Discover Mason County: History, Bourbon, and Nature
Accommodation in Mason County
Mason County combines impressive history with regional culinary culture and outdoor experiences. The historic buildings of Maysville reflect the city’s importance as a center for trade, education, and culture in the 19th century. Maysville’s history as a station on the Underground Railroad is an important focus of heritage tourism and gives a visit a depth that goes beyond classic attractions.
Historic Sites and Museums
At the Old Church Museum, the search for clues begins with a building constructed in 1848 that contains religious artifacts. It is one of the two surviving buildings with stepped gables in Washington. Mefford’s Station also tells the story of the early settlement years: The site was founded in 1787, and George Mefford used the timbers from his dismantled flatboat to build a house. The cabin from Mefford’s Station was moved to Washington in 1969; Washington is now part of Maysville.
In Maysville lies the Pioneer Graveyard. Burials there began at least as early as 1800. The cemetery is located directly behind the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center and can be reached via a narrow path between the museum and Phillips’ Folly. Since March 1, 1878, the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center has collected, preserved, and interpreted the history of Kentucky and the Ohio River Valley. The Bourbon History Galleries cover the Whiskey Tax Act uprising of 1791, the heyday of bourbon production in Mason County, Prohibition, and the revival of Old Pogue Master’s Select.
The museum offers additional points of interest for a range of interests. The Calvert Exhibits Gallery is a 2,000-square-foot space for changing exhibitions. The KSB Miniatures Collection in Maysville contains more than 120 furnished miniature houses, room boxes, and vignettes in a 3,300-square-foot gallery. The Maysville Floodwall Murals at Limestone Landing convey the city’s history from the 18th through the 20th century; a mural completed in September 2007 honors Maysville native Rosemary Clooney.
Old Washington, Theater, and Commemorative Culture
A tour of Old Washington is offered during the season and by appointment outside the season. Costumed guides lead visitors along stone-slab walkways past authentic frontier-era log cabins and early 19th-century homes. The Simon Kenton Shrine was originally built and operated as a general store by Lee, Lashbrooke & Co. Old Washington also presents Beaten Biscuit as a traditional Kentucky way of eating county ham.
The history of slavery and efforts to end it is also addressed. In 1833, Stowe visited a Georgian-style brick house named after Colonel Marshall Key and was subsequently taken to the nearby courthouse to watch a slave auction. Memorabilia and artifacts are presented in connection with hidden slave quarters behind the servants’ rooms. The Russell Theatre is one of the few remaining atmospheric theaters in the United States.
Bourbon, Landscape, and Activity
The historic grounds of the Old Pogue Distillery include the Pogue family’s residence, built in 1845, and a modern facility for producing distilled spirits. The Pogue family produces rye and bourbon whiskey there in small batches, using the same combinations of ingredients and methods as in their ancestors’ recipes. The grounds are located on a southern ridge of the Ohio River Valley and offer east-facing views of the Simon Kenton Bridge and the Ohio River.
For an active day plan, Maysville-Mason County Recreation Park offers a 15-acre fishing lake, a paved 1-mile path for walking and running, and abundant wildlife. The park also has a seasonal swimming pool. This makes it possible to combine cultural sightseeing, regional history, and time outdoors according to different daily rhythms.
When looking for a vacation rental in Mason County, you can therefore first determine your preferred mix of travel experiences: museums, historic buildings, and commemorative culture favor a culture-oriented stay, while the park, fishing lake, and landscape offer different focal points. Those who want to combine culinary enjoyment and history will find another common thread in the bourbon tradition and the stories surrounding Old Pogue. You can then choose the location of your accommodation according to your personal priorities and specific travel plans.
For the broader travel overview: Kentucky.
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