Bardstown Kentucky
Bardstown Kentucky is the heart of the Bourbon Trail and lies 40 miles
south of Louisville, and 60 miles east of Lexington in central Kentucky.
Theirs is a history rich in tradition, and they know how to enjoy it.
The Nelson County Tourist and Convention Commission describes Bardstown
and it’s residents as “Strong in spirit -- that's religious spirit and a
little spirit we call bourbon.”
Bardstown’s history goes back to 1780 as the second oldest Kentucky
City. The religious spirit they refer to dates back to 1785 when groups
of Catholics came inland from Maryland. Benedict James Flaget was
consecrated Bishop for the diocese. The first seminary “St. Thomas” was
a flatboat navigating the Ohio River, giving lessons and
religious exercises onboard up and down the river. The original diocese
was in Baltimore, but soon branched out to Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, and Bardstown. The era came to a close in late 1941 when
the Bishop moved the diocese to the growing river city of Louisville.
The area of Bardstown is still considered a holy land to many American
Catholics. Holy Land tours of Kentucky today visit Holy Cross, the first
parish in Bardstown, St. Thomas Seminary, and many of the other
cathedrals, seminaries, and academies that were raised in Bardstown from
the 18th to the 20th centuries.
Bourbon was discovered in 1789 and has also played a large role in the
history of Bardstown. Twenty-six distilleries were making bourbon in the
Bardstown area by the early 1800’s and shipping it out on rails. Five
bourbon producing distilleries operate in the area around Bardstown
today.
The Battle of Bardstown was fought on October 4, 1862. The battle was
overshadowed four days later by the bloodiest battle fought on Kentucky
soil, The Battle of Perryville, just outside of town, which at the time
was occupied by General Buell and 58,000 union troops.
Other contributors to the great heritage of Bardstown were the Civil
War, the Rail Roads, and of course, Stephen Foster.
No less than 30 festivals annually commemorate this history that make
Bardstown the city it is today. Among them, The Kentucky Bourbon
Festival, A taste of Bardstown, Civil War Living History Weekend.
Permanent area attractions include, My Old Kentucky Home State Park, The
Museum of Whiskey History & Bardstown Historical Museum, to the Heaven
Hills Distilleries Bourbon Heritage Center, The Kentucky Railway Museum,
The Civil War Museum at Old Bardstown Village, and the countries only,
Women of The Civil War Museum, all celebrate Historic Bardstown.
Author Ron Stemple
Copyright 2006, Ron Dowell |
