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The true heart of Kentucky is Lebanon and Marion County, the geographic center of the state and a land of rolling bluegrass hills and rangy knob lands. Settled in 1789, it is also a center of Kentucky history, found in such places as the Holy Cross Church, which dates back to 1823, and the Loretto Motherhouse, dating back to 1812. Marion County is also home to Maker's Mark Distillery, a National Historic Landmark that continues to produce the world-famous Maker's Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Lebanon is the county seat and was incorporated in 1815. At one time, the style, beauty, and elegance of its homes and its flourishing businesses made Lebanon a serious contender for the site of the state capitol. During the Civil War, General John Hunt Morgan's Raiders descended on Lebanon, and after Morgan's young brother, Tom, was killed during a battle, the raiders burned much of the town in retribution. Even though twenty buildings were destroyed in the attack, Lebanon recovered, and more recently the downtown historic district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Also, the Historic Homes and Landmarks Tour is part Kentucky's Civil War Heritage Trail and includes twenty-four listings.
On The Civil War Discovery Trail, three landmarks stand out. The Commissary Building, which is the old Sunnyside Dispensary Building, was in place during the Civil War and supplied dry goods and food stuffs to the Union Garrison here. The Shuck Building, which is now Henning's Restaurant, was the office of General George H. Thomas, when he gathered an army of several thousand to go to Mill Springs to defend the Cumberland Valley. Myrtledene Bed & Breakfast was where Gen. John Hunt Morgan rode his horse into the house and started up the stairs. At some point later, the hoof marks were sanded out of the steps. Morgan did have his headquarters in the yard for a day and a half.
A noted attraction in Lebanon is the Lebanon Aquatic Center and is the centerpiece of Graham Memorial Park. The Aquatic Center is an enclosed pool for year round use where many programs are offered for young and old alike. For the nature lover, try the Fagan Branch Reservoir/Cecil L. Gorley Trail. The 3.2-mile trail around the reservoir is a great environment for hiking, bird watching, nature studies, and physical fitness activities.
On the southern limits of Lebanon is the National Cemetery, where many of the Union Soldiers who fell in the 1862 Battle of Perryville were laid to rest. The cemetery is the site of many military funerals and hosts annual Memorial Day celebrations.
Loretto, in northwestern Marion County, is the home of world-famous Maker's Mark Distillery. Originally started as a gristmill by Charles Burks in the early 1800s, Maker's Mark Distillery is the only continuously operating distillery to be designated a National Historic Landmark. T. W. Samuels, Sr., developed the formula for Maker’s Mark bourbon a sixth-generation distiller who purchased and restored the distillery in 1953. Samuels produced the first bottle of Maker's Mark bourbon in 1958 and decided to have each bottle sealed by hand-dipping it in red wax, making every bottle unique. Samuels' son, T. W. Samuels, Jr., continues in his father's footsteps, hand-crafting their award-winning bourbon in this quaint country distillery. Now available at the Maker's Mark Gift Gallery, guests may purchase a Maker's Mark souvenir bottle and personally hand-dip that bottle in the distillery's signature red wax.
The Loretto Motherhouse was home to the first religious community of women in the United States. Founded in 1812 by the Rev. Charles Nerinckx, the original mission of the Motherhouse was to educate frontier youth. Later, it became a Novitiate for women entering the sisterhood. Today, the Loretto Motherhouse is a home and retreat center for the Lorettine sisters. Original sculptures and artwork are on display at the Rhodes Hall Gallery, including works by the renowned artist Sister Jeanne Dueber.
In the community of Holy Cross, just north of Loretto, is Holy Cross Catholic Church. The cradle of Catholicism in Kentucky, Holy Cross was settled in the early 1780s by a group of Catholic families from Maryland and it was near the site of the church that Father Whelan said the first mass in Kentucky. The first Catholic Church west of the Allegheny Mountains was built here in 1792. Rev. Nerinckx erected the present Holy Cross Church in 1823, the last of ten churches he built in Kentucky.
Marion County is home to one of the largest and most successful community festivals in the state - Marion County Country Ham Days. First celebrated with six hams and a handful of visitors in 1969, over 600 hams are now needed to serve the 50,000 visitors who descend on Lebanon each year during the last full weekend in September. Besides a country ham breakfast with all the fixins', Country Ham Days features parades, contests, entertainment, demonstrations, 5K race, and much more for the entire family.
Designated as a Scenic Highway & Byway, U.S. 68, which runs through Marion County, follows a historic trail used by such notables as Andrew Jackson, Jane Todd Crawford and General Lafayette. Located 12 miles north of Lebanon, Lincoln Homestead Park offers a museum, gift shop, and a replica of the 1782 cabin where Thomas Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln's father, lived as a boy. To the south is Green River Lake State Park, comprised of 1,300 acres of land and an 8,200-acre lake, with beaches, boat docks, fishing, picnic areas, and campsites open to the public.
AREA ATTRACTIONS/POINTS OF INTEREST
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