Bardstown

Recognized as one of the best small towns in the United States, as well as the "Bourbon Capital of the World," this community has some big city renown. During the early part of the nineteenth century, Bardstown excelled in state issues, including politics, religion, education, and business. The Civil War would bring significant tensions and a decline in the town's population, but through industrial growth and the development of the lucrative distilling industry, Bardstown gained much fame. Although Prohibition proved economically devastating to many residents, Bardstown survived and grew, enjoying a strong tourist trade today with its almost 300 historic structures and the Kentucky Bourbon Festival each fall.