The small town of Bardstown, Kentucky was once an uninhabited wilderness, but in 1780, William Bard lured fellow Pennsylvanians, traveling along the Ohio River, to join him and freely settle his brother's untamed land. He offered rent-free opportunity for the duration of the American Revolution, drawing 33 settlers to clear the region and create a crude brush village called Bardstown. The people of this forested region just south of Louisville would face controversy, population decline, the turmoil of war, and the threat of Prohibition, while upholding a strong pioneer ethic and fostering ties to their unique history. Recognized as one of the best small towns in the United States, as well as the "Bourbon Capital of the World," this community has some big city renown. During the early part of the nineteenth century, Bardstown excelled in state issues, including politics, religion, education, and business. The Civil War would bring significant tensions and a decline in the town's population, but through industrial growth and the development of the lucrative distilling industry, Bardstown gained much fame. Although Prohibition proved economically devastating to many residents, Bardstown survived and grew, enjoying a strong tourist trade today with its almost 300 historic structures and the Kentucky Bourbon Festival each fall.
Some Bardstown, Kentucky residents argued for an alcohol ban as early as the mid-1800s despite the fact that whiskey and bourbon were local staples. When Prohibition finally arrived, independent and inventive residents secretly kept the city wet. A deacon once stored whiskey in a baptismal pool. Seventy-year-old Aunt Be-At Hurst allegedly made her homebrew out of her bathtub. Some locals even burned distillery warehouses to cover up thefts. Crime ran so rampant that revenue collector Robert H. Lucas threatened to have the governor summon the state militia. Join historians Dixie Hibbs and Doris Settles as they detail the history of Bardstown booze.
The occupation of Bardstown and Nelson County, Kentucky, by Union troops began in September of 1861 and ended in September of 1865--a turbulent time in the "neutral" county, and a piece of history rarely explored by Kentuckians. In this unprecedented visual journey, discover the unique role that Nelson County and Kentucky played in the Civil War as a military crossroads and the site of many Union training camps. More than 80 different Union units were involved in skirmishes and set up camps in Nelson County during the war. The county's turnpikes and railroads dictated the movement of many troops and supplies through the area--both Union and Confederate. Included in these pages are historical images, maps, documents, and vivid accounts passed down from generation to generation that bring the war to life. From the Confederate invasion of 1862 and the Guerrilla activities of 1864-1865 to the last surrender at Samuel's Depot on July 26 and the aftermath of the war, A Portrait of the Civil War in Nelson County offers a unique perspective of the war's effects on one county and its people.
With heartwarming stories and thought processes, Dixies writings and poems are meant to be inspirational and uplifting. They provide life experiences that will help you find meaning in what happens. Her writings will help you to have courage to overcome hardships and realize your own dreams.
With over two hundred specially selected postcards created between 1900 and 1930, this visual history explores life in five Central Kentucky counties in the early twentieth century. Family stories abound, and Main Street scenes depict county court days, trials, and parades, together with the stagecoaches, buggies, and trains of a bygone era. Tourist sites such as My Old Kentucky Home, Lincoln Homestead, and Tatham Springs are included, as well as distilleries, hotels, depots, bridges, and a chautauqua. Images of Protestant and Catholic schools, colleges, churches, convents, and monasteries show the reader how this area came to be known as the "Kentucky Holy Land.
Postcards from the early twentieth century reveal much about America's past, portraying almost every subject imaginable and offering modern readers a snapshot glimpse of life in days gone by. The collection within these pages explores the history of Adair, Barren, Green, Hart, and Taylor Counties, documenting the people and places, the lifestyles and landmarks of the South Central region of the Bluegrass State. From the evolution of transportation in Kentucky to such varied activities as wheat threshing, molasses production, and even "moonshining," the images captured on these cards are of great social and historical significance. Rare glimpses of churches, schools, hotels, and businesses that no longer stand make this a must-see for present-day residents of the area.
A visitor to Bardstown today can view as many as 300 buildings listed on the National Register and marvel at their age and condition, but the original state of many of these landmarks has long since been altered or forgotten. Fire destroyed many buildings during the late 1800s, and commercial progress in the 1900s prompted the demolition of more than 100 of the area's homes and businesses. In this remarkable new volume, the search of public and private collections for photos of local landmarks and events has resulted in the lost puzzle pieces needed to complete the history of Bardstown's physical heritage. In 190 rare photographs, Bardstown reveals the people and places who have contributed to its growth and gives readers the opportunity to witness the changes that have occurred throughout the history of this close-knit, Southern community. Images in this collection include recently discovered photographs of the tragic Shepherdsville Train Wreck of 1917; the effects of Prohibition on a community with 12 distilleries; the changing faces of My Old Kentucky Home (the inspiration for Kentucky's state song); and unique views of the fires that destroyed Heaven Hill Distillery and the Talbott Tavern.
With over two hundred specially selected postcards created between 1900 and 1930, this visual history explores life in five Central Kentucky counties in the early twentieth century. Family stories abound, and Main Street scenes depict county court days, trials, and parades, together with the stagecoaches, buggies, and trains of a bygone era. Tourist sites such as My Old Kentucky Home, Lincoln Homestead, and Tatham Springs are included, as well as distilleries, hotels, depots, bridges, and a chautauqua. Images of Protestant and Catholic schools, colleges, churches, convents, and monasteries show the reader how this area came to be known as the "Kentucky Holy Land.
The small town of Bardstown, Kentucky was once an uninhabited wilderness, but in 1780, William Bard lured fellow Pennsylvanians, traveling along the Ohio River, to join him and freely settle his brother's untamed land. He offered rent-free opportunity for the duration of the American Revolution, drawing 33 settlers to clear the region and create a crude brush village called Bardstown. The people of this forested region just south of Louisville would face controversy, population decline, the turmoil of war, and the threat of Prohibition, while upholding a strong pioneer ethic and fostering ties to their unique history. Recognized as one of the best small towns in the United States, as well as the "Bourbon Capital of the World," this community has some big city renown. During the early part of the nineteenth century, Bardstown excelled in state issues, including politics, religion, education, and business. The Civil War would bring significant tensions and a decline in the town's population, but through industrial growth and the development of the lucrative distilling industry, Bardstown gained much fame. Although Prohibition proved economically devastating to many residents, Bardstown survived and grew, enjoying a strong tourist trade today with its almost 300 historic structures and the Kentucky Bourbon Festival each fall.
The occupation of Bardstown and Nelson County, Kentucky, by Union troops began in September of 1861 and ended in September of 1865--a turbulent time in the "neutral" county, and a piece of history rarely explored by Kentuckians. In this unprecedented visual journey, discover the unique role that Nelson County and Kentucky played in the Civil War as a military crossroads and the site of many Union training camps. More than 80 different Union units were involved in skirmishes and set up camps in Nelson County during the war. The county's turnpikes and railroads dictated the movement of many troops and supplies through the area--both Union and Confederate. Included in these pages are historical images, maps, documents, and vivid accounts passed down from generation to generation that bring the war to life. From the Confederate invasion of 1862 and the Guerrilla activities of 1864-1865 to the last surrender at Samuel's Depot on July 26 and the aftermath of the war, A Portrait of the Civil War in Nelson County offers a unique perspective of the war's effects on one county and its people.
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