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Created in 1925 by the construction of the Dix Dam along the Dix River Valley, Herrington Lake is surrounded by Mercer, Garrard and Boyle counties in central Kentucky. The brainchild of Lewis Herrington, president of Kentucky Utilities, it is the deepest lake in Kentucky at 249 feet, and at one time was the largest earth-filled dam in the world. Even though the lake was initially intended to generate hydroelectric power for the state of Kentucky, the lake quickly became a mecca for boating, fishing, swimming, and other recreational activities, including picnicking, hiking, and nature watching. The lake also boasts more than 1,100 lake-front properties, plus several marinas and restaurants where guests can relax with a drink, enjoy a hot meal and listen to live music. In
Herrington Lake--Kentucky's Marvel of Architecture, Waterpower & Nature, author Mike Holdren provides a detailed look at the creation of the Dix Dam as well as the surrounding bridges, camps, villages, and activities that have made Herrington Lake a wonderful recreational destination for 100 years.
About the author
Mike Holdren has spent his life studying and teaching art history. He holds a B.A. in Art History from the University of Kentucky, an M.F.A. in painting from the D.A.A.P. program at the University of Cincinnati, and another M.A. in Art History from the University of Kentucky. For 35 years he taught at the collegiate and secondary education level. His love of architecture and engineering stems from a period of 13 years lecturing on ancient medieval art and architecture at the University of Kentucky, and from 1993-1998 he was a published journalist as the art critic for the Lexington Herald Leader. During that time his art reviews were also published in regional and national art journals like Dialogue: Voicing the Arts, Art Papers, and Fiberarts: The Magazine of Textiles. As a native to central Kentucky, his association with Herrington Lake began in the 1970s through fishing trips with his father, and that love for experiencing the outdoors at this hallowed locale continued over the next five decades. Mike and his wife have also been steadfast lake residents, and in the summer of 2023 this book project got underway as the centennial of the lake's history was fast approaching in March of 2025.
