Bourbon County KY
General Information
Bourbon County Kentucky was formed in 1785. Today the county has roughly 20,000 citizens.
| Bourbon County, KY | Service Areas |
|---|---|
| Millersburg | Cane Ridge |
| North Middletown | Centerville |
| Paris | Clintonville |
| Little Rock | Ruddles Mills |
History
Bourbon County is believed to be one of the first counties to still Bourbon whiskey. The County originally held 120 counties altogether including Bourbon County. This area was later known as old Bourbon. In 1792 Bourbon County became its own county. This happened during the admission to the union.
Bourbon Whiskey
Bourbon whiskey originated in this area of Kentucky. The name Bourbon was used to distinguish it from other whiskeys like rye whiskey that came from Pennsylvania. Bourbon Whiskey was held in barrels marked old Bourbon and shipped down the Ohio River. Because Bourbon whiskey was made mostly of corn it had a distinctive flavor. In 1919 during the prohibition, almost all of the distilleries were wiped out. In 2014 some 95 years later distilleries began operating again under new laws.
6 Interesting Facts About Bourbon County
- In 1872 and 1901 the courthouse caught fire and was destroyed both times.
- The county is about 292 square miles with no lakes.
- The county does have a few streams and creeks.
- David Dick from CBS News retired here.
- Jim Kelly who costarred Enter the Dragon with Bruce Lee was born in Millersburg Kentucky a city in Bourbon County.
- The largest one-room log building built in 1791 is located in Bourbon County Kentucky it is called the Cane Ridge meeting house.
Historical landmarks
There are several different historical landmarks to visit in Bourbon County Kentucky. The Bayless quarters can be found on Kentucky Route 13. The Buckner site was excavated during the 1930s as salvage archaeology operations during the Great Depression by William Webb. The most notable landmark in Bourbon County is the Bourbon County Confederate monument. The monument is in the Paris Cemetery and was built in 1887 by the Confederate Monument Association. The monument contains a list of those who died in Bourbon County and from Bourbon County for the Confederacy.
Paris Kentucky
Paris Kentucky is the largest city within Bourbon County Kentucky. It has a population of roughly 8,600. The city is 6 square miles. The sixth governor of Illinois Joseph Duncan lived in Paris Kentucky.