan children who grew up at Locust Grove, was determined to make our city a healthier place, especially in the fight against our deadliest disease – tuberculosis. We will explore early American medicine -what they got right and what they got wrong – in this engaging science program.
Mathematics
Meting and Bounding: Using Math to Build a Country
What did George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, George Rogers Clark, Thomas Jefferson, Daniel Boone, and William Croghan have in common? They were all surveyors…and that means they were all mathematicians! We’ll dive into math curriculum – measuring, gathering data, calculating, and mapping the original 700-acre Locust Grove property. Your students can learn how to be surveyors through Meting and Bounding and practice their math skills, too!
Social Studies
Lost Louisville: Why Saving Old Stuff Matters
Communities across the country constantly ask what we want our community to look like. What from the past should we save? What do we need to give up? And why does it matter? We’ll look at significant Louisville landmarks that we’ve lost to the wrecking ball and use Locust Grove as an example of how a community can connect to its past and the lessons it gains from the connection.
