Kentucky History Drive

History is all around us.

Pioneers, Native nations, long hunters, soldiers and distillers. Explore the stories that made Kentucky, on a living map you can travel through time.

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Capital, Shakers and the Early Commonwealth

From the Old State Capitol and Liberty Hall in Frankfort to the Glenn's Creek distillery, the Shakers of Pleasant Hill, and Danville's square where Kentucky's statehood conventions met.

Stops

  1. 1. Old State Capitol

    PublicPaid admissionLimited hoursLegislature 1830–1910. Kentucky Historical Society site; open on set days, admission charged for tours.

    Gideon Shryock's Greek Revival capitol housed the Kentucky General Assembly from 1830 to 1910 and has been a Kentucky Historical Society museum since 1920. Sources: Kentucky Historical Society: Old State Capitol; Wikipedia: Old State Capitol (Kentucky)

    Frankfort: Frank's Ford becomes the capital →

  2. 2. Liberty Hall Historic Site

    PublicPaid admissionLimited hoursBuilt 1796–1800. Guided house tours on a seasonal schedule; admission charged.

    Senator John Brown built Liberty Hall in 1796–1800; it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1971. Sources: Wikipedia: Liberty Hall (Frankfort, Kentucky); Liberty Hall Historic Site

    0.7 mi, about 2 min from stop 1
    Liberty Hall: John Brown's house in the new capital →

  3. 3. Glenn's Creek: James Crow and the Pepper still (at Woodford Reserve)

    PublicPaid admissionReservation neededCrow at Pepper's by 1833. Working distillery visitor center; tours by reservation, fees apply.

    Scottish physician James C. Crow worked at Oscar Pepper's Glenn's Creek distillery from the 1830s, refining sour-mash methods; the site is now Woodford Reserve. Sources: Wikipedia: James C. Crow; Grokipedia: Woodford Reserve

    12.2 mi, about 21 min from stop 2
    James Crow on Glenn's Creek →

  4. 4. Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

    PublicPaid admissionLimited hoursCovenant 1806. Nonprofit historic site; admission charged, many buildings open seasonally.

    Mercer County converts joined the Shakers in 1805; 44 Believers signed the first family covenant in 1806. As pacifists the Shakers refused to bear arms in the Civil War; the society closed in 1910 and the last Shaker died in 1923. Sources: KHS marker #1481: Shakertown at Pleasant Hill; Shaker Village: History

    30.4 mi, about 51 min from stop 3
    Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill →

  5. 5. Constitution Square Historic Site (Danville)

    PublicLimited hoursConventions 1785–1792. County-run park; grounds open, buildings limited hours.

    Replicas of buildings on Danville's original square, including the courthouse where ten constitutional conventions met between 1785 and 1792, leading to Kentucky's separation from Virginia; also the first U.S. post office west of the Alleghenies. Sources: Wikipedia: Constitution Square Historic Site

    16.8 mi, about 25 min from stop 4
    Danville and Constitution Square →

Directions cover the public stops only. Access, fees and hours are general; verify before visiting. Context: The Old State Capitol and Liberty Hall are also on the Buffalo Trace loop.

Route map