The district consists of twenty-six blocks with a total of 279 properties. Over one third of the buildings in the district are Federal or Georgian architecture dating from the 1780s to 1850, reflecting Bardstown's status as one of the first towns in Kentucky, first settled in 1780 and formally established in 1788. Twenty-four of the blocks are in the initial grid pattern used to lay out the town's lots in 1797.[3]
The town was originally to be called Salem when it was first settled in 1780 by 33 people, on land given as 1,000-acre (4 km2) grant to John Owings and David Bard by Virginia governor Patrick Henry. Bard sent his brother William Bard to manage the holdings, and with William donating 2 acres (8,100 m2) for a courthouse, the town was renamed Bardstown. In 1789 alone 150 log houses were built in the district. In the antebellum area the district became a cultural center for nearby localities, especially for Catholics; Bardstown had the largest concentration of Catholics of any town in Kentucky for a time. Its decline began when the Louisville and Nashville Railroad decided to initially bypass Bardstown, not building a railroad for the town until 1860, and not extending the line from Bardstown until 1887, after which Bardstown's population remained steady until it became the center of bourbon production.[4][5][6]
At different times during the Civil War, commanders from both armies held their headquarters within the district.[7]
The Old Courthouse, which lies in the center of the district surrounded by US 31E and US 150, was constructed in 1892 at the cost of $30,000. It now serves as the Visitor Center for Bardstown, with the new courthouse being built where the original Wal-Mart in Bardstown was located.[8]
Thanks to the Nelson County Historical Society and the 1965 Historical District Zoning laws, much of the district retains its historical nature, save for a few commercial buildings along Third Street, also known locally as Louisville Road (which eventually reaches Louisville, where it is called Bardstown Road). By the 1980s over 200,000 tourists visited the town, which has steadily increased due to the continuing attractions of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and My Old Kentucky Home State Park, located on the next hill to the east of the historic district.[9]
bardstown, historic, district, comprising, center, bardstown, kentucky, registered, historic, district, national, register, historic, places, prominent, architecture, located, within, district, include, cobblestone, path, nelson, county, jail, station, talbott. The Bardstown Historic District comprising the center of Bardstown Kentucky is a registered historic district on the National Register of Historic Places Prominent architecture located within the district include the Cobblestone Path Nelson County Jail Old L amp N Station Old Talbott Tavern and Spalding Hall all individually on the National Register and the historic old Nelson County Courthouse 2 Bardstown Historic DistrictU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S Historic districtThe 1892 County Courthouse now the Bardstown Visitor CenterShow map of KentuckyShow map of the United StatesLocationBardstown KentuckyCoordinates37 48 40 N 85 27 57 W 37 81111 N 85 46583 W 37 81111 85 46583Architectural styleGeorgian FederalNRHP reference No 83002837 1 Added to NRHPFebruary 17 1983 The district consists of twenty six blocks with a total of 279 properties Over one third of the buildings in the district are Federal or Georgian architecture dating from the 1780s to 1850 reflecting Bardstown s status as one of the first towns in Kentucky first settled in 1780 and formally established in 1788 Twenty four of the blocks are in the initial grid pattern used to lay out the town s lots in 1797 3 The town was originally to be called Salem when it was first settled in 1780 by 33 people on land given as 1 000 acre 4 km2 grant to John Owings and David Bard by Virginia governor Patrick Henry Bard sent his brother William Bard to manage the holdings and with William donating 2 acres 8 100 m2 for a courthouse the town was renamed Bardstown In 1789 alone 150 log houses were built in the district In the antebellum area the district became a cultural center for nearby localities especially for Catholics Bardstown had the largest concentration of Catholics of any town in Kentucky for a time Its decline began when the Louisville and Nashville Railroad decided to initially bypass Bardstown not building a railroad for the town until 1860 and not extending the line from Bardstown until 1887 after which Bardstown s population remained steady until it became the center of bourbon production 4 5 6 At different times during the Civil War commanders from both armies held their headquarters within the district 7 The Old Courthouse which lies in the center of the district surrounded by US 31E and US 150 was constructed in 1892 at the cost of 30 000 It now serves as the Visitor Center for Bardstown with the new courthouse being built where the original Wal Mart in Bardstown was located 8 Thanks to the Nelson County Historical Society and the 1965 Historical District Zoning laws much of the district retains its historical nature save for a few commercial buildings along Third Street also known locally as Louisville Road which eventually reaches Louisville where it is called Bardstown Road By the 1980s over 200 000 tourists visited the town which has steadily increased due to the continuing attractions of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and My Old Kentucky Home State Park located on the next hill to the east of the historic district 9 President Jimmy Carter visiting Bardstown in 1979 United States President Jimmy Carter held a town hall meeting in the district in 1979 10 Gallery edit nbsp Old Talbott Tavern nbsp Shops along 3rd Street nbsp Historic old stone jail nbsp Farmer s Bank amp Trust nbsp Cobblestone Path nbsp Old L amp N Station nbsp Backview of old Court HouseSee also edit nbsp Kentucky portalReferences edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bardstown Historic District National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service April 15 2008 National Register of Historic Places Map Metromapper org accessed August 31 2008 Thomason Phil Bardstown Historic District NRHP Nomination Form Thomason and Associates 1982 Sec 7 p 0 Sec 8 p 0 Kleber John E The Kentucky Encyclopedia University Press of Kentucky 1992 pp 51 52 Thomason Sec 8 pp 0 1 Hibbs Dixie Bardstown Hospitality History and Bourbon Arcadia Publishing 2002 p 156 Hibbs pp 70 79 Thomason Sec 8 p 2 Thomason Sec 7 p 1 Kleber p 52 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bardstown Historic District amp oldid 1168888410, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
