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From the corner of Broadway and Ann Street you can see Frankfort’s old Union Depot. In my day, if you couldn’t take a boat down the river, the fastest way to get anywhere was by train.
East of Frankfort, in Woodford County, I built a grand distillery with its own medieval castle, an elaborate springhouse, and a sunken garden. My son Swigert and I christened it the Old Taylor Distillery, beautifully set in the verdant valley alongside Glenn’s Creek. Since it was pretty hard to get to by horse and buggy, and since I wanted visitors to come see my showplace, I went ahead and built a railroad line so you could get from here to there and set awhile.
Down at my Old Taylor Distillery, I built the Taylorton train depot to welcome my guests and to also make it easier for my employees to get to work. That depot still stands at the heart of the remarkable Castle & Key Distillery today.
I liked the idea of visitors at my distilleries, which is why I hired the finest architects and craftsmen and built everything to the finest standards. Turns out, that idea caught on. Today, they call my style of hospitality Bourbon Tourism.
Kentucky’s agricultural excellence is unparalleled. And I’m not boasting about our agriculture just because I had the greatest herd of purebred, prize-winning Herefords in all the world. My herd was, in fact, even greater than that of the King of England’s!
Woodford was the name of my famed Hereford bull. I bought him for the record-breaking price of $12,400. With our lush pastures and plentiful limestone spring waters, Woodford and his cows were healthy and they multiplied. At Hereford Farms, we changed the face of cattle breeding in America.
Central Kentucky’s bluegrass region was a breeder’s paradise, which is why our thoroughbred horses and the Kentucky Derby rose to worldwide fame. Indeed, two Triple Crown winners live on my old farm today – American Pharaoh and Justify.
Don’t forget to visit the Capital City Museum – which tells the stories of Frankfort – and the Kentucky History Museum – which holds the stories of our state. In both places, you’ll find artifacts and evidence of Frankfort’s proud bourbon heritage, as well as stories of my adventures – and misadventures. You’ll recognize the names: Crow, Pepper, Stagg, Saffel, Beam, Clay, Labrot, Graham, Blanton, Lee – and more. They’re all there.
To get to Stop #6, continue up Ann Street, turn right on West Main Street and walk to Lewis Street.
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