Preserve America Community:
New Castle, Kentucky
New Castle, Kentucky (population 919), seat of Henry County, was first settled in 1798 and is situated within Kentucky's "golden triangle" region, the area between Louisville, Lexington, and Cincinnati. Incorporated in 1817, the community is the third oldest incorporated town in the State.
Historically, the surrounding region has relied on an agricultural economy centered around raising tobacco, hay and cattle. Today, New Castle remains a picturesque small city surrounded by rolling farmland.
The New Castle town center retains many historic buildings and the classic layout of a courthouse square. To help protect the downtown, the city created the New Castle Historic Preservation District in 2003. Construction activities in the district are reviewed by a preservation board of directors based on established design guidelines.
A heritage tourism draw in the downtown is the Henry County History Center, located in the Caplinger House (1863). A hub for research, education, and promotion of the history of New Castle and Henry County, the center is a vital anchor to the southern edge of the downtown commercial district.
Visitors soon will be able to go to a new restaurant nearby in a historic building that is being converted through a grant from the Kentucky Renaissance program. Future community leaders are learning about these and other historic assets through the Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Training, which includes a section on local heritage.
For more information
Henry County: www.henrycountyky.com
Updated July 6, 2005