Preserve America Community:
Bardstown, Kentucky
Located in central Kentucky, Bardstown (population 10,374) is the county seat of Nelson County and was first settled in the late 1700s as Americans began pushing west. Its most celebrated historic attraction is Federal Hill Mansion, which was frequently visited by American composer Stephen Foster and said to be his inspiration for Kentucky's State song, "My Old Kentucky Home."
Bardstown is well known as the "Bourbon Capital of the World," with two distilleries in town and several others within a short drive. The history of whiskey-making is celebrated in the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History, which is located in Spalding Hall (1826), once part of St. Joseph College and Seminary.
Through its Bardstown Renaissance Program, the city has helped to rehabilitate and reuse the building, which also houses the Bardstown-Nelson County Historical Museum, restaurants, and offices. Bardstown has 279 buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places, including those in the Bardstown Historic District.
For more information
City of Bardstown: www.cityofbardstown.org
Nelson County Economic Development Agency: www.bardstowntourism.com
Updated April 21, 2009