Visiting Frankfort

Kentucky’s capital is the small city of Frankfort, located near the center of the state. Above are the current Kentucky State Capitol and the Old State Capitol. An interesting piece of history happened here in 1900, when Governor-elect William Goebel was shot while walking toward the Old State Capitol. He died a few days later, becoming one of the most infamous political assassinations in Kentucky history.

Exploring Frankfort

Frankfort isn’t a well-known city, but it was bigger than I expected. When I visited in 2010, one of the most noticeable buildings was the Capital Plaza Office Tower, part of a development built during the 1960s. There had already been talk about eventually demolishing the tower and replacing it with something more modern. Nearby is the Governor’s Mansion, located beside the State Capitol.

Frankfort Cemetery and Daniel Boone

One of early America’s most famous explorers was Daniel Boone, who became closely associated with the exploration and settlement of Kentucky. His adventures hunting and exploring west of the original colonies, along with his role as a militia officer during the Revolutionary War, made him famous throughout the United States and even Europe. Today he’s one of the most recognizable figures in Kentucky’s early history.

His grave is located in Frankfort Cemetery, a historic cemetery overlooking the city. The cemetery dates back to the 1840s and is also the resting place of numerous Kentucky governors and other important figures from the state’s history.

Downtown Frankfort

Frankfort has a small historic downtown that spans only a few blocks. At the end of one of the main streets is the Old State Capitol, surrounded by older buildings that give this part of the city quite a bit of character.

I also came across quite a few impressive older homes around Frankfort. Some had been converted into businesses, while other neighborhoods were filled with large houses that I wasn’t expecting to find in such a small capital city.

And here are two completely random photos from Frankfort. A huge group of motorcycles came riding through downtown while I was there. I’m not sure what the event was, but I only photographed a small portion of them and it seemed like nearly everyone in Kentucky with a motorcycle was riding that day! The other photo shows a local kid jumping a flight of stairs on his skateboard.

Buffalo Trace Distillery

As far as touristy things to do in Frankfort, Buffalo Trace Distillery was by far my favorite attraction. Distilling on the property dates back to the late 1700s, with a commercial distillery eventually developing here during the following decades. The site has continued producing whiskey through generations and today is one of the most famous bourbon distilleries in Kentucky.

There are tours that take you through the distillery and explain the bourbon-making process, from distillation to aging inside the enormous warehouses. And of course there are plenty of bottles and gifts available to take home afterward.