While the United States celebrates it’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026, Boyle County will be celebrating its 184th year on Feb. 14, 1842, marking the official date on which it was formed from sections of Mercer and Lincoln counties.
The county is named for John Boyle, who served as a United State representative, chief justice of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, and later a federal judge for the District of Kentucky. He and his family moved from Virginia to Kentucky in 1779 when John was 5 years old, living first in Lincoln County and then settling in Garrard County, where he lived the rest of his life until he died in 1835 at the age of 61.
Boyle County has experienced a very rich history over the years as the backdrop for many historic events, from the Civil War battle in Perryville to the expansion of the Kentucky School for the Deaf to the growth of Danville.
Within Boyle County, the incorporated cities include Danville (the county seat), Junction City and Perryville. There are also other communities like Parksville, Mitchellburg, Atoka and Hedgeville.
If you enjoy history, Boyle County has 50 locations that you can find on the National Register of Historic Places. Of those, 5 are of national significance, including the H.P. Bottom House, Crawford House, Danville National Cemetery, Harlan’s Station Site and Jacobs Hall at the Kentucky School for the Deaf.’
A number of famous people are also connected to Boyle County, including James Harlan Jr., Gen. Braxton Bragg, Judge John Boyle and James Cecil.