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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All drives · Plan a history drive · Distillery start

Wild Turkey · Loop 2: Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

From the Ripy family's 1891 distillery at Tyrone to Lawrenceburg's beginnings as Kaufman's Station in the early 1780s, then south to Pleasant Hill, where Shakers signed their first family covenant in 1806 and kept a community until 1910.

Loop 1: Tyrone, Versailles and Jack Jouett · Loop 2: Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

Stops

  1. 1. Wild Turkey Distillery

    PublicPaid admissionReservation neededRipy distillery 1891. Working distillery; tours by reservation, fees apply.

    In 1891 Thomas Ripy built the Old Hickory Distillery at Tyrone near Lawrenceburg; the Ripy family rebuilt after Prohibition, and the Wild Turkey brand dates to 1940. Sources: Grokipedia: Wild Turkey (bourbon); Wild Turkey

    No story yet for this stop.

  2. 2. Anderson County History Museum

    PublicLimited hoursCarnegie library 1908. Free museum; limited open days, otherwise by appointment.

    Lawrenceburg was first settled in the early 1780s by German immigrant Jacob Kaufman as Kaufman's (Coffman's) Station; the county museum tells the story from settlement on. Sources: Grokipedia: Lawrenceburg, Kentucky; Visit Lawrenceburg: Anderson County History Museum

    2.4 mi, about 5 min from stop 1
    Lawrenceburg: from Kaufman's Station to Anderson County seat →

  3. 3. 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

    26.9 mi, about 35 min from stop 2
    Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill →

Directions cover the public stops only. Access, fees and hours are general; verify before visiting.

Route map