Buechel Terrace Neighborhood Association

The Fegenbush Orchard

Jun 27, 2008

The Fegenbush Orchard was a prominent landmark in the Buechel area for generations. It was a pretty large farm operation; spread out in three different locations.

One part of it was located on Breckenridge Lane, with the main family home located a few hundred feet back from the road across the street from the present-day Watterson Elementary School. Another part was on Fegenbush Lane past the present-day Moose Lodge.

And, the third part was directly behind the old Fegenbush fruit stand on Bardstown Road. The fruit stand closed more than ten years ago but it?’s still standing. It?’s notable for the big red apple painted on the side of the building.

The Fegenbush family built four large nearly-identical box-shaped houses for various family members around 1910. All of them were located near the intersection of Bardstown Road and Fegenbush Lane. One is beside the old fruit stand. Another was on the property occupied by the Aldi grocery store today. The other two were across the street.

It?’s said that the Fegenbush family operated these orchards for about 130 years. Many people in the area remember working on the farms as teenagers and young adults. The section on Breckenridge Lane included a large strawberry field which was operated as a U-Pick-It farm for several years.

One member of this family, Maurice Fegenbush, still operates an orchard in Bloomfield, KY and recently served as the president of the Kentucky State Horticultural Society.